What have we been up to?

There is an awful lot to see down here in the South Island, as we are traveling around.   We spent several days in Blackball, an old mining town.  The most famous building here is undoubtedly the pub which has an interesting story about it’s name,  called “Formerly the Blackball Hilton”.  Built in 1910 it was named The Dominion.  In the 1970s the owners changed the name to The Blackball Hilton, as the main street is called Hilton after one of the early mine managers.  However, a threat of legal action from the overseas Hilton Hotel chain caused the name to be changed by adding “Formerly” to the title.

Formerly the Blackball Hilton

Moving on to Hokitika we had couple of of things to do on our wish list, so we set out bright and early the next morning.  The snow topped Southern Alps looked so nice as we drove along.  Looks like the local farmers had been busy making baleage.

Snow capped mountains

And here we are, at the Treetop Walkway, this attraction was not built last time we were down this way.  There was a golf car available at no extra cost to take those of us with mobility issues up a reasonably steep path to the beginning of the walkway.  The structure felt very safe and stable and is elevated 20m above the forest.  The walkway is built on Department of Conservation (DOC) land, and the native trees are a sight to behold, especially knowing that they are all protected from logging. 

On the Treetops walk

Oh look, there’s the Tower.  Goodness, that looks high, and is the launch pad for all those people who want to have a go on the zip line.   At 47m above the forest floor, I climbed the 107 steps up the circular stairway to the top.  Robin wisely declined, unsure how his knees would cope with all those steps.  Can you see me waving?

I climbed the tower!

Then we headed off to check out Lake Mahinapua a short distance away. The lake side was very busy with visitors, people splashing about in the water, and on boats.  This area was once a coastal lagoon, but centuries of sand accumulation in a belt of dunes eventually cut off the sea access, creating the lake. 

Lake Mahinapua

There was still more exploring to do in this area so we set out again the next day.    But first we needed to pack a picnic lunch to take, bacon and egg croissants, a couple  of Christmas mince pies, a juicy peach each and a thermos of hot coffee.  The sun-screen and insect repellant came along too.  Now we were ready and drove 30km to Hokitika Gorge - never been there before.   Most of the West Coast was  covered by vast moving glaciers 500,000 years ago, we read on the interpretation boards, and these shaped the landscape as they moved slowly along.

A short 10 minute walk we were advised would take us to the Hokitika Swing Bridge.  It may have been short for most people, but took us a lot longer than the time stated, it was quite hard going for Robin and his knee problems.  Young people and families walked on past us, we were much slower with Robin’s crutch and my walking stick as we negotiated the sloping path.   The beautiful turquoise blue water caused when rocks are ground into a fine powder by the movement of glaciers.   We arrived at the look out point for our first glimpse of the very blue river and saw the swing bridge below us.

First view of the Hokitika Gorge swing bridge

Several more twists and turns down the track and we finally arrived at the bridge.  Here comes Robin over the bridge, and taking a photo from the middle of the slightly bouncing bridge was necessary, but a little unnerving.  And where would we be without friendly fellow sightseers  happy to take a photo for us?  Robin really struggled with walking back up the track and in the end he did much better using my stick as well, he really needed two sticks for extra balance and a feeling of security, I think.  Walking up and down this track took a lot more out of him than either of us expected, sadly.

ON the Hokitika Gorge swing bridge

The next day we started the drive over the Arthur’s Pass road over the Southern Alps,    As we drove along further into the mountains, the scenery changed dramatically, with all those rugged mountains surrounding us.

There's Gollum on the roof of the Otira Stagecoach Hotel.  Wonder how he got there, still looking for that gold ring, presumably.  The Lord of the Rings movies were filmed in the dramatic scenery in different parts of New Zealand.  Back in the early days, several hotels along this road  provided accommodation and fresh horses for the coach parties making the arduous trip over the Southern Alps.

 

Hello Gollum

Arthur’s Pass was named after surveyor Arthur Dobson, and in 1864 he explored the route seeking a way to supply West Coast miners from Christchurch.  The next year construction began and hundreds of workers braved the extreme conditions to complete the road in a year.  This was the start of a new era for the West Coast, the beginning of a coaching service, and later, a railway line across the Alps.  The road has improved over the years, although it is still rather steep in places and full of twists and turn.  There was one more quick stop to make before heading to our overnight stop.  We are certainly surrounded by nature’s grandeur in this part of the country.  What a sight this must be in the depths of winter with snow covering the mountains.

Arthur’s Pass

Our stop for the night was at Bealey Hotel, free parking for NZMCA members. Of course, with free overnight parking, we had to give the hotel some custom, and booked in for our evening meal.  Very tasty it was too, lamb rump for him, and pork belly for her.  Check out the view from the dining room window.

 

Staying overnight at the Bealey Hotel

While enjoying our dinner, I glanced around the dining room, as you do, and was intrigued to find that several of the dining tables were mounted on the bases of old treadle sewing machines.  So of course I had to take a couple of photos of the tables which were happily still vacant.  I did wonder what the staff and the other diners thought what that  crazy lady was doing!  I noticed  New Home and  Singer bases.

 

Bases of the dining tables

The  Bealey Hotel’s claim to fame was the supposed sighting of a moa (a very large bird about as big as an ostrich and now extinct)  in the Craigieburn Range by publican Paddy Freaney and two friends in 1993.  They produced a blurry photo of the moa, and another of an alleged footprint.  Many believed it was a publicity stunt to increase trade to Paddy’s pub, but the local and overseas media were very interested indeed by this story.  So much so that Paddy declared “that he wished he had never seen the bloody thing!”  But who knows what is hiding in the mountains and valleys. The hotel has a large moa statue in the grounds, and interestingly, serves Moa beer in the bar.

Bealey Hotel moa

With all  this traveling, I haven't spent much time of my stitchery.  Just stitched a bright yellow sun, to accompany the two kangaroos on my next Noah’s Ark stitchery, several days ago under our shady caravan awning.  But every stitch helps, doesn't it.

I’ve started another small stitchery