Kohaihai and Karamea

After the Oparara walks I returned down the gravel road to the main road and headed north to where the road ended by the Kohaihai River- near the southern end of the Heaphy Track. It was glorious there, with pohutukawa starting to flower and lots of rata in flower. Weka were wandering around the parking/ camping area. The West Coast ocean was rolling in, with a steep drop-off into deeper water. 

 

 

I took the start of the track and crossed the bridge onto the Heaphy Track, then walked along the nikau walk.

 

 

Back in Karamea I took the steps up behind the campground onto the top of the stopbanks and was surprised by how wide the Karamea River was. 

 

Then I drove down for a wander on the beach, which I had completely to myself! I loved finding all the granite rocks along the sand, especially the pink-hued ones.

Tonight I ate dinner out at the historic Karamea Country Hotel- very pleasant, with beautiful gardens.

 

 

Oparara walks Pt2

Next on the list was the loop walk to Moria Gate and Mirror Tarn, which took about one and a half hours. There was a sign near the start of this that showed how much enthusiastic local volunteer labour and passion had been involved in establishing the various walking tracks in this area- no mean feat in a rainforest. I felt quite humbled to be able to walk here and enjoy it.

 

After about 25 minutes walk through the rainforest, I arrived at the Moria Arch. It was a bit of a scramble down rocks, with help from a chain, to get down there, and I felt like I was a young'un on an adventure. It was spectacular to be under the arch, watching the river flow through. There was a small group of others there also enjoying it. 

 

 

 

After I had climbed out from under the arch, I took the longer 'continuation' track that led to a viewpoint looking across to the arch. Again the water is brown due to the natural tannins leached from the leaves by the heavy rainfall.

 

The walk continued through rainforest to Mirror Tarn. It was nearly dead calm and the reflection was perfect.

 

There was a bit more rainforest to walk through, near the river, before I rejoined the road for a short stretch back to the car park.

 

 

And with two arches, two caves and a tarn seen, it was time for lunch before leaving the area.

Oparara walks Pt1

Last year in my Golden Bay/ Motueka Valley travels I saw signs for the entry to Kahurangi National Park but never went in... but today I did, with a series of walks in the Oparara Basin. I headed north from Karamea, then inland to the hills along a winding gravel road.

The first walk I did was to the massive Oparara Arch. The underlying rock in this area was being formed 350 million years ago off the coast of Gondwanaland, then 30 million years ago limestone was laid down, later to be covered by mudstone. The high rainfall in this area has been gradually sculpting the limestone, and this giant arch is one result. It was too massive to really capture with my camera.

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The walk was close to the Oparara River, which is brown in colour. This is a natural colour in this rainforest area with heavy rainfall, where the tannins get leached from the leaves by the heavy rainfall. There were many ponga in the forest. 

 

 

Next I drove 2km up the road to the Caves carpark,and saw the Crazy Paving and Box Canyon caves. (There is another cave/arch you can see if you go on a guided tour.)

 

I passed this bird (fledgling?) on the ground and thought it might be hurt, but it flew up onto a branch. Found out later from info boards that it is a SI robin (toutouwai).

The box canyon cave was long and huge. I didn't manage to spy any cave weta, but was glad I brought my torch along as it was very dark in there.

 

 

Right next to it was the Crazy Paving cave, with this 'scientifically interesting' soil pattern.

 

So that was the first part of my day's walks. More in Pt2, but you can already tell this would be a great place for family walks.

Murchison to Karamea

The night was chilly but I stayed snug and warm in my winter weight sleeping bag- thus justifying my bringing both my summer and winter bags because- CAR! It dawned a beautiful morning beside the Buller River though, with the birdsong waking me. I love summer camping - early to bed when the daylight finally disappears, then early awake with the birds singing.

 

The first part of the journey today was to Westport, often close to the Buller River. Sometimes we were high above it, and the hills were steep like mountains, but towards the end the river was more meandering and the banks were lower. I stopped off at the DOC camping area where the old mining town of Lyell stood. The views from there were spectacular so maybe my homeward journey will take me back there with my tent. 

