Saturday 18th May 2024
Early on an overcast Saturday morning, Annan, Czarina, Ben, Vicky, Karen, Kris and I set out from the Farmlands for a twenty minute drive to Sunny Bight. Annan left his car at the track end and we piled into two cars for the short, scenic drive around the lake past Hans Bay to the Dorothy Falls road. The Walkway starts here opposite Kaniere Lodge. We were the only people game enough to gamble that the forecasted rain might come in a bit later, and we had the walkway to ourselves. Having lived out on the Dorothy Falls road for my first three months in Hokitika, I’ve often marveled how little traffic this lovely four-hour walk so close to Hokitika gets.
We made easy work of the bluff at the start of the track and stopped at the viewpoint above Lawyer’s Beach for a group photo. Karen told us that there had once been a hut here. The track was in excellent condition, with none of the mud or tree fall I had expected. It is an excellent walk for those new to tramping, easy to follow with only two minor streams to cross. It was possible to do this without getting your boots wet.
Despite my predictions of wet and freezing conditions (thanks for changing, Czarina!), we had no rain at all, with just a little mizzle occurring right at lunch time. We sheltered beside the lake under trees and enjoyed the peaceful conditions, with not a boat or sandfly spotted.
After another easy hour of walking, we were out at Sunny Bight, with Vicky and Ben nobly waiting under the shelter of the ablution block to be picked up after the car shuttle. They got to do the beautiful short Kahikatea Walk at Sunny Bight, as an added bonus.
Maria Cunningham (Member)