We were up bright and early this morning and had hoped to take some more pictures inside the old hotel but alas, they were not up yet. So, after walking the dogs, we set off towards Hokitika, electing to take the scenic route past Lake Brunner (although I would have to say the main route was also pretty scenic). Our views were somewhat occluded by the early morning low cloud but it gave the place a calm, moody sort of feel.
Once again we had a fine day for our travels and we enjoyed seeing the waterfalls coming out of the hills, the stony river beds and the virgin bush.
The road to Lake Brunner quickly ran out of tarseal but the unsealed surface was still in pretty good condition. There was a sign saying the area was used by trucks and I was praying that we would not come across any as the road was very narrow in places. However, the bush around the road was spectacular. There were some baches scattered throughout the bush, but as it was conservation land I am not sure how that could be allowed.
Lake Brunner was about 15kms down the metal road and when we arrived it was still misty, but that cleared while we were there. It was a very pretty lake and not particularly cold as I expected it would be.
After having a coffee we headed on down the metal roads beside the Greenstone River towards the township of Kumara. Just outside the town we came across the Kumara Hydro Power Station. The river at this point was rather beautiful so we enjoyed the mini-stop.
Once we arrived in Hokitika we made a point of going straight to the beach so the dogs could have a good outing. They were not able to get out much yesterday due to Arthurs Pass being a Conservation Area with “No Dog” rules. They enjoyed chasing stones, seagulls and paddling in the surf, and Bruce and I enjoyed searching for “treasures” on the beach (and we found some great ones!).
After de-sanding the dogs we found a shady place for lunch and then had a walk around the town. The sock factory was particularly interesting, but we enjoyed looking at the greenstone creations and some of the other local crafts.
We were fortunate to make the decision at that point (4pm) to head to the NZMCA Park here at Hokitika – fortunate because there were only 3 spaces left. The early arrival gave us a chance for some relaxation though so that is always a good thing.
Away From Home NZ 