Monday 17^th. March.

Norman had in mind a big trip out to Mount Arthur, which on clear days can be seen as just one of a multitude of mountains from the house, but it looks as though this will not come off because of the after effects of the storm. At that distance, some of which on gravel mountain roads, there is almost sure to be difficulty with fallen trees and landslips common in NZ, and the mountains are cloaked in hanging cloud.

This is a more gentle and leisurely pace of life out here anyway, so they take me on a walk to Cable Bay instead. We pick up Kate, who is on Holiday this week from her Nursing Training, and drive through Nelson and NE to Glenduan (just known as The Glen) to start the walk. The cloud begins to break, and it looks as though I didn’t need to bring waterproofs. We climb a vehicle track with views of surrounding bush covered hillside, and are pleased to enter the cover of bush and forest which is beautifully cooling especially as an effect of last night’s rain. Kate and I chatter away about farming and her especial love of the natural environment, conservation and sustainability. Later we emerge to blue skies at a temperature of 24˚C, grassland with Hereford Cattle, sheep and a few goats, and good views of surrounding bush and forest clad hillsides, but more especially of the wide blue Tasman Bay with the coast I had been boating, walking and swimming along 30 km. away. A couple of hours from the start we climb the final hill for spectacular views of the hills to the east, Tasman Bay to the west and Pepin Island across Cable Bay directly in front of us to the north.

 

After lunch Norman and I went to the bottom of the hill to see the information display board by the bay. The Bay is so named because it is where they brought ashore the first undersea Telegraph Cable NZ in 1867. By connecting to Australia it was possible to communicate with UK in 4 days, at a cost of about £1 for every 2 words. (£75 in real terms, but the economic buying power of that £1 in today’s terms would be in the region of £750 to £1500: can you imagine paying a few hundred for each word? My Blog which is around 15 thousand words already would have cost £15 million pounds, without the photos)

Even though we can now do emails in 4 minutes, and my Blog is costing me next to nothing, that was an incredible achievement.

 

Norman and I then have a steepish 20 minute climb in the strong sun back to the last hill, and a further hour or so more gently uphill to catch up with Monica and Kate who are waiting for us in the shade.

We take a different route down with pleasant views of Nelson with its hills one side and Tasman Bay the other.

 

 

 

Yes that is Gorse in Bloom

Drive back to Tahunanui for a refreshing swim in the bay.

A good shower, snifters, nibbles, good food, wine and chat finishes the day: what else would one expect at Norman and Monica’s.

Sunday 16^th. March.

There have been quite a few showers in the night, but no really bad weather, and I spend as much of the early morning as I can, before having to get out of my digs, sorting the photos and writing up the Thursday and Friday posts, before driving to Norman and Mon in Nelson.

Semi trusty SatNav actually delivers me directly to their door.

I have seen photos and knew to expect something special, but the reality is stunning. The house, the garden and the views over the suburbs, the bay and the mountains; and this is a cloudy day, but at the moment the cloud is not too low, and it is not actually raining, but I expect better when the weather improves, and so this is a day on which I take no photos at all, and may turn out to be unique on this holiday.

We instantly fall into that old rapport that long standing friends have when meeting up after a time apart, and there is just so much to talk about, and I am on such a high (I am literally on a trip) that they remark that I am a different person: that really is the effect of 4 weeks of sun and warmth shrugging off the SAD Syndrome, the continuous run of new experience of travel where everything every day is positive. I have not had a negative experience at all for 4 weeks.

We talk for hours, then go round to see their daughter Kate and her partner Will at the house they are renovating only 5 km. away on a hillside at Tahunanui. It is a small house, but a big project and they are doing it all themselves, from external boarding to internal walling, in spare time. The end result will be fantastic, as the position perched on a hillside, and views are similar to Norman and Mon’s, but they more directly overlook the beach, which they love to make use of for swimming and kayaking, when they are not further afield tramping.

The wind is getting up now, but there are a few brave-hearts swimming, wind surfing and kite surfing in the bay below us.

We go back home for more chat, snifters and nibbles, carrot and coriander soup (all from the garden of course, and I always have called Mon the Queen of Soups) followed by a lovely lamb supper, as those of you who know Mon can imagine, and a Pinot Noir that I had brought from the Rippon Vineyard in Wanaka, the oldest vineyard in Otago.

The storm is really brewing outside now; very strong winds and heavy rain much as forecast, but it doesn’t matter to us as we are doing what is best for such a day. It was supposed to have blown itself out by now; instead it increases overnight, but is pretty much gone by morning.

