Time: 3.5 hours
Distance: 11 km
Start: Rakaia Gorge car park, State Highway 72
Finish: Same place (it's there and back)
Date: Friday 25th September 2020
In rush hour it takes a bit of pfaffing around to get out of Christchurch and so it was a full two hours from Marine parade to the Rakaia Gorge carpark. We jumped out of the car itching to start.
The classic Canterbury Nor' Wester has been ripping through on a regular basis these last three weeks and today was no exception. Causing havoc on the ski fields and covering my city 6th floor office desk in a fine layer of dust, we were now setting off in its midst - a constant stream of cold fresh air blowing into our every nook and cranny. Bracing, we donned jackets.
A Nor' Wester means rain at the Rakaia river headwaters. Normally glacial blue, today the river was a milky white, in flood and churning along at an alarming speed. The walkway follows the river bank on its true left. Sidling along the gorge edge with fantastic views down to the water below with the snow covered Mt Hutt as a backdrop.
After about an hour we gained the shelter of the bush. There must have been a poison drop because the smell of death pervaded in places and we came across a dead possum. They are a pest in New Zealand but have wonderful fur. I had the idea of a pair of slippers. Or perhaps just one (I have quite big feet). Or perhaps better just none.
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| Korokio (corokia cotoneaster) |
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| I love this photo |
Further on we took the two minute side path to the two entrances of the old disused Snowdon coal mine. It closed in 1904 and apparently there are three entrances (will have to look for the third one next time). Nowadays there is a safety fence but I remember when we did this walk with the kids and we all crawled under the overhang to the start of the tunnel and collected bits of coal. That was before earthquakes and stuff.
After the mines, we crossed a small stream and then took the left turn at the forked path up the hill. This is the final loop. There is a short track out to the river bed where we stood in the full blast of the wind and listened to the roar of the water. Impressive but not a place to linger.
We continued our sidle around and up to the top of the hill and the lookout. On the way Carolien sustained the best bruised shin you ever did see. Luckily, it matches perfectly with the one on her other shin that she got a few months ago.
It was good to get to the top of the hill and stop for a snack and photos at the lookout. Panoramically spectacular and other superlatives spring to mind. When I sent a photo later to my sister she described it: "That just looks so fucking awesome".
We headed back to the loop junction and then followed the same track back to the car park. We got to the Fat Beagle cafe in Darfield with half an hour to closing. They didn't look super happy to see us but we downed out flat whites and frittatas at double speed then checked out the tool shop and headed home.
