Travels with haRVy

The beach at Westport all to ourselves, including FREE camping!

Our drive up the West Coast continued to Westport and a bit beyond so we could take a hike along the Charming Creek Walkway. This gentle hike along the Ngakawau Gorge follows the narrow gauge railroad route formerly used for hauling timber and coal.

You literally hike between the narrow gauge rails (what’s left of them)

A few historic artifacts, like these coal cars, add interest to this hike.

As do a couple of tunnels…

…and a swing bridge over the river. Long ago the tracks crossed here too.

Small waterfall along the way.

Love old rusty stuff.

We turned back at this larger waterfall after a river side picnic lunch.

We drove back down to Westport and bid the West Coast farewell as we turned inland to head back across the top of the island.

Tight one lane section of highway along the Buller Gorge.

I took an early morning hike from our campground at the former town site of Lyell.

Forest graveyard from 1870 – 1890s.

We took another short detour to view the Maruia Falls that were created by the Murchison earthquake of 1929.

Here we are camped in the driveway of British friends Terry and Di in Nelson. We met them only briefly some 17 years ago in the Adirondacks, but they welcomed us warmly. Thank you!

Terry gave us an informative tour of Nelson.

And we took him to lunch at The Anchor on the marina.