April Holiday: Golden Bay - Takaka & Te Waikoropupu Springs

Wednesday we did something I'd been especially looking forward to - meeting another internet friend for the first time in real life. Amy is a musician, and a designer seamstress extraordinaire. She is also a lovely friendly and generous person who helped me when I was feeling very tentative about buying my first ever overlocker. I love her beautifully designed clothes. And at last I met her, and her children.

First Amy took us to look at the little shop she runs, along with a couple of other women. The Enchanted Toadstool is a very cool mudbrick building set in the Takaka community gardens.

From there went went to see the amazing Te Waikoropupu Springs. Those of us who have visited the Blue Spring near Putaruru think that's pretty amazing, but think Blue Spring times ten! Simply stunning, totally magical.

Then it was back to the camping ground for the last night, with a stop at a gorgeous little beach on the way.

April Holiday: Golden Bay

On Tuesday we went to visit the tutor of the willow weaving workshop. Because I had bought cuttings from him, and then come to the workshop, he invited us to go see his willows growing. The main thing I learned was that I had planted them in totally the wrong place!

Something I loved about Golden Bay was the way people were so friendly. Someone like Peter living in the Waikato would not be nearly so open and friendly, not because of anything inherent in their personality, but simply because they would be overwhelmed with visitors. Peter showed us all around his property, and then we sat and chatted for about an hour in the sunshine, with coffee and biscuits. I was glad I had taken some jars of my homegrown honey, so could offer a gift.

 A 'kiln' for boiling willow.

Our next stop was Pohara Beach, a long golden beach with just a handful of people present, even though it was school holidays. The beaches are shored up with large boulders that have been brought in and which were full of fossils!

Driving a little further we came across the Able Tasman Monument. What a bunch of crazies, to set out across unknown seas - but I'm glad they did.

The rest of our day was spent visiting The Grove and The Labyrinth, both of which feature amazing and beautiful rock formations. The Grove was especially beautiful.

 The Labyrinth was.....odd.....

..... as warned about on the notice. Somewhat tacky to an adult, but I'm sure kids would just plain love it.

 

April Holiday: Golden Bay - Whakariki Beach

Monday was ANZAC Day. I woke up early and went to the loo in pjs, jersey and sandals. But the eastern horizon was just starting to show colour, and I ended up pretty cold by the time the sun came up. Anzac Day was always special to my father, a returned serviceman, and he died just two and a half weeks before Anzac Day 1988. As I stood on the beach watching the sky I remembered him.

After breakfast we headed North. Because of the tide, there were no bus trips to Farewell Spit, the only way you are allowed to go, so we went to Whakariki Beach, the loveliest beach ever. I would like to move to Golden Bay just so I could walk on this beach every week! (Although we have some very beautiful here in Raglan and Ruapuke that I don't walk on weekly.)

First we walked to one end of the beach, intending to walk along the beach which you can only do at low tide.















We waited for the water to retreat, but it was just dawning on us that the tide was, in fact, coming in, when the manager of the camping ground arrived with her daughter and grandchildren. She declared we were too late, and it turns out it was her husband's fault - he had told us all the wrong time for low tide. So we headed back to the car park.



After a picnic lunch, followed by a coffee at the cool little cafe, we took the other path which took us to the other end of the beach.

 What a wild, wonderful place - sand dunes, surf, rocks and islands. Stunning.