Spring days like these.......

There’s nothing like getting out in the open for some good old-fashioned fresh air when Springtime hits, it’s still the best tonic. The sun is out high in the sky, the daffodils nod towards you as you approach, and the trees burst with blossom and new leaves. Hagley Park is the place to head to, whether on your own two feet or if you prefer two wheels. Bikes are available to hire from the Antigua Boat Shed, located close by, and Scooters are lined up on the corners of the city streets. I prefer to stroll along the long length of pathways in the park. Criss crossing through, at one end you have a golf course and work out equipment, on the other a large duck pond which is always teeming with the local residents (of the feathered kind, of course!).

The River Avon flows through Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens

Within Hagley Park is the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, the River Avon separates the two. There are bridges linking them and peaceful riverside walks to enjoy. The Gardens are home to an array of features including the oldest willow tree in Canterbury, two Victorian style glass houses, a café and numerous peaceful spots to relax and while away the hours. There are the New Zealand gardens, home to numerous native trees and bush, large grassy spots, and some very rare and attractive trees.

Spring flowers in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens

At the far end of the gardens is Curators House, an excellent Spanish restaurant with it’s own vegetable garden. On a summers day an outside table there is a prime spot to sit and linger, sample some excellent Spanish tapas whilst enjoying the tranquillty of the Botanic Gardens. The city seems a world away despite it being right on your doorstep.

Curators House in the Botanic Gardens, a great spot for some Spanish Tapas

After a morning wandering Hagley Park and the Botanic Gardens I love to make my way over to Sumner, the cities premier beach and seaside spot.  Scarborough and Clifton Beach here are huge stretches of sand that are perfect to spend an afternoon or evening wandering along. Across in the distance the tops of the Southern Alps Mountain Range peak out on the skyline and all around you are the tall cliff faces that frame this coastline.

The long stretches of Scarborough Beach, Sumner

A promenade runs the full length of Sumner linking it with Redcliffs beyond. It’s a popular spot for walking, running and cycling along. I love to enjoy a wind-swept walk across the sand before heading back into Sumner’s small town centre to either devour some delicious fish and chips or stop for a chai latte at one of the local cafes. All have outdoor seating to take advantage off on a warm afternoon.

Nothing blows off the winter cobwebs than a walk on the beach on a Spring Day

Camping - one of the most rewarding ways to appreciate the serenity of Marlbourough

Camping in the Marlborough Sounds is one of the most satisfying ways to get off the grid.

You don’t need much – simply a tent or a campervan – to get away and enjoy some of the most relaxing and appealing scenery to be enjoyed anywhere. Appreciating the serenity of the place and it’s unobtrusive lifestyle is what it is all about. Of course there are things to do here. There are some great hiking trails, some awesome mountain biking tracks, cruises to swim with the local pod of dolphins or appreciate this outstanding scenery from the water. Kayaking, sailing, even visits to local mussel farms. There is heaps to keep even the most motivated amongst us occupied. I will mention all these wonderful activities plus the best places to eat and hang out in a later blog. For now though the focus is on camping.

Marlborough Sounds

discover a different morning awakening

There is limited access to the Marlborough Sounds, roads are narrow, winding and long. Numerous remote campsites are available if you are prepared to venture out. A lot of the Department of Conservation campsites are only accessible by water however there are a number also available by road which makes it a great place to take a campervan.

Elaine Bay is one of the drivable campsites situated by the side of the water. There is a small reserve available for a small number of campers. A port operates close by so you can watch the boats servicing the nearby mussel farms head in and out. The water is also the launch point for many leisure boaties. It’s a peaceful spot and if you arise early enough you will be greeted to a warm sunrise across the water which is particularly atmospheric if there is a cloud or two around.

One of the many views from the campervan at Elaine Bay, Marlborough Sounds…….

Mountain biking an old rail trail, in an hour, a morning, a whole day or even the weekend.....

