the natural waterslide. So much fun! During a warmer
part of the year I would allow an hour or more to soak
up the water slide, the sparkling clear water pools, the
green mossy rocks and stunning ferns and forest. This
was a particularly spectacular spot in the park and one not
to be missed!
Pukeko and Weka welcomed us warmly as we arrived very
soggy from the rain and Cleopatra’s pool, to our end point,
the long golden-sand beach of Anchorage.
At the end of the beach an ambient fire lured us to the
common room of the DOC huts, where we could relax and
wait for the Wilsons boat to come to shore and collect us.
Thirty minutes later we were back on our sandy Kaiteriteri
beach, feeling very fortunate that we had just experienced
one of the special wonders of New Zealand and, lucky for
us, just on our doorstep at the top of the South Island.
With expert advice from our ‘guides’ and heading in
the right direction, we had our days end destination
of Anchorage in our sights. This section of the track
(excluding side trips) is a 10.6 km walk. The track weaves
through groves of manuka and fern between breath taking
views of the granite coast and lush gullies of mature
forest, to reach tranquil forest pools and long golden-sand
beaches (maximum elevation 105 metres/340 ft). Aside
from the stunning views and beautiful dense bushland,
one of our highlights was the impressive swing bridge
crossing the rushing Falls River. Sadly for us the weather
was not gorgeous and sunny but instead, constant rain!
So alas, the tranquil forest pools did not lure us in
although we could only imagine how tempting they would
have been if it was a warm sunny day!
HOP FEDERATION
BREWERY
483 Main Road, Riwaka
03 528 0486
The brewery is a
must see on your
‘To Do’ list.
Conveniently staying with our friends at the Kaiteriteri
Recreation Reserve, we were soon showered, warm and
settling in to watch the sun setting over the glorious bay.
Lucky for us we still had another couple days to soak up
this relaxing and beautiful place.
Accommodation
KAITERITERI BEACH LODGE ACCOMMODATION
• Variety of rooms for every budget
• Weddings and Functions
• Activity Bookings
8 Inlet Rd, Kaiteriteri • Ph: (03) 527 8281 • www.kaiterilodge.co.nz
I’m sure it is the same all year round, but with the
gentle rain we experienced, the birds seemed to be
having a lovely time enjoying the wet weather. They
sounded extremely happy! As we meandered along,
we were treated to the majestic birdsong of Bellbirds,
Tui and Fantails.
We found shelter at Torrent Bay to rest the legs and
to sit out of the rain to eat our lunch. This bay is simply
gorgeous and we couldn’t have picked a better spot.
We put in our memory banks to come back and enjoy
this quiet peaceful settlement. In sunny weather, this
would be a fabulous relaxing retreat.
Back on the track amongst the tall fern trees and bell
birds, we aimed for Cleopatra’s Pool. This short side
track is beautiful, and takes you alongside a crystal forest
stream to visit tranquil Cleopatra's Pool. Even though the
water was so cold that it literally took your breath away,
some of our kids were brave enough to test out
Enjoy our off season accomodation options of apartments
and cabins, perfect for your next Autumn retreat in Kaiteriteri
11am to 6pm
Up to 12 beers on tap
Bottle sales
Conferences - Accomodation - Mountain Bike Park - Restaurant and Store
www.hopfederation.co.nz
/hopfederation
Entertainment
THE BEACHED WHALE RESTAURANT AND BAR
• A La Carte Menu
• Live Music
• Wood-fired Pizza’s
• Outdoor Beer Garden
HOP
FEDERATION
BREWERY
OPEN 7 DAYS
Food