Reconnecting

My paternal great-grandparents came from Ireland and Scotland to settle in the Charing Cross, Burnham, Kirwee area. I'd visited before, but it was time to reacquaint myself. First I approached Charing Cross via Kirwee. They had a very large block of land on the intersection with Anson's Rd. I wasn't sure exactly how far up Anson's Rd the land went, but every time there was a gap in the huge hedge I took a photo. I was glad to see some sheep in a field, as I know they had sheep. The land is very arid, and also very flat. It is so flat and featureless that it is hard to believe the first of the large Canterbury quakes was centred not far from here.

Next I drove to Darfield to the Catholic Church cemetery, where a group of four ancestors are buried.

And at the Darfield cenotaph, I paid my respects to my great-uncle who died in France in WW1. A lot of work has been done to make the area around the cenotaph look more attractive since I was last here.

Before I left Darfield I had a wee picnic under the shade of a tree, in a park next to the 4Square. Then it as bye bye to the ancestors, and on with the exploring.

 

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Darfield to Rakaia Gorge

From Darfield I took the Inland Scenic Route, 72. It passes through several interesting wee villages and Glentunnel was one of these places that obviously had a very busy time in earlier days of settlement. It had this beautiful little public library building.

And the plaque by the old stables told about the mining past.

I had thought I might do a walk here, but it was across private land, and had a closed sign on it.

I next took a side-road up to Lake Coleridge and saw the power station with all the intake pipes.

 

My next place to explore was Rakaia Gorge, and when I arrived I decided I would check out the campground. And oh what a view I have for the night!

There were a few people swimming, but the water was way too icy cold for my North Island sensibilities! A paddle on the edge was as close as I got!

There were two bridges, and this one was built a long time back.

There was a walkway which gave some other views from on high.

And you see the wide bend the river took before going more narrowly through the gorge.

Back in the campground I am enjoying the view as the shadows gradually fall on the river. Night all. I think I will be able to do some stargazing this evening from my tent...

 

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Murchison to Christchurch

I woke early and quietly packed up my tent in the Murchison camping ground. The hills were a bit misty for Christmas morning.

It was to be a relatively diversion-free trip to Christchurch for Christmas. I left SH6 to take the road past Maruia Falls, and the mist became a whole lot thicker.

It seemed like I wasn't going to see much of the mountains. I passed Pea Soup Rd, and felt sorry for those living there if it was always this misty... However, I hadn't been driving too far before suddenly I came to a valley in full sunlight.

I found the drive up to Lewis Pass quite simple - a real doddle compared to the Takaha Hill!

Just to remind me I was really in the mountains though, the air temperature dropped, and it looked like there was some frost.

This trip has really opened my eyes to how many wide braided river valleys there are in the South Island. I lost track of exactly which river I was near- the Waiau, Hurunui, Hope- they were all beautiful. And some of the raised terraces had me wondering about past geological events in this area as well.

There was no snow at this time of year though: I only caught glimpses of that on higher, more distant peaks.

In many places there was marked erosion, though this was one of the most dramatic.

At one point I saw where rock groynes were being created, and I presumed these were to protect the road against floodwaters taking it out. (Hard to believe on such a calm, gentle, harmless kind of morning in the mountains!)

The last part of my journey was across some very dry parts of Canterbury.

And finally I arrived at my friends' place for Christmas, in the middle of the grand present-opening, where I was made very welcome. Great to share the time with long-time friends, where I had known the adult children as toddlers and babies.

My contribution to the feast was very modest- some Riwaka cherries in a bowl by a Golden Bay potter- and I think I was the greatest lover of the cherries. There was wonderful feasting all day.

Thanks to my friends for a wonderful Christmas Day. Now it's Boxing Day - and it's time to read more of my Elizabeth George murder mystery! The rest of the house still slumbers, but I was awake again, in camping mode, with the birds, including a rooster this time...

 

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Collingwood to Murchison

It was to be my last morning beside the estuary in Collingwood, and I rose early to sit beside the water. The tide was quite far out, and one hopeful fisherman was out there before me.

I noticed a small pohutukawa tree blooming beside the shore, and if my four young French friend from last night had been awake, I would have made sure they knew its significance!

I stopped off for the walk to Te Waikoropuku Springs, where water bubbles up from the marble catchment below. I bought another bag of fresh cherries from the same orchard at Riwaka. And I was glad I had passed through Motueka before, as it was in the grip of Christmas madness, which made it good to be certain of my directions.

I stopped off by the roadside in a rural area called Stanley Brook, in the Motueka Valley, where they had set up this nativity scene.

Then I did a walk along the Kawatiri walkway- where construction of a railway line was started but never finished. You got to walk over a bridge, and through a tunnel.

Next I drove to St Arnaud, where the beautiful Lake Rotoiti sits amongst mountains. I was surprised to find the peace disturbed by a water skier! One of the most interesting things about driving away from St Arnaud, was seeing the Upper Buller River- just a rocky stream really. But all the way down towards the Coast, other rivers were joining it from their mountain beginnings.

The afternoon was starting to draw on, so I decided I needed to look for a campsite in Murchison. There was plenty of room as it turned out: I'm hoping the pressure on camping space for Xmas/ New Year won't be too bad on the West Coast, but time will tell.

Murchison also has some interesting historic buildings.

And the river here is starting to show more of its might and power, though the valley is still wide.

Well, it will be Christmas morning when I next pass by the Spark wifi box, so Merry Christmas everyone!

 

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