The weather was sunny and unusually warm for a winters day. Signs of spring were appearing everywhere with young lambs clambering around in fields, blossom on the trees, and the birds singing and chasing each other with greater ferocity.

I’d parked up at Lincoln to join the Little River Rail Trail. The whole trail is nearly 50km in length and is designed to be ridden over a day or so. It’s easily broken up into sections though and today I was starting in Lincoln to begin the trail through the quiet country roads and laneways, passing the lambs and horses grazing in the fields. Chickens were also encountered as they clucked their way about along the track.

After about 5km’s I came to the part of the trail that is off road, meeting up with the Halswell Canal that feeds the wetlands being redeveloped and planted in the area. Magpies nesting in the trees overhead came periously close to my head as I rode along, warning me to keep away from their territory and eggs. Besides the cycle track grasses teamed with life insects and bees buzzing in my ear. Paradise Shell Ducks called out their tune to one another, partnered up, the black heads are male and the white heads female, they are always together, as are groups of Pukeko, the royal blue coloured native birds with red beaks who seem so reluctant to fly even though they are clearly capable.

Little River Rail Trail can be completed in stages or one go - it’s great for both biking and walking

Eventually I came to a narrow bridge crossing the river taking me down a stone covered road past various houses and farms. A department of conservation nursery and campsite sat alongside the local race track. The Motokarara Station has been restored and relocated and sits as the entranceway for another section of the rail trail. I decided to turn back at this point to retract my bike ride to the car. This time I was cycling into the wind which made it slightly harder but the vision of the snow capped Southern Alps prominent in the distance on this clear day lured me onwards.

The Little River Rail Trail was established in the mid 2000’s and follows the former Little River Branch Railway Line that linked the farming area with Christchurch city centre. The line was operative between 1875 to 1967. Signs along the trail display details of its heritage.

Rakaia Gorge Walkway, a trip through the Canterbury Plains

I fancied an energetic weekend so after my bike ride Saturday morning along the Little River Rail trail I headed further west across the flat Canterbury Plains to the Rakaia Gorge. Grabbing a Hororata Pie on route for my lunch my journey took me to the picturesque gorge and it’s well maintained walkway.

The Rakaia Gorge walkway takes you through native New Zealand bush seemingly alive with birdsong and along an historic ferryman’s track which traverses the gorge edges.

The historic bridge crossing the Rakaia Gorge

The hike begins just at the side of the historic bridge which was built as a river crossing way back in 1882. As you head up into the bush you leave behind the traffic from the roadway beneath and are met with the calling sounds of the local bellbirds, wax eyes and fantails. You will undoubtably see many of them flying over pathway as you walk. The trail can be broken up into manageable sections or undertaken in one return loop. In total it takes about 3-4 hours to complete the return walk of just over 10km. Be warned some of the sections are steep in places and the footing can be uneven. There are some muddy spots where local springs run through and a shallow stream crossing to negotiate – so good solid walking boots are a necessity unless you enjoy wet feet!

The views that appear regularly as you stroll along are mightily impressive. The gorge is glacial with covered terraces but it has also been shaped by the Rakaia river that runs through it – the Rakaia is what is known as a New Zealand braided river meaning it is wide and can change shape depending on the amount of snow melt from the mountains feeding it. On a clear day you can follow the river right through the gorge to its mouth at the Pacific Ocean. It’s home to numerous trout and salmon in season so popular place to wade and fish. It’s also a top jet boating river being shallow and wide and quite often in summer time you can hear the whirl and snort of these boats as they whizz along beneath you. There is a commercial jet boat running along the river as well – it heads out from the car park at the start of the walk and is highly recommended. It’s fun, exhilarating and you get to venture a lot further down the river.