 

At Inangahua I called into the small museum that covered local history and the 1968 earthquake that I remember happening. What I remember was that communication was poor, and nobody knew what had happened for a while in such an isolated spot. Some things don't change: earthquakes easily damage communication methods we have grown used to, as we know from Christchurch and Kaikoura, and especially recently for rural areas inland from Kaikoura and Cheviot.

 

It came almost as a surprise when some flatter valley land appeared. (Aylesbury loved the views!) I was impressed to find a Kilkenny lookout - hat tip to some ancestors- over towards Hawk's Crag that allowed only one way access.

 

 

I enjoyed some time in Westport, finding a new pair of sandals to use instead of my two right-footed ones. I saw a set of modern Stations of the Cross in an 'ArtHotel' - small towns often have surprises. And I realised I was passing St Canice's church that I had seen many photos of- but it was closed so I never got to see inside.

 

The journey north from Westport was on a far quieter road. It started off flat, with sea views, but soon climbed a couple of rather large hills. We passed the town of Granity which looked wonderful in the sunshine, but after the Kaikoura quake with its numerous landslips, the steep hills right behind many houses made me nervous.

 

Finally I reached Karamea, on the flat, and I am camping in the Domain. Friendly caretakers. Very peaceful. I am sitting writing this gazing at the hills covered still in sunshine- and it is already 8.30pm.

 

Tomorrow: Oparara Arches.

The road to Murchison

I was woken this morning by the sound of sheep baaing from across the stream. It was a sunny calm morning as I left the Blenheim area and headed off down the Wairau Valley past vineyards galore. I stopped to buy some cherries from a roadside stall. Yum.

 

I was glad I had experienced the road last year, when the traffic was barely there. Now, after the Kaikoura earthquake, its new status as the lengthy detour required between Picton and Christchurch has made driving it a harder thing. There are numerous roadworks made necessary by the huge amount of trucks now using the road. Quite often there were signs for a 'hidden queue' which usually meant there was a one way bridge ahead. In a couple of places they were even in the process of installing bailey bridges so two lanes can cross. For quite a while I was following a Talley's truck- a bit ironic seeing as how I haven't bought their products for years, ever since I heard the owner support whaling.

 

I stopped at the Kowhai Point Scenic Reserve, where I also stopped last year. What a contrast! Last year I could wander over the riverbed, but today the water was rushing past.

 

At St Arnaud I made my way to Lake Rotoiti, then enjoyed a walk through the beech forest to Kerr Bay. Holidays have started properly once I have stretched my legs. 

 

 

And in Murchison I opted for the Riverview camping ground and I am so glad. Tonight my tent is up right beside the Buller River.

Across Cook Strait

So Day 1 involved crossing Cook Strait. I had a leisurely start to the day, dropped off something en route in Waikanae, and had time to have lunch with my sister in Wellington. Then it was downtown to the Interislander ferry parking lines- something that enkindled great excitement within- my holiday adventure was starting.

And so was the adventure for Aylesbury.

 

It was a very windy crossing, though not rough. As is usual for me, I spent most of the journey outside on the deck, where it was quite hard to stand if you stood in an unsheltered place!

This is the ferry I travelled on, the Aratere. 

 

Aylesbury had a fine seat.

 

 

It seemed like quite a quick crossing- and we were entering the Marlborough Sounds.

 

  

 

 

We docked at Picton around 6pm, and I drove the short distance south to Spring Creek where I am all set up in my tent for my first night camping for this summer. I can hear the creek water flow.... holidays have begun.

 

One more sleep!

Packing day today- Took a while to fit it all in the car boot properly but now I am all ready to leave in the morning....

Had one last drive in the Manawatu to visit a friend- and passed this Santa visiting a farm.

 

Tomorrow I will start blogging from the road...

Camping Prep 2

Recently I bought a lovely wee owl from the Palmy Village Night Market- and I am going to take her exploring with me. Today my class helped name her. She is Aylesbury- or Hoots for short. The child who suggested the name Aylesbury was born there- and one of my great-grandfathers had part of his Charing Cross farm there. So Aylesbury it is. But seeing as how that is quite a mouthful, she is also aka Hoots.

Camp prep

Just testing ready for my summer camping holidays- my previous offline blogging apps are no more...