Abel Tasman and Queen Charlotte

To Abel Tasman National Park and back



This morning I did some shopping and then collected my bike. From the docks in Nelson I caught a catamaran water-taxi to Pohara, the other side of the Golden Bay Park. Like Milford Sound only one road goes out to Abel Tasman National Park and back and I thought I could avoid riding it both ways by going by boat on the outward journey. I was the only passenger on a trip which took four hours. Mostly we had parcels to deliver. At Pohara the camp-site was only minutes away. I was greeted by extremely inquisitive ducks and during the night, when it was raining, my tent was visited by a hedgehog who made a hell of a racket rummaging around my rubbish bag in the tent foyer.



The next day it rained on and off all day. All I managed was a short fifteen mile ride to Takaka where I did some shopping and watched some cricket in the pub. It was also a very dreary drizzly evening.



At last the sun came out and I had a chance to dry the tent. I continued my ride along the northern coast of South Island and found another camp-site on the sea. After setting up I continued by ride, without panniers, to Farewell Spit the westernmost point on this coast. I also travelled a bit south on an unmade road to Whanganui Inlet. This was very isolated. In the afternoon I sunbathed and walked along the beach. It was a beautiful and hazy evening.







Today was another perfect and cloudless day. My ride was back along the way I'd come to Takaka, with a side-trip to Collingwood. At the base of Takaka Hill I stopped at the Rat Trap Inn and had a beer whilst watching some cricket. It then took me an hour to ride the five miles to the top of the hill. Definitely the steepest climb yet. After that it was an exhilarating downhill ride until I discovered one more hill to climb before reaching the camp-site. I had a couple of beers in the Paradise Cafe that evening.

Marlborough, Vineyards and Queen Charlotte Drive

The ride to Mapua was a short one of about two hours. Once again I spent the afternoon in the sun and walking around the beaches. This is a very antiquated place with a fifties feel.



The following days ride took me through Nelson and then over two steep climbs to Pelorus Bridge. The camp-site was peaceful and quiet, apart from the sound of rutting deer. I took some nature walks through the forest.

The next day was also a short ride to Havelock, but after setting up camp I rode further on to Renwick and visited several vineyards. It was a bit of a struggle cycling back.

My final days ride in the south Island took me along the Queen Charlotte Drive into Picton. The road itself was atrocious but the views were very picturesque over the sounds. I found a motel in town and booked in for the week-end as Jo was coming over from Wellington.

To Greymouth

The ride from Ross to Greymouth was fantastic. I had a tail wind all the way and managed an average speed of 18kph for the ride. After a huge lunch at Hokitika I continued my ride up the coast across several bridges shared with the railway. At Greymouth I called on John and Clair west and their daughter Rachel. These are friends of Dale and Sandra's who they met in Brisbane in 1984. In the afternoon we went for a drive to Lake Kanerie and a walk through the 'bush'. They were kind enough to put me up for the night. I remember we had whitebait for supper, but instead of being small fish an inch or two long, these were a a mass of fish fry. Delicious.



Pancake Rocks  and Cape Foulwind



Next up was a long ride up the rocky coast to Panakaiki. I walked out to the famous pancake rocks and also saw a blow-hole. The coastline continued in an up and down fashion until the road cut inland across the hills to Charleston. From here I took a lonely road to Cape Foulwind. I wasn't that bleak actually and I was amused by several Waka wandering about. This is a curious flightless bird. In Westport I stayed in a rather scruffy bunkhouse in the camp-site all by myself.





Up the Buller's Gorge

The next days ride took me up the spectacular Buller's Gorge where I bumped into Terry who shared the ride with me for some of the way. The day was sunny and bright and we enjoyed the sunshine all day. At one point we took a break and walked across the river on a rope-bridge. That night I camped next to a graveyard.

Nelson Lakes

The following day I continued up the Buller's Gorge, but the weather became cloudy and the landscape lost its lushness. I found the terminus of an old railway line and spent an hour or so wandering along the disused track and wandered through s disused tunnel as well. That evening I camped in Nelson Lakes National Park and was immediately plagued by wasps. The evening was spoilt by a couple of young lads breaking windows in the Picnic House. I surreptitiously sneaked out to the Rangers Lodge and called the emergency number. About half-hour later the rangers came and arrested the lads, All this was a bit scary happening as it did in the middle of the night.

The Golden Downs to Nelson

The next ride took me over the Golden Downs to Nelson. This was a beautiful ride until I reached the main road where the traffic became quite heavy into town. In Nelson itself I put my bike in for a service - a place Vic had suggested - and spent the afternoon wandering around town. I stayed at a backpackers place.