A peak through the bush along the walk

But back to my walk - the lower lookout spot is the first you come across where the views both ways up and down the river are quite something to behold, after a tough start to the walk it’s a popular spot to have a picnic or pause for thought. Further down the track you reach places where the pathway is literally carved out of the side of the cliff with steep drops down beneath. There is some farmland to cross before you reach Montane forest and shrub and come to a former coal mine tunnel which still has some old equipment left behind. It’s a short walk off the main track to this area.

The remainder of the walk up to the upper gorge lookout is largely uphill and is quite a slog in places. It’s well worth it though when you reach the end and witness the rugged mountain ranges towering up above. The perfect blue crystal clear water of the river surging through beneath on it’s way to the sea.

Upper gorge lookout

Rakaia Gorge, Canterbury

Kaikoura Fur Seal Adventures - part one, walking.........

Kaikoura is home to one of the largest populations of New Zealand Fur Seals in the country. It’s also one of the easiest and most accessible places to spot and observe seals given they are found in numerous places up and down it’s rocky coastline. Once hunted nearly to extinction the New Zealand Fur Seal is now legally protected and has made a miraculous recovery. Numbers are booming which means more seal encounters for everyone to enjoy.
There are several ways to interact with seals in the Kaikoura area and I will start with the most obvious and simple one – walking.

A young pup drying off on the rocks at Kaikoura

Point Kean Seal Sanctuary is found at the end of the road leading from the main centre of Kaikoura Township. If in doubt, follow the road alongside the coast and you will end up at the car park with no were else to go. The seals here used to be spotted in the car park itself, under cars and snoozing on the boardwalk. I have even encountered several plucky youngsters half way up the grassy cliff side. Since the 2016 earthquake that caused so much damage around these parts the land has changed. Point Kean itself has extended further out along the peninsula meaning that the seals have also spread out. Although you will always find a couple snoozing on the board walk by the car parks entrance as no matter what time of day they always seem to be there. Sometimes too you will hear a couple snorting underneath the wooden boardwalk panels as you walk over them. If you want to see the seals in larger numbers though, or indeed have closer encounters with some of the braver, more inquisitive babies continue to walk around Point Kean and under the large protruding cliff face. You may have to scramble over the jagged rocks around here being careful not to slip on some of the greasy seaweed (Kaikoura is famous for this and indeed the pungent smell regularly greets you on arrival, especially in summertime).

Once around this headland you will come upon a well-formed stony path alongside which are many snoozing seals. Trying to avoid the ones laying over the path itself is another matter – but they will snarl to warn you of their presence if you dare to get too close. – don’t, there will only be one winner and it won’t be you! Just about every rock and smooth surface around this headland is covered by the bulk of a seal, both big and small. The mothers are usually snoozing in between weaning their youngsters whilst the little ones wander about, play fighting with one another and looking for a sheltered rock pool in which to practice their swimming with twists and turns. I was merrily observing all the seals when I suddenly heard a heap of snorting and rustling behind me – I turned around anxious to not be in the way of a seal heading back to sea, when I spotted two babies chasing one another in and out of the long grasses up on the sloping hillside. They can be quite fearless these littlies.

Once you have exhausted Point Kean (the walk continues all the way around this spectacular headland to the South Bay) return to your car and drive north of State Highway One out of town. It’s a magnificent journey with the Kaikoura Mountain Range on one side and the vast Pacific Ocean on the other. As you reach the coast you will notice all the recent work that has been undertaken to rebuild the road. During the earthquake a sizeable amount of the cliff face collapsed across the road, with gigantic landslides taking out huge chunks of the highway. The road is now being rebuilt in what is a colossal effort of man and machine. Also rebuilt is Ohau Point – a pull off which provides a viewing platform over one of the most successful seal colonies in the area. The original was swept away in one of the landslides and this one has purposely been built to allow visitors to view the seals in closer proximity without causing them any disruption. Although as you peer down you do notice several peering back up at you with mild curiosity. Ohau Point enables you to get some idea of how big this colony has become – as you journey further up the coastline you encounter more and more seals. They are recovering very well. The colony is particularly successful as a nursery for the babies, there are numerous rock pools formed by the incoming tide here which provide safe havens for them to play, practice their fishing techniques and generally burn off that abundance of energy. It was this area that was famous for the stream that youngsters climbed up to a waterfall pool that they loved to play in - the pool is still there and no doubt the youngsters still visit but it’s out of bound for us humans at the moment due to the pathway having been badly damaged. At least the baby seals can now play safely without any human intervention.

