New Zealand Part III : Picton, Nelson and Abel Tasman

This morning I leave the north island and take the ferry to Picton. It’s a three hour journey and it’s a bit grey and overcast as we leave the harbour. That said, it’s not a rough crossing so I’m happy about that. The ship is huge and I’m in the premium cabin so get fed breakfast and tea and scones at 11…. very posh altogether!

We sail through the Cook Straits and as we approach the South Island the sun comes out and the views are much prettier:

Arriving into Picton:

When I arrive I’m straight on the intercity bus to Nelson.

There are fields and fields of grapes as we are surrounded by wine country. If we’re not passing a vineyard, we’re passing apple orchards or fields of hops. There’s also a lot of craft beer brewed around here.

I’m staying at the Rutherford hotel which is a big hotel right in the centre of town. It’s a two minute walk to the top of Hardy street which is the Main Street in town. I have a walk around and settle on a restaurant called Harry’s Hawker House where I have my favourite meal of the trip so far – shoulder of lamb massaman style and the hawker vegetables which were bok choi and broccoli in oyster sauce with crunchy roasted kale on top. It was to die for!

Next morning I start with a quick trip to the gym and a leisurely breakfast. Then it’s off for a day checking out Nelson. The concierge tells me there’s a nice hike to the “Centre of New Zealand” and if I want to continue from there I can do a loop that will take about three hours and bring me back to the city by the river. Sounds good to me. From the Centre of NZ looking back into the hills and valley:

It’s official – this spot is the very centre point of New Zealand!!

From the Centre of NZ looking toward the sea and across to Abel Tasman National Park (where I’ll be very soon):

I walk the path downward toward the sea and look back at the centre of NZ monument:

Unfortunately I’m stopped in my tracks as part of the trail is closed but I follow the Bluff road and manage to get back on the trail around the corner.

I walk through the Miyazu Japanese gardens, a nice quiet spot away from the main road.

Having made the full loop around Nelson, it’s past lunchtime so I’m ready for a stop. River Kitchen has been recommended so I sit looking out at the river and enjoy a calamari salad with a local fizzy lemon drink. Feeling refreshed I carry on back into town. Between two of the city’s streets is “Queens gardens” which I check out with a cup of tea.

I’m naming these ducks the “Green beak” duck but clearly it’s their surroundings causing the distinct green beak look!

My hotel is right beside Christ church cathedral so I take a l quick look inside. I wasn’t sure if it was catholic when I walked in but the giveaways quickly appear, especially when I saw photos of the queen on the walls!!

I knew they’d been here as I’d just seen it on The Crown!

Happy with what I’ve seen, I head back to the hotel for some downtime and to catch up on what’s happening at the Australian Open. I want to watch Ash Barty in the ladies semi final. [As I’m typing this Barty is beaten – what a game]. Federer and Djokovic play tonight but I won’t be able to stay up late enough to watch it as I’ve a big day tomorrow starting my Abel Tasman 3-day walk. It’s a low key evening for me, I’ll pack my backpack, get my hiking boots out and maybe have a little glass of something while I’m doing it!

Next morning after a quick visit to the gym and a hotel buffet breakfast, I get picked up by Wilson’s tour company, who I’m doing the organised hike with. We drive about an hour to Motueka where we organise our day packs and hand over our overnight bags which will be transported by boat to the lodges each day. From here we head to Kaiteriteri and board a boat which sails along the coastline (that we’ll be walking) to Totarani. It pulls in at a number of different beaches along the way to let beach visitors and hikers off.

We pass a seal colony, where we spot some babies.

As we sail along the Abel Tasman National Park, passing lots of beautiful beaches with stunning scenery in the background, the captain points out a tree which looks like a Christmas tree in the middle of the beach.

Off the boat at Totaranui and we are ready to start walking. We do quick introductions to the group. Myles and Sylvan are our guides and the group has Canadians, Americans, English, Kiwis and me! We hike just seven kilometers today. Starting on a beach we quickly turn a corner into lush green forests but we regularly see hints of the ocean from the path.

I’ve never hiked on trails where you regularly have to pass through beaches. I love it!

We finish today’s walking at Awaroa and are staying at the Meadow bank Homestead. To get to our accommodation we need to take another short boat ride but the tide is going out so we have to wade out into the water to get into the boat. See that little boat out there:

Once aboard it’s a short journey and we land at the beach where our accommodation awaits.

The accommodation is stunning and holds the family history of the Wilson family. Each bedroom is named after a family member and there are photos and information about them in each room. I’m in “Fred” who was a son of the original parents and who lived until he was in his 90’s. Although I signed up for the shared accommodation I get a room to myself which I’m delighted about as I think I dodged a very quirky bullet. 😉

After a welcome shower we relax and take in the wonderful views. I’m loving looking through to the beach, beautifully framed by the flowers – those agapanthus that I love but are actually considered a pest.

