Ron Laughlin The Ultimate New Zealand Travel Guide
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Westport to Granity........ and back again!
(I have some fantastic photos - Go to the Travel Guide facebook page)
We have arrived on the West Coast of the South Island. This is a World Heritage area by the way. Without question one of my most favourite areas in New Zealand. Even if you have limited time I suggest you make sure you include this part of the country in your schedule.
Coming in late we drove straight to the Westport Holiday Park where Margaret greeted us with her usual positive charm. She knows how to make you feel welcome. She directed us to the area where we could park the camper van and we settled in reflectng upon the day's drive. David was most surprised at the one way roads and bridges we encountered along the Buller River but due to the fact there is minimal traffic and the wonderful shape of the New Zealand roads it is not a worry. Just pay attention. The camper van took it in full stride and made me feel quite comfortable driving.
Early the next morning after coffee and a bowl of oats we headed north on route 67. The weather was perfect and I was anxious to drive to the top of the Denniston plateau. To get a real idea of how special this place is in New Zealand history read the book “Denniston Rose” by Jenny Pattrick and you too will have to drive up here when you come this way. Very few people are made aware of this place and believe me it is a fantastic drive up the mountain to where back in the early times there had been a town built for the Welsh miners who came to dig the coal.
There was no road then just a very steep incline that carried buckets for the coal to come down. Many a woman who went there by incline refused to come back down again they were so intimidated. There is a graveyard down by the ocean where the residents of Denniston were taken at the end. You can access it to see the old tombstones and comments on them.
When there you are looking down at small planes below you with the Tasman Sea off in the distance. A very spectacular place. The Department of Conservation have really done a great job of preserving the place and making it easy to enjoy for the visitor. One of the rare places to visit.
After coming back down from Denniston we continued north to the town of Granity where I have always enjoyed the cafe in the centre of town. It is a very small place with a few arts and crafts shops worth visiting and the Big Fish pub offers a chance to meet the locals if you happen to be there on the evening they have music. They are a good no-nonsense people on the Coast that enjoy life and smile a lot.
We went just a bit further to the town of Hector to see the Country Western Music Museum a small private collection by an enthusiast and country music legend in New Zealand, Barry Skinner, who really enjoys talking to you about it. You will be surprised at all the music and photographs he has gathered together. I once had a bar/restaurant in the Florida Keys and had some photographs of some of the musicians who played at my bar I donated to Barry a few years ago.
With more time we would have gone all the way to Karamea where the road dead ends and there is a great DoC camp to park on the beach. This is where the southern end of the Heaphy Track finishes.Where the river and the ocean collide in a dual for supremecy. Quite dramatic.
So we turn around and had back to Westport and on south on route six along the magical West Coast Highway...........it just keeps getting better and better the further south you go............
(to be continued)
check out the Facebook photos
(I have some fantastic photos - Go to the Travel Guide facebook page)
We have arrived on the West Coast of the South Island. This is a World Heritage area by the way. Without question one of my most favourite areas in New Zealand. Even if you have limited time I suggest you make sure you include this part of the country in your schedule.
Coming in late we drove straight to the Westport Holiday Park where Margaret greeted us with her usual positive charm. She knows how to make you feel welcome. She directed us to the area where we could park the camper van and we settled in reflectng upon the day's drive. David was most surprised at the one way roads and bridges we encountered along the Buller River but due to the fact there is minimal traffic and the wonderful shape of the New Zealand roads it is not a worry. Just pay attention. The camper van took it in full stride and made me feel quite comfortable driving.
Early the next morning after coffee and a bowl of oats we headed north on route 67. The weather was perfect and I was anxious to drive to the top of the Denniston plateau. To get a real idea of how special this place is in New Zealand history read the book “Denniston Rose” by Jenny Pattrick and you too will have to drive up here when you come this way. Very few people are made aware of this place and believe me it is a fantastic drive up the mountain to where back in the early times there had been a town built for the Welsh miners who came to dig the coal.
There was no road then just a very steep incline that carried buckets for the coal to come down. Many a woman who went there by incline refused to come back down again they were so intimidated. There is a graveyard down by the ocean where the residents of Denniston were taken at the end. You can access it to see the old tombstones and comments on them.
When there you are looking down at small planes below you with the Tasman Sea off in the distance. A very spectacular place. The Department of Conservation have really done a great job of preserving the place and making it easy to enjoy for the visitor. One of the rare places to visit.
After coming back down from Denniston we continued north to the town of Granity where I have always enjoyed the cafe in the centre of town. It is a very small place with a few arts and crafts shops worth visiting and the Big Fish pub offers a chance to meet the locals if you happen to be there on the evening they have music. They are a good no-nonsense people on the Coast that enjoy life and smile a lot.
We went just a bit further to the town of Hector to see the Country Western Music Museum a small private collection by an enthusiast and country music legend in New Zealand, Barry Skinner, who really enjoys talking to you about it. You will be surprised at all the music and photographs he has gathered together. I once had a bar/restaurant in the Florida Keys and had some photographs of some of the musicians who played at my bar I donated to Barry a few years ago.
With more time we would have gone all the way to Karamea where the road dead ends and there is a great DoC camp to park on the beach. This is where the southern end of the Heaphy Track finishes.Where the river and the ocean collide in a dual for supremecy. Quite dramatic.
So we turn around and had back to Westport and on south on route six along the magical West Coast Highway...........it just keeps getting better and better the further south you go............
(to be continued)
check out the Facebook photos
