Friday 17 February Arthur's pass to the west coast

Who's Arthur? Arthur Dobson who found the tenuous route through the mountains from Christchurch to the gold fields on the west coast.

Bride's Veil Falls

Looking up to Arthur's Pass

Following the local wisdom if it's not raining on the west coast go there first. The west coast receives an average 6m or 6 ½ feet of rain annually and it's more often raining than dry. The forecast was good to head over the plains from Christchurch and cross the southern Alps at Arthur's Pass and then make our way down the scenic west coast.

A quick geological explanation of the south island to explain the dramatic topography of South Island. The south island was formed by the convergence of two tectonic plates; the Pacific plate is being pushed under the Australian plate which creates earthquakes along the eastern coast and has formed the mountain backbone of the Southern Alps on the western side. Now add a dramatic crack in the earth's crust millennia ago which shifted the left hand side of the island 8m further north than the right hand side. This created four navigable passes from the east to the west of which one is Arthur's Pass. I meant to be brief but forgot my brief.

On this sunny Friday morning we motored out across the green alluvial plains to the foot of the Alps and slowly and steadily climbed into the barren mountains. Five hundred years ago the moaris knew this pass existed. Europeans didn't cross it until 150 years ago and constructed a metalled road less than a hundred years ago. Arthur's Pass is at the head, the watershed of the backbone and a Mecca for serious walkers. We're of a lower order of trampers – the walkers who venture out for under half a day and leave their crampons and picks in the shop. David and I did two good walks testing and strengthening under used leg muscles; the first to the Bride's Veil waterfall and the second to another, higher waterfall. On either side of the road the mountains rose vertically to the multi day tramps along the mountain ridges. With more time.....

Innocent looking Kea



Who us? Car jackers?

With less time we hopped in the car and carried on down the dramatic, twisting road to Hokitika on the west coast stopping off near the top for a view and to meet the kea. Keas are alpine parrots and reputed to be one of the smartest and most destructive birds. When we watched then breaking into a camper van through the sky light and removing wiper blades and trim from cars I thought they must be relatives of the Liverpool parrots. Unless it's securely locked things will disappear there too.

Hokitika tried valiantly to be more than just a windswept seaside town with views out over the Tasman sea, with sand dunes and beach sculptures bending in the wind and wide, empty roads after 6pm. We discovered this when we popped to the Indian for a takeaway curry supper. One of the highlight for visitors to the town is the sock factory. Apparently fascinating displays of machines that knit socks and socks in all hues for sale to enlightened visitors. Sadly we arrived after it closed for the day and left before it opened next morning.