When we finally go to bed I can’t sleep because of being in such a high state, the opposite of being at home in winter, but is doesn’t bother me and I rest well instead.

What a great day: Many thanks to Norman and Monica.

 

 

Saturday 15^th. March. 

The beautiful sky of the previous evening was probably produced by the approaching storm, which is a decaying cyclone from up north in the Pacific. In my post of Thursday 13^th. I mistakenly called it a hurricane, but of course they belong to the Northern Hemisphere.

Anyway it is decided by the Wilsons staff to take all precautions, and they make provision to bring in all clients and staff from outlying areas to sit it out at this Torrent Bay Lodge, before the boats are prevented from running up and down the coast.

There is time for the group here now to walk and kayak out as planned, as it will take till early afternoon only, and if they had all stayed put, those brought in from further afield would have to camp on the floor. I had previously been scheduled to come out late afternoon by boat which would have given me an easy day with plenty of time for lazing around and swimming in the sun and sea of the beautiful little bays, but it is decided that I walk out with the group to further down the coast where they are going out by bus, so once again I am part of a group with plenty of time for chat.

The group dynamics here are interesting in one particular aspect, as an American and an Aussie have formed a double act that has a way of combining individual conversation into group dissemination, by acting as double talk show hosts interviewing a guest and then disseminating this information to the group in a brash American manner. This is known as Wilsons FM, and works well at times, but there is a lot of channel switching and tuning out.

 

This isn’t the whole group, and doesn’t include the guides, who have gone ahead on a bend having stolen all our cameras. John and Ted our Talk Show Hosts are next to me in red and the big one the back 4 in from me. Click on the picture and then you can zoom in. 

Have time for a one hour lunch stop in the Apple Tree Bay that I had been due to be picked up from in the late afternoon, and at least get a swim, but I am the only one to do so. The Kayakers come in here and will walk out with us in case the final large bay gets choppy in the afternoon.

The sky is clouding over but not threatening, but the picture opportunities are not as brilliant as the previous day

 

Again not the whole group. The guides are in the black Wilsons uniform, Connie sitting on the left and Sam next to me. The other guide, Ben, is taking the photo.

Walk on, catch the bus, and sadly have to say goodbye to my companion of the previous evening, as I am staying in my digs in Kaiteriteri, and all the others are going on to Nelson.

As it is the weather doesn’t turn bad for another 24 hours.

 

 

Friday 14^th. March.

Head down to Kaiteriteri Beach at 8.30am. in order to catch the Wilsons boat to Awaroa.

 

 

The Wilsons Shuttle. All the bigger boats run their bows onto the beach and extend the gangplank telescopically.

Lovely way to travel up the coast: 2 hours of sunshine, blue skies, blue water, rocky shores, bush covered headlands, islands and sandy beaches, some with a house or two or small village, which can only be accessed from the sea, a few seals on the rocks, and lots of Sea Kayakers (probably an even better way to travel these coastlines) and the occasional penguin on the water: I am lucky again, as it won’t be like this in 2 days time, as the tail end of a hurricane is about to hit.

 

The Famous Split Apple Rock in Towers Bay

 

 

 

At around 11.30 I am dropped off at Awaroa Beach and start my walk back south.

 

 

The track generally goes up, over and inland through the bush to the larger of the bays and beaches and some of the smaller; all very beautiful bluest sea and most golden sand. Some are accessed by offshoot tracks and I stop in one for a swim and am the only person there. I have now swum in Flea Bay on the Bank’s Peninsular and Sandfly Bay on the Abel Tasman Coast, and so far have not been bitten by a Sandfly.

 

 

 

My destination for the night is Wilsons Torrent Bay Lodge one of the buildings in this village only accessed by sea.

 

 

When I arrive there is a party of about 16 chilling out together, as you always find with these arranged group tours.

The Lodge is exceptionally comfortable, bedrooms wooden panelled and named after the ships that worked the coast in olden days, the lounge open plan with the inside dining area, and furnished with comfortable settees laid out for group togetherness.

After a quick shower I change into my best clothes and formal shoes, I am immediately drawn into the group as always happens here. It is obvious that even here in these luxurious lodges informality is the Kiwi way, so not to be out of place the shoes and socks come off immediately. The group is, as usual, mainly Kiwi and Aussie, but American as well, and are together on a 5 day stay with guided walks in the area using the boats on some of the trips: I am the only Brit. Most are couples as usual, but there are two singles, one of whom, Gordon is a Canadian, originally from near Oban in Scotland. However it emerges that his wife should have been there, but was instead in Nelson Hospital having a multiple leg break pinned and set after having tripped whilst rushing across a road in town. She was being looked after royally by the staff, and happy for Gordon to enjoy the tour as planned.

