Walking the Banks Peninsula: Starting Out

Our second four-day walk was on the Banks Peninsula, about half way up the South Island an hour from Christchurch.  It is a rocky headland of picturesque inlets and bays anchored by the pretty, tourist town of Akaroa. 

This bit of New Zealand has an interesting history.  Maori wars were fought here, and the English and French tussled over ownership in the mid 1900s.  That the French almost won control is still evident in Akaroa.  Many buildings look distinctly French and there are street names, too, that are certanly French in origin, but dear knows how they are pronounced.  Langlois is locally known as "Lang-lo-is". 

The Langlois-Eteveneaux cottage is now attached to the Akaroa museum.

The Banks Peninsula is a destination for nature lovers and outdoors people of all kinds.  Day hiking is popular, but we were there complete a 4-day 35 km walk on a private track managed by eight farming families. This group devised the concept about 20 years ago when their agricultural income was in need of a boost.  They promised comfortable accommodation (indoor toilets and hot showers, and well-equipped kitchens) and a well-groomed hiking trail for up to twelve 4-day walkers and four 2-day walkers each day.  Over 25,000 people now walk "The Banks" every year.  It is one of the most popular and attractive hiking tracks in New Zealand. 




We set out in stormy weather by bus from Akaroa for the first night at a pupose-built hut, Onuku Farm. Fortunately, no meal had to be prepared that evening -- we had arranged to eat at the "farm cafe" which was reached by clambering down a muddy, slippery track.  There a local entrepreneur and his wife prepared a simple meal (beef stew) that we consumed by candle light.  Then we put on our waterproof gear to slog back up the hill to Onuku where outdoor toilets awaited, and sleep in the bunk rooms was disturbed by lashing rain and southerly winds.  This was not good news.  A "southerly" in NZ always means blustery cold weather.  (Our friends in Wellington later inquired about the "weather bomb" and asked if it had spoiled our walk.  Aha -- so that's what it was!  Some of our fellow walkers thought we had slept--or not slept--through an earthquake.) 

The same cold winds whipped at us as we climbed the hills next day on the first section of our walk.

At the top. It is so cold and windy I am wearing hiking sock mittens.

In the shelter of a giant macrocarpa tree.

Coming off the top was wet and slippery.

The descent was somewhat more pleasant and lead to the pretty colonial cottage at Flea Bay-- our second stop.  Here we said farewell to our good friends Roz and Ian Gibson who were doing the 2 day version of the Banks walk.  We had signed on for 4 days with John and Anne Smith, but they had to cancel in the last minute.  We had really been looking forward to this time with them, but we had the company of the Gibsons for the first day and then nine other interesting walkers for the rest of the trip. 

Ian and Roz with Bruce at Flea Bay.