The Motueka Sandspit Walkway -  one day walk for birdwatchers

Easy walk (4 hours return) starting at the Motueka Golf Course, 5 mins. driving from our B&B. 
Colonies of birds are found at the end of the spit but is common to spot several birds along the way:
 - Caspian Terns (Sterna caspia);
 - White Fronted Tern (Sterna striata);
 - Black Fronted Tern (Sterna albo-striata).

Going towards the spit we reach the bigger colonies of migrant birds such as the Godwits (Limosa Lapponica), Red Knots (Calidris Canutus) and Turnstones (Arenaria interpres). There is a good number of Banded Dotterels (Charadrius bicintus) now commonly living in the spit and with a bit of luck we might see the shy, endemic, Wrybill (Anarhyncus frontalis), gathering some larvae from under a log. 

Very common are oystercatchers:
 - Pied Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus);
 - Variable Oystercatchers (Haematopus unicolor). 

With another bit of luck we might see the great diver, the Gannet (Morus Serrator) coming from the bigger colony of Farewell Spit in Golden Bay.

Kahurangi Nat. Park, Mt. Arthur area - A nice loop with a poignant feeling (half a day walk).

From the Flora Saddle carpark (1,000 m. high) we will walk 1.5 hour to the Mount Arthur Hut, through wonderful original beech forest. Just a few metres above the bush line you can enjoy a 360 view over the Tasman Bay, Golden Bay, Cobb Valley, the Tablelands, the Kaikoura range and the Marlborough Sounds. We will come back downhill following a nice track leading us to the Flora Hut in about 1 hour. Another 30 mins. are needed to come back to the car park.

Kahurangi Nat. Park, Mt. Arthur (m.1795-1 day walk)

From the Flora Saddle carpar, along a well-graded path we will walk along the ridge towards Mt. Arthur, through beech forest and mountain neinei, a candelabra-like tree. The Hut is just below the bush line. Recently renovated, it has heater and 6 bunks (1.5 hour from the carpark). From here the walk (8 km. long, 4 hours) offers panoramic views and it is both of geological and botanical interest. It is a karst system with many bluffs, sinkholes and caves, and everywhere in summer is full of alpine flowers. From the top in clear days is possible to see the Kaikoura range, the Golden Bay, the Marlborough Sounds, etc.

Kahurangi Nat. Park, Mt. Arthur area, Mt. Lodestone (m.1462 - 1 day walk)

From the Flora Saddle carpark we tramp the track which leads steeply up the ridge in 2 hours. From the summit after a nice rest and breakfast we can enjoy the view around. We return to the carpark via Flora Hut. A special feature of this walk is a Maori quarry and along the way back is possible to see the smallest bird of NZ, the rifleman or titipounamo. 

Kahurangi Nat. Park, the Cobb Reservoir (1 long day)

This is a long, very beautiful and mixed itinerary. We first need to drive up to the Cobb Dam, through the Takaka Hill national road 60, then at Upper Takaka along a 28km. long, narrow, unsealed road. Both the road and the view over the Cobb Reservoir represent an experience by themselves. But we are just at the beginning of our adventure as we are going to walk the Cobb Ridge track, 3 hours walk, 8km. to Lake Peel. The path leaves the Cobb Road near the information kiosk and runs along the ridge above the reservoir, across the Peat Flat, then descending on the Lake Peel. 

Back to Climbing/Tramping

ARRIVEDERCI IN NUOVA ZELANDA!