Part 1 – What an amazing week we’ve had at the very top of the South Island. Tasman is a fantastic region with some amazing places – some of which we’ve already shared with you on the previous blog. In Tasman, you’ll find the Able Tasman National Park. There is a very famous coastal walk from Totaranui to Marahau which is regarded as one of New Zealand’s great walks.

After leaving Nelson, we have a brief stop at Collingwood for coffee at The Courthouse Cafe before driving on a gravel road to see an historic Post Office & General Store in Bainham – what a shame it was closed! The locals were very interested in what we were up to though!

Farewell Spit – We are staying at Pakawau as we are keen to have a couple of walks at the very top of the South Island. Our first walk was to the base of Farewell Spit – some facts: Māori: Onetahua is a narrow sand spit at the northern end of the Golden Bay, in the South Island of New Zealand. The spit includes around 25 km (16 mi) of stable land and another 5 km (3.1 mi) of mobile sand spit running eastwards from Cape Farewell, the northern-most point of the South Island. Farewell Spit is the longest sand spit in New Zealand, and is a legally protected Nature Reserve. The Spit has been the site of many shipwrecks and mass strandings of pilot whales. Believed to be because of the protruding coastlines and long, gently sloping beaches. It feels like a very desolate place and it is starkly beautiful.

Cape Farewell – This is the most Northerly point on the South Island. A steep walk takes you from the carpark to the viewing platform. There is a clifftop walk but with the howling wind and no barriers at all, we just didn’t fancy it!

Wharariki Beach – This beach is a real uphill hike from the carpark, the final part of which is over sand dunes but it is worth the effort. Firstly, the views & rock formations and most importantly – NO SANDFLIES! After your walk, you can treat yourself to a coffee and a pie at the cafe by the carpark.

We’ve met some really lovely people on our travels, especially at the campsites – thank you to Muzza and Julie who very kindly gave us a dozen green shell mussels for our tea!