 

There are nibbles of samosas and dips for an hour from 5.30 and drinks from the bar, and during this Gordon drew in, and introduced me to the only other guest who was not part of the group. Terry Smith is Kayaking with a Wilson Guide, whilst I am walking, and is a retired lawyer from Seattle who does a lot of adventurous travelling and trekking, both at home and abroad.

From the picture at the Alfresco Dinner below you can see what Gordon and the others are up to, but she is a lovely lady and we get on very well together.

 

 

The Kitchen, Bar, Lounge, Dining Room and Patio are all one open plan which works brilliantly, drawing together all guests and the staff, who are absolutely lovely people.

Dinner is Salmon, Ratatoullie and coleslaw followed by a nice orange, lemon and vanilla cream desert.

After dinner we all repair to the lounge as the sandflies are coming out. I am bitten for the first time by what I had been warned to dread, but they just don’t seem to bother me as much as some of the others. Apparently this is the case, some people are hardly bothered, others react badly and are covered in red and white bumps.

We talk and drink, and watch the sky turn light pink, then light mauve before nightfall, the like of which I have never seen before. Everyone is reasonably early to bed, from where you can hear the gently lapping waves as we are literally on the beach. An evening I hope I will never forget.

Thursday 13^th. March. 

Take a walk out to the Pancake Rocks before I begin the next drive proper.

 

 

The early morning sun not conducive to good photography here. Indeed that applies to the fairly frequent vertical and nearly vertical rock faces, some of which the road cuts into, as they are all in shadow with the camera lens pointing into the sun if you can find a stopping point at all.

Head north, then turn east at the Buller River – wide and beautiful in the sun – then up the scenic Buller Gorge, where I find it difficult to stop, but I am in driving mode, but I do get a photo here in each direction where the road is cut into the rockface like a half tunnel, known as Fern Arch.

 

 

 

Pleasant driving on bends and hills of varying degree especially steep at Hope Saddle

 

 

 

In looking for a route from Nelson to the Buller River and West Coast Goldfields, this route was discovered, debated and finally pushed through by hand labour into a cart track. It is a long route and very steep and winding near the top, so how in hell the carts and stagecoaches ever managed it I really can’t imagine. The picture of this Stagecoach is on the level top.

 

Arrive at Motueka on the Tasman Bay around lunchtime, and needing to research what I can do on the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, I head to the i-SITE, where I stand in a queue for an hour (many people take that long to glean information and do the bookings for tourist attractions and accommodation) before spending the best part of an hour with the very knowledgeable Lois, who helps me hatch a plan which has to take in tide times, availability of accommodation en route, and an approaching hurricane.

My package of travel and accommodation is with Wilsons, probably the biggest and best of the Tasman Tour Operators, and I have to nip a couple of blocks down the town main street to pick up a holdall to put my overnight things in so I don’t have to carry everything on the walk; all highly thought out and organised for the trip.

My appointment at the Wilson Office is for ½ an hour later, so I wander up and down the High Street, and spotting a Barber’s and Hair Salon, pop in and get a haircut and beard trim from a very nice young lady, coming out trim and neat, having gone in a bit scruffy after 4 weeks of travel.

In the end we cut short my original plan, and I agree to a package of boat travel to my start point, studio apartment before and after the walk, and very expensive accommodation for the night on the walk (see next instalment) I then drive up to Kaiteriteri to my studio lodging. Have a little walk down to the beach to sus out tomorrow’s departure point, up to a small headland lookout that splits Kaiteriteri and Little Kaiteriteri Beaches, down to the next beach and back for evening meal and settle down for the night.

 

Wednesday 12^th. March.

First of all I have corrected my spelling of Avalanche in yesterday's post. 

After walking – and festering up top – all day yesterday, today will be all driving, as I aim to get to the top of the island to do the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, and have a deadline in that I am scheduled to arrive at Norman and Monica’s on Sunday.

So I have 2 days to get to Motueka (middle top of the Island) and organise a 2 day walk.

At the start of the day I get in the car at Arthur’s Pass and head down the other side; by the end of the day I will have driven 650 km. in 10 hours, and crossed the country twice, just to see what it is like.