Another day dawns in Kaikoura, New Zealand’s marine paradise

This chapter of my blog covers the walks available to observe the seals but there are several other ways to encounter these gorgeous and playful marine mammals around Kaikoura. These include swimming and kayaking and will be discussed shortly….
 

Walking along the beach at Kaikoura as the sun begins to set behind the mountains

Coming shortly, where to ride your own sled dog team in New Zealand

I’d arranged to meet up with Underdog NZ at 10.30am at the Snow Farm to start my tour. After a brief talk about what to expect I was taken across to meet the dogs, and what a greeting it was. It seems the dogs absolutely love these tours and get incredibly excited about it all. I was smothered in doggy loves very quickly. There were a mixture of Alaskan Huskies, Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes all keen to get started. My human guide gave me a brief outline on how to use the kart and a demonstration on how to control the dogs – yeah right, it was more the dogs controlling me I think, and we were all set up and ready to go. I started off cautious, pressing the break to check it was working and trying my hardest not to tangle up the reigns. Four animated and eager dogs were ready to pull me along and I was a bit nervous at first in case I fell off!!! The snow was smooth but compacted and I had visions of being dragged along on my stomach by four excited animals. My concerns didn’t last for long, well only until my hands could no longer cope with the discomfort of gripping on so tightly! Within a few minutes I was riding the cart like a professional – well in my opinion anyway - and we were off soaring across the snow-covered landscape as one. Well maybe not quite. I had to get off on any upwards slope to take the pressure off my four-legged friends and help push the cart. I also spent a significant amount of time trying not to get them all tangled together so that the back two didn’t trip over the front twos’ reigns – there was a lot of responsibility looking after these keen racers! None of this distracted from the sheer joy of directing my dogs as we ploughed across the snow. The setting was majestic with the perfect clear blue skies reflecting off the brilliant white of our snow-covered carpet….

Underdog NZ at the Snow Farm, Cardrona

How about an indulgent break in the Wairapa Region

Black Estate has won the New Zealand Winery Restaurant of the year at least twice and it’s no secret that this place is good. It’s very good. The small restaurant and wine tasting room is situated overlooking the vineyards and out across the valley. State Highway One is a short distance away but you would hardly notice. The chardonnay vines are a much more welcome distraction. The wine itself I can vouch is just as elegant and easy to consume as it’s setting.

The restaurant here has a small menu chalked up on a blackboard for perusal. All the ingredients used are grown locally. The vegetarian delights are often as good as the meat and fish varieties and teach you that flavour and taste come in all packages. Never miss a dessert here, on my last recent visit I indulged in a crumble and I swear it was the best ever.

The winery also has on site accommodation for a couple looking to indulge in the restaurant and then have that awesome view all to themselves later. It’s a good option as you will want that second glass of rose I promise - and waking up to that vineyard view is a sure winner.

Loving Little River, the gateway to the Banks Peninsula if worthy of a stay in it's own right

I’ll start with a statement - I love Little River, the small town on the Banks Peninsula nearly half way between Christchurch and Akaroa. At first glance this would seem a surprising statement as there really isn’t much at Little River. It’s a stopping off point for a bathroom break and/or refreshment. Yes sure there’s the lovely café with outdoor seating, the small art shop and fuel station. But that’s just the start, there is more, so much more.

Get out and about and you will uncover Okuti Valley, Birdlings Flat, Mongomery Scenic Reserve, French Farm and the Little River Rail Trail. There is also an excellent diner in town for breakfast, a stunning camp ground to sleep at and endless birdsong to enjoy. Heck there is even a silo to stay in if you so wish…..

