Walking and Driving

This morning we hopped over the fence and walked down the beach/peninsula until we were opposite Collingwood - and back.  Nice two-hour walk with birds and jellyfish etc.

This afternoon we drove up the Aorere Valley where we checked out the Devil's Boots - this is one.

Then called at the Bainham Store - which is part café, part shop, part museum...

This is inside

Coffee.

We drove to the end of the valley where the Heaphy Track starts.  Malcolm is keen to do this sometime but we haven't worked out the logistics yet.



Collingwood

Before we left Takaka we checked out Pupu Springs - which are natural cold water springs - very deep, clear and blue.  Since we were here last time they have put in new walkways and boardwalks.

We drove north to Collingwood and parked the bus while we looked around the village.  It is thriving - it now has a small supermarket, another shop, some galleries...

and a pub with nice gardens where we had lunch.

Then we drove on to a POP (park over property)about 1 km from the road, through a farm and right beside the beach.  360 degree views.

This is the beach just the other side of the dunes and shrubs from the parking spot, looking back into Golden Bay.

Takaka

We really like this little town.  That's our usual café.  This car had a wooden dashboard made from a gnarly piece of wood.

Over the long and winding road to Totaranui 

We just about had the beach to ourselves - that dot is Malcolm

We took lots of photos

You could say we walked some of the Abel Tasman track - though just a little bit!  When we were here last time we took a water taxi and did a day walk but we are not feeling energetic after the cycling.

Last leg of cycle ride

This is the oldest pub in NZ

so we checked it out.  Nice cider.

This morning we cycled from Motueka to Kaiteriteri and back before driving the bus over the Takaka Hill to Golden Bay.  This was along the first part of the trail...

...you can see that there is snow on the hills, it must have been cold last night, it wasn't there yesterday.  Nice and warm down at sea level.

The trail went through fruit orchards,

over bridges and boardwalks

and the final section went through a mountain bike park.  I pushed my bike for quite a lot of 3 kms

and was happy to get to Kaiteriteri.  We risked the road on the first section going back and that was better than the windy, narrow mountain bike trails with all the unnecessary wiggles!

As we came over the summit of the Takaka Hill the mountain ranges ahead were all topped in snow.  It was really cold up there! 

Cycle ride day three

Malcolm finds a giant hampster

I find a monkey - think he's seen my bananas

Malcolm rides up-hill...

...I don't

On the way back we find a taniwha

and a cute hippy-style cafe

Shipwreck near our camping site

 

We are now at Motueka, near the wharf.  We did the third leg of our cycle trail today, from Motueka, up into the hills looking down into the Moutere Inlet and across towards the Marlborough Sounds.  First bit was farmland then up a four-wheel drive track which was steep.  On the way back we found a funky place which was a café, whole milk supplier, craft gallery...Well worth the stop.  You had to count the monk the trail for a reward.  How many?  Nobody knows, some have run away.

Napier cycle ride number two

Rabbit Island

Mapua Wharf from the café where we got a coffee before setting off on our cycle ride.  We drove here by car but if we had continued on -on our ride yesterday - at Rabbit Island we could have caught the ferry over to this point.

Sorry sideways - click to enlarge.  A weather stone but unfortunately the stone had gone.  Stone age technology as easily broken as any other.

We decided to stop at the village store at Tasman for lunch.  A little place with a petrol pump and a pie warmer.  Gourmet pies :-)

An amazing and unexpected sculpture showing the birdlife of the estuary at Tasman.

Nelson

Malcolm relaxing with coffee in Nelson this morning

On the cycle track to Rabbit Island this afternoon

...the track was very good with boardwalks and bridges, along stopbanks...

this one is a swingbridge.

On the way back we found an English-style country pub so we stopped for cider.  The lawn looks out onto the estuary so we spent some time relaxing before reluctantly getting back on the bikes.

North of Nelson Lakes, south of Nelson

At a photo spot on the road north of St Arnaud

At the village of Tapawera, this old railway station was a museum

Church near Todmor, this valley was very peaceful, growing hops, fruit and raising cattle, sheep and alpacas

 

More of this valley

...the road ran beside the old railway past ghost stations of Kiwi, Tui, Huia and Kaka (New Zealand birds)

This large reserve is where we are freedom camped for the night...

 

...a convoy of Dutch people stopped by.  They are touring the world.  This is one of their vehicles.

St Arnaud

Our camping spot here - a large parking area at the Clinker Cafe

The jetty at Kerr Bay,Lake Rotoiti

The jetty at West Bay

Looking down from Mt Robert

 

We drove from Blenheim to St Arnaud this morning.  Because the road to Christchurch is closed SH63 is being used.  It is really too narrow for big vehicles to pass comfortably in some parts and the extra traffic has caused the road to become pot-holed.  Mostly these holes have a cone nearby but lots just take you by surprise!

 

At St Arnaud we parked up at a POP (park over property for NZMCA members)which is the car park for the clinker café.  We are in a valley here and wind is funnelled through the mountains and is rocking us around a bit.  We went to the lake and walked around the peninsula between Kerr and West Bays though you can't see much lake through the bush.  Then we drove the car up Mt Robert as there are good views from there.  This is about all there is to do here, except for long walks, and is pretty much what we did last time we were here four years ago!