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As we were doing the Banks Peninsular in two days instead of four we needed to make sure we were away in good time and set off at 8am. First passing through a farm with a dog that wasn't the least bit interested and then up a steep grassy farm track, patches of sun picked out the surround hill sides.
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After a steady slog we reached Paradise, an abandoned farmstead and dairy. Looking out over the hillside there seemed to be a maze of old farm tracks that could have been used to make interesting walks.
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Deviated off the path to go to Lookout Rock with views over Akaroa Harbour before continuing up steeply through a series of switch backs onto a sheep track followed by a rough patch to a stony trig summit, the highest point on the walk at 699m. We now had views out to the immense Pacific Ocean.
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Down the other side and onto an unsealed road. After 1km we reached a point in the road called 'Mortlocks Mistake' apparently his mistake was failing to take the bend in the road. Here we turned off left and descended into a beech wood beside a stream.. The path was quite tricky being often steep, narrow and rocky, it was a relief when it finished and we were back out in the open with the sun shining.
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Shower
at Stony Bay
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Finally reached Flea Bay where we stopped for lunch, soon a cool breeze blew and the sun often disappeared. Refreshed we started another long climb up to a head land, across the bay sea caves were cut into the rock. Although we couldn't see seals we could hear an occasional barking. Continued along the cliff top, the burrows of the sooty tern were evident along the way. Dropped down to Seal Cove but most of the seals were away, just one old seal sat at the back of the cave.
The hostel was most unusual, huts were arranged around an area of grass along with a small, self serve shop, a museum, a solar powered shower with a tree in one corner and constructed from odds and ends. Its style was quaint rustic with a touch of Heath Robinson and Fred Flintstone.
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After a good nights sleep, again got away for 8am. As promised in a forecast two days previously, the sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky. A tui piped us on our way.
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Passed through the DOC Stony Bay Conservation Area to climb steadily up the path and then contour around the coast on grass mowed short by grazing sheep. A placid sea slowly swelled and relaxed, waves ran into crevasses and back off rock shelves even on such a calm day creating a roar than reverberate in the back of sea caves.
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Ascended though shaded woodlands on a path fringes with foxgloves then followed the coast again on a higher level before climbing yet again over the headland above a sea arch. Sheep interrupted their nibbling and raised their heads to bid us on our way with a baa.
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All the height we had gained we lost as we descended on a farm track into Sleep Bay. For the last time we climb a path up to a headland and then descended down into Otanerito Bay. Here was located a hostel that we would have stayed in if we had been doing the trek over 4 days. The bay contained a large sandy beach with a meadow beyond it, in this pleasant setting we sat a while to admire the view. On the beach a sandcastle had been built, but not just a sand castle but a major earthworks with ramparts, ditch and protected gate.
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Left Otanerito Bay and entered the Hinewai Reserve. Beside a stream we climbed steadily through native forest on a good track. About half way up the climb the way became steeper as we zig zagged on, stopping for lunch as we neared the top.
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Continued on steadily through a beech forest and up to the road from where we could look back over Otanerito Bay. A grass track brought us to the saddle at the top of the climb from where views over Akaroa Harbour opened before us. Although the days walk was similar to the previous days the bright sunshine gave clarity to the views. Contoured round to the left before dropping steeply on a rough path to a grassy track. With Akaroa in front of us we continued to descended steadily but steeply to Mount Vernon Lodge where the car was parked.
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Otanerito Bay
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