Coming shortly more information about how to make the most of a fantastic few days in this peaceful and unexpectedly captivating location.

Shhhh, some secret New Zealand weekend escapes coming up as we begin to explore again

After many weeks stuck inside, metaphorically chained to our own kitchen sink, it’s time to head out again and rediscover New Zealand.

The trouble is where to go first and what to see. There has never been a better time to uncover this beautiful countries best spots, especially now there are no foreign visitors to our shore. We have NZ all to ourselves for most likely just a short while. We need to get out there and take it all in, see the top places empty of people parading iPhones and selfie sticks. But where do we go first and when? Well I have a few suggestions that might hopefully provide you with some ideas and inspiration.

Coming up:

See Lake Tekapo like it’s 1999…………

Journey the epic Milford Road without a tour bus in sight…….

Hike to a glacier lake on your own……..

Kayak with playful New Zealand Fur Seals…..

Surf with the world’s smallest dolphin……

Tuck into green lip mussels by a picturesque bay……

Encounter Kea in a mountain valley…..

Kaikoura and kayaking with the seals

Less than 3 hours scenic drive from Christchurch is the seaside township of Kaikoura. It’s the perfect short break after a hectic working week. Anchor Court Motel has reopened recently following damage suffered after the now famous 2016 earthquake. Directly across from the beach it’s floor to ceiling windows offer stunning views of the ocean complete with sunrise. This was the view from our room - we paid slightly more for a sea view but it was definitely worth the few extra dollars.

Kaikoura is a mecca for marine life and this is the main reason to visit. It also has some great food options which I’ll come to in a later blog. Folks head to Kaikoura to knock off some of those bucket list items which I’ll also get to later - swim with wild dolphins, learn to fly a plane, watch a sperm whale breach, even witness the mighty albatross fly overhead. It’s one of my very favourite places and an early morning start is always a must. Up early for the sunrise Dan and I headed out to meet the chaps from Kaikoura Kayaks, to hire a double sea kayak. They also do a few different guided trips which are well recommended but having done one of these previously we decided to head out on our own. After a very thorough safety briefing which came complete with some valuable information for future use we paddled out of South Harbour. The sea was smooth, the sky clear and the going fairly easy. We soon came across our first New Zealand Fur Seal lozenging around on the rocks. Up ahead more where in the water, rolling around attempting to cool off on this warm summers day. After a frantic paddle through the waves out at sea we reached Whalers Bay, only accessible by boat or foot. We kayaked through the shallow waters spotting fish and seaweed floating around in the clear waters beneath. Lots of seals were hanging out in this bay which is a popular area for the young males. They barked at one another a fair bit but were pretty laid back with us. We received a few odd looks and curious glances but on the whole they were more interested than bothered by our presence. As we approached the rocks some flopped down in the water, swimming closer to take a better look. We hung around on our own for quite a while until a Swim with the Seals boat appeared. Being so close to marine life, no matter how many times you’ve been lucky enough to experience it, is always a pinch me moment. Reluctantly we headed back to shore bidding farewell and wishing luck to our new found friends.

On the agenda.....

So, we’ve all just come out of 8 seemingly endless weeks of lockdown when we all got to know our local streets a little too well. I feel I’ve discovered more about my neighbours kids and pets that I ever desired too….I’m sure you all know that feeling?!

But now it’s a new dawn and a new type of normal for those of us living over here in the stunning picture postcard country that is called New Zealand. Jacinda has set us free and we the lucky few are itching to travel.

Over the coming days I will be posting ideas on what to do in Christchurch in winter time. How nothing beats fish and chips by the sea in the former French settlement of Akaroa, how Le Bons Bay on the Banks Peninsula takes seclusion to another gratifying level and how Fat Pippis at Hokitika positively rocks…..

More to come with some awesome ideas to get you planning shortly.