Kaiteriteri to Cape Foulwind

Suspension Bridge over Motueke River

Left Kaiteriteri in sunshine, arrived at Cape Foulwind in drizzle. Was to be a day of mountains, forests and rivers and a marked drop in temperature. Today's route took us through valleys, up and over the Hope Saddle, then down through the Buller Gorge to the sea.

Started off midst orchards and hop fields along 'Old Highway 61', with Tasman Mountains in the distance. (Never did find out if and where there is a new Highway 61.) Meandered along the Motueke river valley, past several suspension bridges leading into the Kahurangi National Park, the mountains getting closer until, over a rise, we got our first mountain panorama. Continued to follow the Motueke until we reached Kohatu where we joined our old friend, Highway 6, the main road from Nelson to the West Coast.

First mountain panorama (Arthur Range)

The road climbed up and over the Hope Saddle, at the top of which there was a lookout and information boards about the history of this route. In 1871 a winding, precipitous track was cut through the bush over Hope Saddle, opening up the first  route through the mountains from Nelson to the West Coast. In 1879 the first horse drawn vehicles started using it but the route remained long and hazardous with many icy rivers to be forded on the way.

Buller River

Once over the Hope Saddle, the road meets the Buller River, which rises further west in the Nelson Lakes National Park, and the highway follows the Buller all the way to the West Coast, through two impressive gorges. We stopped in the Upper Buller Gorge to cross the longest swing bridge in New Zealand (110m long and 17m high) into the Heritage Forest Park on the far side, where we went for a walk in the bush. Sights seen on the walk included the White Creek faultline, epicentre of a 1929 earthquake, when the ground was instantly thrust upwards by 4.5 metres, an old gold mine shaft and other gold mining relics (but no gold), and the Ariki falls.

Swing Bridge over Buller Gorge

In the Upper Buller Gorge, the road runs along the top of the gorge, eventually winding down to Inangahua Junction, where another highway peels off to make its way south west to the coast at Greymouth. Our Highway 6 continues along the Buller, entering the Lower Buller Gorge, running along the bottom of the gorge this time, hugging the impressively steep cliffs. Eventually it all flattens out as the river reaches the small coastal plain and flows into the Tasman Sea at Westport.

Lazy Seal Chalet, Cape Foulwind

Tauranga Bay

We continued past Westport to the ominously named Cape Foulwind* where we had rented a chalet for the night. Lovely wooden chalet with a huge living area and separate bedroom, set amongst well kept and colourful gardens. Would have been nice to sit out on the deck with a glass of wine but, alas, it was raining by now. Settled in, then went for dinner at the newly re-opened Bay House Café, 3 km away at Tauranga Bay. This restaurant had been recommended to us but my internet research discovered that it had closed last year. We were delighted to hear from our landlady that it had just re-opened 3 weeks ago. The new owner is a Scots lady. We had an excellent meal, overlooking the Bay, with waves rolling in from the sea, crashing on the beach. We hope to revisit this area tomorrow, as there is a walk along the coast, past a seal colony and a lighthouse. Weather forecast is good so here's hoping.

* Extract from the Lonely Planet Guide to New Zealand . . . . The Maori called the cape Tauranga, meaning "sheltered anchorage". The first European here was Abel Tasman in December 1642, naming it Clyppygen Hock (Rocky Point). When James Cook moored the Endeavour here in March 1770 a furious storm made it anything but a 'sheltered anchorage'; hence the cape's modern name.