Friday 28th. Feb.

A central Otago round trip, and into the Catlins.

Ranfurly via St. Bathans, Alexandria, Roxburgh to Papatowai.

Awoke to 10˚C grey skies and heavy rain, badly needed by the farmers, as the wide rolling plains scenery very parched. Mostly scruffy cattle, but some sheep.

Stretched my early morning legs (still only 8.30) at the Golden Progress Mine, a late 1800s and early 1900’s Goldmine. 

Then just down the road for 9.00 am opening time at the Hayes Engineering Works a late 1800s and early 1900’s family workshop. Ernest Hayes and his wife Hannah were immigrants from Lancashire. Ernest became a millwright in Otago and then set up his own workshop in 1890 and known as the King of all Trades. He made windmill water pumps, and invented and refined the barbed wire tensioner; modern reincarnations still being produced today. I favoured something slightly more modern, but today we just anchor the wire to the JCB telescopic handler and draw in the boom a few inches.

 

He powered the workshop with a giant windmill, but later made his own pelton water wheel fed by a dam several hundred metres away. This later also generated electricity for the workshop and house, with regulating controls for even voltage.

Only a farmer would post this photo: You can just tell barbed wire is in my blood.

Then on to St Bathans well publicised as a tourist destination, but not in my SatNav. This was a gold mining town of 2000 people between 1863 and 1930 with supply stores, bars etc. but more or less all that is left is the Vulcan Pub and the blue lake, which was once a 120 metre high hill of clay, dug away by mining to a 70 metre deep lake, coloured blue by the leaching minerals. Unfortunately it was a cold, wet, grey day for me, and I was told it is no longer blue because of disturbance by jet-skis

 

As you head back to the coast south of Dunedin the land once again becomes greener. Roxburgh very important fruit growing area. Becomes more hilly and green, with a large forested area just like Scotland again. Asked a forestry worker involved in the extensive felling what trees: Answer Douglas Fir.

More cattle where irrigation: otherwise lot more sheep. Some Deer

Broad Clutha River Heading towards the sea and me chasing blue sky at Kaka Point, but I brought the rain and wind with me, fleece and waterproof jacket instead of a swim in the sea. 

 

Went on the short walk to Nugget Point spectacular position high above the sea.

 

Further on into the Catlins: again very Scottish Lower Hill Scenery. 

Southern Comfort Motel : In danger of being overgrown by the bush, but typically spacious and comfortable nevertheless. Not even a mobile phone signal never mind internet access.