Akaroa: Children's Bay Farm Walkway

Short Loop
Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Distance: 8 km

The weather situation was looking a bit ominous: winds gusting N'orwest with a Southerly forecast to hit at midday. But we had already made the decision to walk rain hail or shine because we were freshly emerging from "Covid19 Level 3 Lock Down" and transitioning into a new experience: "Delta Level 2".  Shortly before Akaroa we turned right onto Children's Bay Road and parked at the Reserve Car Park. 

Most of the Akaroa tracks are well documented in the "Akaroa Walks Brochure" which is put together (and illustrated with picturesque but bewildering maps) by the Rod Donald Bank Peninsular Trust.  The Children's Bay Track is described in the brochure as a "delightful walk over the headland" and it most certainly is exactly that. Dotted with fetchingly kitschy sculptures, you can take either a short loop (2.5 hours around the headland via Moa Point) or a longer loop (3.5 hours via the Rhinoceros to Takamatua). We were going to walk either the short or the long loop (weather dependent) in a clockwise direction. So we set off on the track which starts just before the bridge. 

We had been walking about 60 seconds when we came across the first sculptures: four penguins popping out of the grass by the river and a rooster underneath a copse of cabbage trees.  The track headed up the hill and branched off towards Moa Point.  Although mostly on farm land, with superb views across to Akaroa, every now and then we would plunge into native bush. A few minutes up a side track took us to a seat beneath a small waterfall where we practised (in Zhanna's absence) our slow motion photography.

At the sheep sculpture we took a left turn and ten minutes later we were at Moa Point. The wind started blowing like billy-o and a few drops of rain were falling. We eyed the dark clouds in the distance and decided not to linger. A quick hug of the Moa and we set off again with a quickened pace. At the Tiki junction we donned rain jackets and decided to take the shorter loop. We headed up the hill to a point which seemed to have signs in all directions telling us to return the way we had already come. This was weird because up until this point, the track had been uber signposted (somebody in the Rod Donald Trust likes making "Track" signs). Our confusion was compounded by our picturesque (but bewildering) map and a herd of cows standing exactly in the direction we wanted to go. Eventually we headed nervously towards the cows (who did us no harm) and over the crest we could see with relief the rhinoceros in the distance.

From the rhinoceros, the track headed back down the hill past the pig and the giraffes to Children's Bay. By the stream I noticed the crocodile (or was it an alligator) only at the last minute. For a fleeting moment I thought it was actually a real one and inadvertently let out a high pitched squeal which alarmed everyone else.

Back at the car park we decided to head to Akaroa to check out The Giant's House which belongs to local artist Josie Martin. Over a 20 year period she has transformed her 1880's historical house and garden into an over-the-top mosaic sculpture extravaganza. Mosaic paths and sculptures adorned every nook and cranny. It was unbelievable - like Hudertwasser on steroids. Part of me loved it and the other part thought it to be a superfluous extravagance. The ultimate in recycling your crockery or a complete waste of time money and energy?? We all felt conflicted! Certainly entertaining and worth checking out. 

We had lunch at The Brasserie, once a gorgeous cottage, now a grungy pubby type eatery, slightly filthy. The Southerly had come to nothing more than a few drops of rain. We now sat outside in the fabulous sun and happily ate a super yummy lunch. The service was also super friendly - despite the communication barriers of ordering behind a mask. He kawhe maku, he mowai koa! The seagulls bickered overhead, watching our every move and swooped down on our plates as we left.