Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
Distance: 11 km
Start: Near 18 Weka Pass Road, State Highway 7
Finish: Same place (it's kind of a loop)
Date: Friday 15 December 2023
Scattered showers and a high of 28 degrees. That was the forecast for the last (for me at least) Friday Walkies of 2023. The plan was to have a Waipara Region excursion comprising a not-too-strenuous walk and a wine tasting. A combination of the Waikari Village Walkway, the Waikari Village Green Loops and Georges Road Winery ticked all those boxes.
We drove through the fabulous limestone scape of Weka Pass to Waikari Village (Waikari means "ditch" or "drain" in Te Reo Māori) and parked outside the Star Hotel (formerly known as the Star and Garter). Our first stop was the Waikari Train Station, the end of the Weka Pass Railway line, for some obligatory photos. Just across the road from the station is the start of the Waikari Village Walkway. The grassy path runs behind the village. We ambled along, looking at the backs of people's gardens and stopping to sample the unripe plums and sniff the flowers.
We passed the turn-off to the Weka Pass Walkway which goes to the Māori Rock Drawings. Another 100 meters or so on, we popped out onto Princess Street. We tried the door to the Church of the Ascension (locked). It started to rain. Large wet drops splashed down upon us from the black apocalyptic cumulus (or possibly lenticular) clouds overhead. We donned raincoats.
Crossing Princess Street, we came to the Village Green where a couple of crimson algae-filled ponds and the Fairy Door Walkway awaited us. Waikari Village Green is the start of the Village Green Loops:
- Loop 1 (1.2 km)
- Loop 2 (3.7 km)
- Loop 3 (7.3 km)
- Loop 4 (11.3 km)
Each Loop initially runs atop the embankment of the old Waiau Branch railway line (1882 - 1978). Today's plan was the Village Green Loop 3 - a modestly distanced choice because we had a winery to get to by 2 pm. We peered through a couple of fairy doors and took the scenic path around one of the ponds where a mother Paradise Shelduck/Pūtangitangi, was swimming in synchrony with her eight progeny (all male).
The direction was not completely obvious but, as the green field narrowed, we took a small path which disappeared into a cluster of trees before popping out at the Singleton Street Loop 1 turn-off. Signage there reassured us we were on the right track. Christchurch sculptors Sam Mahon and Alison Erickson have their studio, The Mill, nearby at Number 6. In December 2022, Sam kindly gave us a guided tour and we got to peruse the wonderful collection of sculptures on the property, including a larger than life rendition of former MP Nick Smith, pants down, squatting over a glass of water. The Stuff News headline at the time read "Statue-of-environment-minister-with-his-pants-down-delivered-to-canterbury-regional-council ". A brilliant flip of the bird to the authorities who have allowed dirty dairying and the subsequent pollution of Canterbury's pristine waterways.
We crossed Fenwick Road (Loop 2 turn-off) and came past a field of exceptionally skittish sheep. They were stampeding like the clappers, gathering speed from one end to the other. I believe it was because they had spied us in the distance and were unnecessarily freaking out. Up ahead, a flock of about eight sheep were resting calmly but directly on the embankment -our path. Somehow they must have escaped the neighbouring fields. When they caught sight of us they freaked out too. And so began a drama of sorts - they would run ahead of us but we would soon catch them up. Eventually, as we got closer to the gate, they realised that they were cornered. They were really losing the plot by this stage. Two were repeatedly head butting the barbed wire fence trying to get into the northern field. A group of about five found the smallest of gaps and got through into the large empty southern field where they looked like they had no right to be. The remaining two ran ahead and hit the fence full tit. One got it's head through the barbed wire and looked stuck. The other, in desperation, tried to mount the first. It was terrible to see. We quickly got through the gate to try and rescue them (we have experience at this sort of thing) but as we approached, they both paniced afresh and fortuitously managed to somehow extricate themselves from their conumdrum and they ran off. What a bunch of ninnies.
Fairly rattled - but happy that major drama had been averted - we took the Parkview Road turn-off for Loop 3. We were now walking on picturesque back country roads, working our way back to Village Green. The skies had cleared but it was chilly. Raincoats off. Then on again.
The last bit was a backtracking of Village Walkway to the main road. We had some important discussions - we had to choose where to have lunch. Either the derelict looking Star Hotel or the Waikari Kitchen Cafe. The former promised to be a quirky experience, but the latter won the day because they had brioche buns with roast pork and apple sauce. It was all pretty cosy because while we ate, the heavens opened and it pissed down outside.
After lunch, we drove to Georges Street Winery where Kirk Bray and his dog Pepper welcomed us for a wine tasting. Pepper was the winery mascot and had been cartoonised onto the merch - posters and teatowels. Kirk kindly turned on the heaters because it was freezing. We warmed up though as we sampled the rose, riesling, pinot gris, pinot noir and syrah. All accompanied with yummy nibbles - olives, cheese, dips, crackers. Pretty civilised.
We bought some merch and checked out the Winepod (for a romantic - and expensive - "boutique getaway") then drove back to Crikers with the windows down. After all the palava, it was now a stinking hot 28 degrees. In true Cantabrian fashion the rain had stopped and the southerly had finally passed. The arrival of summer. Meri Kirihimete e hoa mā!!
