Ngaio Point Coastal Track

Time: One hour and 40 minutes (includes coastal exploration and a swim)
Distance: 3.1 km
Start: Layby near 5 Monarch Drive, Duvauchelle
Finish: Same place - it's a loop
Date: Friday 13th December 2024

I am not sure why, but mention a visit to a winery and we are all in. Seven of us to be exact, day-tripping to French Farm Winery for an end-of-year nosh up. But first up, a shortish wander on the Ngaio Point Track. We parked in the layby near 5 Monarch Drive where, in amongst the pohutukawa trees and the flash houses, there was some track signage and a map. Through the wire gate and down the hill, Jane was telling us a bloody tale and we were all giggling and guffawing like mad.  

About 10 minutes in, we turned off on the short side-track to Archdalls Beach. We paused at the plum trees for a snack then descended the steps to the stony beach. It looks like you can swim there at all tides, but today the water was churned up, brown and choppy and did not look super inviting. 

We wandered to the far end of the beach and rocked-hopped around the coast, admiring the fabulous formations. Swirling circles and hexagonal chunks. Was it a fossilised forest? No mention of that in The Geology and Geochemistry of Akaroa Volcano, Banks Peninsular, New Zealand, PhD Thesis of C. J. Dorsey (University of Canterbury, 1988). But plenty of chitchat about dikes, plugs and tuffs. We spied a couple of dikes of our own, wedged into the cliffs. As we gained the corner we could see the prettily painted boat sheds in the next bay.

Back on the beach it seemed like it was either now or never for a swim.  Only Kim and I were brave enough - much later I found out that everyone was carrying togs and towel, but no-one mentioned it at the time. I must say the water temperature was slightly bracing at first but once acclimatised it was oh-so lovely and we lingered for much more than a nanosecond, lolling around in the swell.

On the return to the junction, a kererū, caught eating plums, crashed through the foliage in dramatic escape. We continued along the Ngaio Point Track, clearly marked with its numerous look-outs, resting seats and information boards. Across the stunningly blue harbour, Onawe Peninsular, the heart of the Akaroa Volcano, could be seen and, in the distance on the ridge, French Peak.

At approximately half way, we crossed Bayview Beach. Apparently at high tide you have to scramble across rocks to the wooden stairs at the far end. At the top of the stairs was a wooden sign "Private", but on closer inspection, the Ngaio Point Track branched off to the right and continued on up to the road.

It was a short walk along the quiet Bayview Crescent, then a climb up through a bushy reserve to the main highway where new flash houses were being built. We had come pretty much full circle and we were soon back at Monarch Drive and the car. 

It was only 10 minutes to the French Farm Winery. We smartened up in the carpark and sat at a long wooden table under the grape vines in the courtyard overlooking the bay. Delightful!! The sun streamed down and a coolish wind blew. We ate fabulous olives, pizzas and salads and a few of us had wine as well. 

On the way back to Crikers we took a nifty shortcut from Hilltop to Cooptown/Ōpuahou via Harman's Track, thereby avoiding pesky roadworks.  Harmans Track is a steep, gravely, windy road and technically 4wd but the Toyota Wish (2wd) rose to the challenge. We turned up the volume of the Drum n Bass Spotify playlist and cut some shapes all the way home.