We are served a delicious three course meal and then watch a short video about the family who own the house. It’s quite the story – bear with me! The couple who built this home had nine children. At some point they took in borders and the wife “got involved” with one of them. She divorced her husband and left for Wellington, taking just the youngest child with her and married this other man. She had two more children with him but alas, in her words, she had a temper and he took to the drink and ultimately he “shot her in the breast”. This was sometime in the early 1900’s… imagine! When the family heard of her murder, Fred (who’s room I’m in!) went to Wellington and brought back his brother (the original child she took with her) and his new half sister. The other son was left behind and made a ward of the state. At some point, many years later, someone went searching for someone (it got complicated!) and the adopted son in Wellington was reunited with his sister and half siblings back in Nelson. Shocked and exhausted after all that it’s time for bed!

Day 2 : Today we walk 17kms from Awaroa to Torrent bay. There’s 16 in our group and half opt to kayak while the other half of us walk. There are a number of bridges to cross today.

Again the landscape goes from almost tropical green to white sandy beaches. It’s all beautiful.

We stop at Bark bay for lunch and meet the kayakers.

Another bridge at Falls river:

The walk is handy enough, some decent hills but mostly an easy walk. The view that greets us on Arrival into Torrent bay:

We stay at another great accommodation called Torrent Bay Lodge.

We all agree a dip in the water is needed after a hot day. I paddle in the sea among some waves and then check out a small bay around the corner which is calmer and has warmer water for a swim. It’s really refreshing and sets me up for another evening of good food and wine and chat with the group.

Day 3 : Today we are hiking 13 kms to get us back to the entrance into the Abel Tasman National Park. Having my morning cup of tea while watching the sun come up from the front of the house is just lovely, not to mention the yoga moves, squats and stretches done with my new American buddies Suellen (yes Suellen!) and Mary.

We start by crossing the small bay that I swam in yesterday evening as there’s barely any water in it now. We go barefoot or with reef shoes and put our boots on, on the other side.

Our lunch stop is, surprise surprise, at another beautiful beach! This time I dip my feet in to cool down before tucking into a really great packed lunch. They really do feed you well on these trips.

Our guides Myles (Welsh) and Sylvan (Kiwi) are really great with the group. [I’ve an uncle Sylvan and that’s the only other time I’ve heard this name. Our guide says he’s never met another Sylvan].

The island in the background here is called Adele island:

We pass Apple Tree bay and finish our walk at Marahau where we boarded the boat a couple of days ago. At the entrance to the park with some of the group:

I finish my time in Nelson going back to the restaurant I went on my first night cause it was so good and I’ve been thinking about the bang bang cauliflower that I didn’t get to try. I’d recommended the restaurant to a number of people on the trip so one of the couples Sue and Andy are there. We have a great chat, some wine, and as expected, a great meal. A lovely end to a great time in this very beautiful part of the country.

Next morning I’m back on the intercity bus to Picton. Another two hour journey but the views are just as good as they were a few days ago going in the other direction and the weather is still gorgeous. I get checked in at the Picton Yacht Club Hotel and try a pie at the very popular Picton Bakery:

Then it’s off to follow the Tirohanga track upwards to get a view over Picton:

I think that’s enough walking for today – I’ve been hitting way in excess of 20,000 steps a day so I decide I’ll have a sit down looking at the foreshore with a glass of local cider.

Back at the hotel I jump into the pool, more as a cool down dip rather than an actual swim and have a little poolside snooze. After grabbing a pad Thai for dinner it’s bedtime and an early start in the morning for a boat trip around the Marlborough Sounds.

By 7:30am next morning I’ve had breakfast, checked out and I’m on a boat to explore the Marlborough Sounds. It’s a bit rainy so the first hour heading out of Picton is a bit grey and lack lustre but by the time we arrive to Motuara island the sun is out.

Motuara island is a bird sanctuary. We have an hour to walk up to the look out point and see what birds we can see en route. I see lots of South Island robins and I think a mini parakeet:

I see a South Island saddleback, which is a tiny bird that was close to extinction in the sixties:

The views on the way up the track are stunning:

And from the top looking out at the Sounds:

Back on the boat we ahead across the Sounds to Ship Cove where there’s a Cook monument. This is also the starting point for the Queen Charlotte track.

Picton bound I stay on the top of the boat this time as the weather is reasonable. There are a few windy sections though!

Back on dry land I have time for lunch before I go to the train station. For lunch I have something I’d never heard of, a wild Tahr burger – apparently it’s goat. Very tasty! Time for the Coastal Pacific to Christchurch.