Arthur’s Pass continues south, east, south then south east to the Canterbury Plains as it is the main road to Christchurch. As you head down the Pass it soon widens and levels out to a long, broad, flat

Valley, hemmed in by the always steep mountains, which are green forest clad to start, but as you gently wind down eastwards the forest gives way to scrub bush, then arid limestone grassland, until you hit the plains, where it is fairly arid agriculture for a start, then increasingly more very lush irrigated dairy country.

Not many photos as I don’t stop too often whilst driving, and unless there is a viewpoint you cannot easily stop on winding roads, as there is always traffic on these roads. Whilst driving you may not notice much traffic as everyone including lorries is moving at the same pace, but if you stop you will notice a vehicle every minute or so.

In the limestone area there is caving and rock climbing as well as walking.

 

One place near here I regret not stopping was Castle Hill, with limestone rock formations described as tors, like a giant British Iron Age Henge, and obviously of very high spiritual significance to the Maori: I must try and get a postcard or photo from somewhere.

As you hit the plains you first come to Springfield, then Sheffield and Waddington so very different from their British namesakes; small sprawling towns with hardly a building above one story. I would have liked to gone by Oxford but I had a specific reason to come back to this area, so ended up circling the suburbs of Christchurch, before which in the outer southern previously unbuilt areas there are extensive new build housing estates, to replace those lost in the Earthquake. Since my stay in the relatively unaffected western suburbs of Christchurch, I have since learned that industry and housing to the south and east of the city centre was devastated, as much due to the liquefaction of the ground to a metre deep sludge which filled the streets and houses, as much as anything else. In places people are still living in their condemned homes. They are safe enough, but floors are buckled and doors won’t close etc. and insurance holdups are still ongoing 3 years on, much to the anger of some residents, but the physical task is enormous.

Then head north as I want to drive back to the West Coast by the Lewis Pass, which is a longer steadier transition than Arthur’s Pass, but less traffic as the latter is much more direct from Christchurch to the West Coast. More of the same, but slightly different terrain and vegetation, and just a joy to drive through.

 

Hit the West Coast again

 

By the end of the now late day I have reached Punakaiki and find motel room accommodation attached to the pub where I get a meal just before last orders, and a good night's sleep.

Tuesday 11^th. March. 

From Arthur’s Pass I had originally intended to climb just Avalanche Peak, but an Aussie I met walking into the Rob Roy Glacier Track told me about a circular route with a fantastic ridge between Mount Bealy and Avelanche Peak. I had discussed this with my landlord and the DOC, and got a proper map.

The day dawned clear, and I set off at 9.00 pm having previously let my landlord know my intentions.

 

Mount Bealey

The first hour soon steeply (always is on an NZ mountain) up through White Beech Forest.

This is no tourist track and so is not an engineered but an organic track developed by walkers over time. It is a real rock and roots track and more enjoyable for that; hands on in a few places.

 

The final hour to Mount Bealey above the tree line, and you can see the ridge route on the skyline.

 

Also notice a blanket of cloud creeping up the valley towards the village from the West Coast: something to keep an eye on, but I reckon the East Coast sunshine will prevail.

 

A long 1^st. lunch stop rest to soak up the sun and admire the views.

 

 

Carry on along the ridge steadily, taking a couple of hours as plenty of scrambling over every little pinnacle and some big steep drops in many places (impossible to photograph) but there is no shortage of hand and footholds.

 

 

A long 2^nd. lunch stop rest to soak up the sun and admire the views.

 

Mount Rolleston with Glacier

Avalanche Peak to right of the picture on my ridge walk

Another long 3^rd. stop at Avalanche Peak before a relatively leisurely descent: it is still rocky and steep.

I used my Garmin GPS for the first time today and it had no problem changing over to NZ grid, it had seemed nearly automatic when I had reset it in the Village the evening before, and checked it with the map. It recorded a 9 hour day with 3 hours not moving, and 2000 metres of ascent. I know it over reads the ascents so from map and past experience I reckon, from the village at 760 metres to Mount Bealey at 1836, Lyell Peak 1828 and Avalanche Peak at 1833 and all the ups and downs between, about 1600 metres of ascent.

One of my best days out in the mountains. The ridge is as good as most of the best Scottish Ridges. If this had been in Scotland it would have been a well populated and polished classic. I saw no one for 7 hours until I reached the tourist known Avalanche Peak.

Back down: cold drinks and shower then off to the pub for a celebratory pint and a great plate of fish and chips, followed by promised pint and chat with landlord Bob, originally from Calgary, for acting as safety backup if needed.