Friday, 30 September 2016




Pink clouds in the sky this morning, this is the view from our bedroom balcony at the Portage Resort.


Day 4 started with a huge climb up into the clouds. The sun was shining in the distance.




Here I am looking over Torea Bay. The clouds and mist would come and go and occasionally the sun would come out. It was a beautiful day for walking.


This is our view when we stopped for lunch.


...continuing on after lunch...


Davies Beach...I just loved this beach, the tide was out and we were surrounded by water and mountains and mist. It was quite spectacular and so silent.


You could almost see the tide coming in.


The view back the other way at Davies Beach.


The last few kilometres was forest full of ferns and beech trees , so pretty.


The silver fern , New Zealand's national emblem.


The end of the track, Anakiwa, a small settlement on the water. I took this photo from the jetty as Pete and I soaked our tired feet in the freezing water as we waited for the water taxi back to Picton. 



Thursday, 29 September 2016




Starting out day 3 of the walk, another lovely still day, a little chilly but we warm up quickly when we begin walking.


We walked through some pine forests this morning and really enjoyed how easy it was on our feet.  A lot of the track is very rocky and muddy, so it is quite slippery.


We are now climbing up to the Kenepuru Saddle and the views are magnificent. There are some farms in the area and we cross private land quite often.







This shot was taken by one of the other walkers. We are at a look out called "Eatwell Lookout" named after the family that own the land that the path runs through. In the distance we could see the North Island of New Zealand.


Native clematis...so delicate and pretty.


I included this photo as it shows how tidal the waters of the sound are, all the little inlets look like this when the tide is out.


Isn't this an amazing fungus, I have only seen it the once.


Another amazing plant that is in the gardens at Portage Resort where we are staying tonight.




Tuesday, 27 September 2016




Day 2 on the track, walking along with pretty glimpses of the beautiful waters of the sound.


After an hour or so we had a lovely view of Furneaux Lodge where we stayed last night, what  a sensational part of the world..


....I never tire of the waterfalls and ferns on the track...




Pete on the track...having him in the photos gives you some idea of how large the ferns are!



As the signs says, midway between Furneaux Lodge and Punga Cove.


Walking along admiring the birch trees and the crystal clear waters of the sound.


Pete on the track..


I loved leaving the track for a moment to have a little walk on some of the beaches, I couldn't believe how still the water was.



Our second night on the track was spent at Punga Cove Resort. This was the view from our bedroom...not bad!


After a glorious hot shower, Pete and I spent the remaining hours of daylight in this cute little bar on the water at Punga Cove. Sebastian from Argentina looked after us.


This was the view outside the restaurant, at about 7 pm..




And this was our view from our dinner table...



    

Early morning, main street Picton....waiting to be picked up for the water taxi to the start of our walk.


On the boat to Ship Cove, cloudy, rainy and misty...



Cormorants on the rocks....


Ship Cove...memorial to Captain Cook who stopped here several times...the starting point of our walk.


The first waterfall...there were many more...


On the track...wet but happy...



a Weka....


....heart shaped leaves, everywhere...


view from the track....


Ferns and mist....


Beautiful little coves that we pass on the track..


Crystal clear waters, almost at the end of day one...

Furneaux Lodge..bar and restaurant inside, beautiful old building and we had a lovely evening there...

Our chalet for the evening, between mountain and the sound, so fabulous...


Our view of the sound from our chalet, so happy...