Time: 2.5 hours (includes a swim)
Distance: 7 km
Start: On the northern side of the bridge (just past the corner of Le Bons Bay Road and Dalglishs Road)
Finish: Same place, it's loopy
Date: Friday 6th November 2026
Warning: You need a lowish tide (maybe 2 hours either side of low tide) for the river section of this walk.
A hot-day forecast. We practised our squats on Nicole's doorstep then took the scenic Summit Road in Kim's waka to Le Bons Bay. A 2 hour drive door to door, much of it on windy roads and a few of us were looking a little green around the gills by the end of it. Bags ready. I said, "Are you lot keen for the longer, swampier and muddier version of this ramble?" And everyone was. Bless.
At the bridge, there was a hidden ditch to negotiate when parking the car on the grass verge. Seven city slickers clamboured over the fence in city fashion, and waded through the long grasses (despite allergies). We made our way off-piste alongside the river sedges. There were two muddy creeks to cross (low tide), but mostly it was fairly easy going.
I checked the map and we took a side trip to Le Bon's Bay Cemetery. Lots of Crotty's. Lorna Daisy and Fanny Kate. Also some Moulds and a few Danish names including an anglecized version (Matilda Petterson) of my very own Farmor, Mathilde Petersen. A group of Dane's did settle there in the 1800's. No Le Bons though. There is an
anecdote that Le Bon, a french sailor on Captain Le Bas's ship, was one of the first Europeans to set foot on the shore.
For good measure, water was sprinkled upon us as we exited the cemetery. Back at the river's edge we spied a purple jelly fish and a gazillion whelks. We wondered about the derelict red farm house on the south side of the river. I found out later that "Peppercorn Cottage" was red-stickered after a land slip during a bad storm in 2021. The whole hillside is now owned by the
Le Bons Bay Conservation Trust and they have some cool plans. The Old Wharf Road Project (a walking track) is already well underway and there are
future plans for more walks. How awesome.
Now the pine forest was on our left and, as we got closer to the beach, the coastal stacks came into view. According to
Kā Huru Manu (Ngāi Tahu Cultural Mapping Project), the northern headland is called Katawa, and Le Bons Bay is Katawahu/Ōtauwao. I couldn't find a translation but "kata" means "laugh" and "wa" means "place" or "time". There is
archeaological evidence that Māori occupied the area for hundreds of years, possibly initially the Waitaha in the 13th Century. Lands were stolen via colonisation and the dubious Port Levy Deed in the 1800's. Nowadays Koukourarata Runanga have mana whenua at Le Bons Bay and the Le Bons Bay Conservation Trust is "looking forward to working in partnership" with them. Ka pai.
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We set up camp on the beach and a few hard core ones donned togs and went for a swim. Because the tide was out we had to wade a long way out to sea. Eventually we returned to the warmer shallows and wallowed. The first summer swim of the year and absolutely lovely.
Back at the beach a couple of seagulls watched us eat snacks. The wind whipped up a bit and the sun was beating down so we didn't linger too long. At the end of the beach we were back on Le Bons Bay Road. Just past the tractors and the telephone box we checked out the baches on Rue De La Mer. Some were pretty flash but a few rustics remain. The good old New Zealand bach from bygone days.
At the cul-de-sac, a small walkway took us through to
Le Bons Bay Domain with the community hall (currently being renovated), tennis court, a flying fox, and a path through the forest pines. We spotted tree huts and freaky barbie fairies. The path circled back to the domain, then behind the dunes and we were eventually on Le Bons Bay Road again. More baches to gawk at and another groovy orange tractor. Apparently every New Years Day (since 1930) there is a sports day that includes tractor races along the beach.
It was time for the final stretch - a road walk back to the car. With our collective lily-white legs we hoofed it on the hot tar, dodging cars and accumulating bare-foot blisters. We piled into the waka (magnetic wristbands on). The views down to Akaroa Harbour from scenic Summit Road were divine - the water sparking like diamonds around the spermatozoic Onawe Peninsular.
At Little River Cafe the gauge maxed out at 27 degrees (my favourite temperature). We found the perfect table outside in the shade of the trees. The sparrows hopped on branches directly overhead and the tap water tasted like dishwashing liquid. But no matter. No shit rained down and we ate and drank delicious things. Tomorrow is election day and topics turned to loose MPs, flag-waving on corners, and continuous tapas. Then we piled back into Kim's waka and headed home to Crikers.
