Time: 40 minute walk (1.5 hours at the market)
Distance: Not too far
The Ōhoka Farmers Market has been on my radar for years. It runs from 9 am till 12.30 pm every Friday all year round at the Ōhoka Domain; rain, hail or shine. Very conveniently, the domain is also the start of the Ōhoka Stream Historic Walkway.
When we arrived at 9:30 am the car parks were already beginning to fill. We decided to do the walkway first then meander around the market, but we had to have a quick loo stop and so had a tantalising glimpse at some of the interesting stalls (a box of possum tails -$5 each). The market was already abuzz.
I'd printed out the Ohoka Stream Historic Walkway pamphlet but it was lacking some crucial street names and so we had some quick discussions about where we should actually go. We walked along Mill Road and turned left onto Keetley Place and after a few minutes we thankfully came to the Ōhoka river with walkway signs in both directions. But which way to go? We dithered. The map indicated left (west) so we followed the river in that direction, although the path was actually on the northern side of the river whereas the map said south.
The river runs along the backs of lifestyle sections with large flash houses. We got to peer inside wonderfully manicured gardens - many of them had an obligatory pond with a gaggle of geese. At one gate, the Rangiora pottery group were exhibiting funky pukeko themed ceramic wares. Others had quirky sculptures dotted around.
Before we knew it we were back at the road and so this walk wins the "Friday Walkies Shortest Walk" award. At rapid speed and all chatting at once, we headed with enthusiasm straight to the market, thereby missing all of the historical sites mentioned in the pamphlet -although we did try the Methodist church door (locked). Apparently Ōhoka was once a flax and flour milling area and situated on a branch of the railway line from Kaiapoi and Christchurch. A busy and thriving town. In Te Reo maori "Ōhoka" means "Place of Hoka" or (according to the Wikipedia) "Place of the stake for a decoy parrot". I find this translation particularly left field. But perhaps fitting in quirkiness to this quirky place. And perhaps sadly, there were once parrots on the Canterbury Plains?
The market was really going for it when we arrived and we wandered around buying veges and snacks. We rendezvoused back at the table area and sat around drinking coffee and ginger and turmeric lattes (sounds horrible but actually yummy), chatting and listening to the guitarist who even played Carolien's favourite song. What a very pleasant way to spend a Friday morning.
We decided to head back to Keetley Place and check out the easterly direction of the Ohoka Stream Historic Walkway. This followed the river promisingly but ended on someone's driveway and the busy road. We high tailed it back to the market (another loo stop and more snacks) and the car and home.
