By:
On:
In: General

[Feature image: A view looking east along the climbing walls. Climbing lines in place for a attempt at the wall] Nice easy day today, cloud cover moved in over night however not that cold. We are expecting a good downpour over the next few days so a nice short and easy walk today at Paine Ford is the todo. Paine Ford is just a couple of kilometers east of Takaka and is a favorite rock face for rock climbers here and afar with easy access and fantastic rock faces that suit novice to experienced climbers. We arrive about 1300hrs and put on a light jacketRead More →

By:
On:
In: General

Great start to the day in Pohara, there was a light wind over night but as morning sun pop up over the horizon there was a indication of a very light frost but not a cloud in the sky. Today we are going to hike up to the Asbestos Cottage which is up the Cobb Valley Road and starts at a tight bend approximately 9 km back from the Cobb Reservoir. We first did this tramp on the 16th Jan 2018 so it was going to be interesting how it may have change over the past 8 years. The track climbs from 412m above seaRead More →

By:
On:
In: General, Location, Motorhome, Photography, Shane's Posts

Today was a day we were going walk up to the Asbestos Hut which is up the Cobb Valley, however with the cold front blasting its way up the South Island it would not have been a nice tramp in and out so opted to attempt the walk tomorrow when the weather would be a lot better. Today will be an easy day with a return to the Anatoki Salmon Farm for more salmon fishing and brunch. We arrived at 1130hrs and there was no one else there so it looked like we’d be the only ones fishing. The young lady who greeted us rememberedRead More →

By:
On:
In: General, Hiking, Shane's Posts, Walking

Monday morning had a clear but cool start to the day but that suited us nicely as we prepared to hit the Abel Tasman Trail to Whariwharangi Bay. It starts off on the same track we used to go up to Gibbs Hill but instead of turning right after a 2km climb at the top to head up to Gibbs Hill, we turn left and descend 3km to Whariwharangi Bay Hut and Camping ground and on to the Whariwharangi Beach. As we started off on this walk it was cool but as we got into the ascent we appreciated that coolness. The backpack being loadedRead More →

By:
On:
In: Food, General, Hiking, Shane's Posts, Walking

Couple of wet days to pay the debt collector back and now have another 5 days credit for more good weather. Morning coffee finished and off to the Rawhiti Cave. The carpark is in private property where the owner has allowed access via their farm. Arriving at the carpark there was only one vehicle that had just arrived at the same time. Jude and I changed into our tramping boots, put on our camelback bike packs and grabbed a walking pole and headed off into what was track shaded from the sun and made for a really a cold start. The first couple of hundredRead More →

By:
On:
In: General

Heaphy Track – 28/07/26 Another walk planned for the day and we have another awesome day with the weather. Up early backpacks checked brunch packed, expresso coffee kettle packed. Morning cuppa finished and off we go, 43kms up the Aotere Valley Road to the start of the Heaphy Track that runs 72km over to the West Coast. Ah… no we’re not doing the whole track (yet) just doing a 6 km uphill climb to have brunch where ever we end up at 6kms. To many people the pictures we take of the landscape, bush, trees, hills, mountains, rivers, streams and wildlife may all look alikeRead More →