TRESSPASSERS WILL GET FREE WALNUTS
9 MAY 2024
A Series Of Unfortunate Turns
Akaroa is a serene coastal town in the South Island of New Zealand and it is known for its sheltered harbours, rolling emerald hills and the coastal wilderness. While we were staying in Christchurch, we wanted to explore Akaroa as we had only heard good things! I came across the Children's Bay Rhino Walk and thought that it would be a really fun walk to do with the kids. There are many 'animal' encounters along the way - they aren't real, just creations, but it's a fun way for kids to use their imagination.
We picked the best day possible to do the walk and drove 1 hour and a half from Christchurch to Akaroa. Because it was a long way from where we were staying, we decided to get to Akaroa and do the walk first, then explore the town and see as much as we could in one day. It's a picturesque coastal town with lots of French and British influences, which are easy to see once you drive through the town and see the unique buildings.
Anyway, as life goes, not all plans work out how we want them to!! We parked in Children's Bay, right by the harbour and it was such a beautiful sight as soon as we got out of the car. The town was to the left of us and the walk to the right of us... OR SO WE THOUGHT!
We weren't sure where the trailhead started as there was no clear signage, so we followed the track to the right which snaked its way up the hill. We made out way up the dirt track, which offered beautiful views across the harbour and as we got higher, we could see reflections of the landscape in the water which looked really cool!
We walked past a house, which was thought was an odd thing to have along a public walk, and found ourselves in a field. We were so excited when we realised the trees around us were walnut trees! The girls hadn't seen fresh walnuts in their shells before and were excited to crack them open. We picked as many walnuts off the ground as we could and Bella set about smashing them up with 2 rocks she had found. They were so delicious, there's seriously nothing better than fresh produce!
Once we were walnutted out, we headed up the hill for another minute or two until we reached a fence. We looked around for a gate or a place to step over, but we couldn't see one. We could see some path signs about 50-metres up from where we were, on the other side of the fence, so Lath hopped over the fence and went to see what they said.All they said was 'track' and we didn't know if that was the path we were meant to be on, or if we were on the correct one already. We could see part of a track further to the right, so we went in that direction and came to another path that went a completely different way. At this point we were super confused and realised that we were not even on a track and we were probably on private property... OOPSIEEEE but thanks for the free walnuts!!
We picked the best day possible to do the walk and drove 1 hour and a half from Christchurch to Akaroa. Because it was a long way from where we were staying, we decided to get to Akaroa and do the walk first, then explore the town and see as much as we could in one day. It's a picturesque coastal town with lots of French and British influences, which are easy to see once you drive through the town and see the unique buildings.
Anyway, as life goes, not all plans work out how we want them to!! We parked in Children's Bay, right by the harbour and it was such a beautiful sight as soon as we got out of the car. The town was to the left of us and the walk to the right of us... OR SO WE THOUGHT!
We weren't sure where the trailhead started as there was no clear signage, so we followed the track to the right which snaked its way up the hill. We made out way up the dirt track, which offered beautiful views across the harbour and as we got higher, we could see reflections of the landscape in the water which looked really cool!
We walked past a house, which was thought was an odd thing to have along a public walk, and found ourselves in a field. We were so excited when we realised the trees around us were walnut trees! The girls hadn't seen fresh walnuts in their shells before and were excited to crack them open. We picked as many walnuts off the ground as we could and Bella set about smashing them up with 2 rocks she had found. They were so delicious, there's seriously nothing better than fresh produce!
Once we were walnutted out, we headed up the hill for another minute or two until we reached a fence. We looked around for a gate or a place to step over, but we couldn't see one. We could see some path signs about 50-metres up from where we were, on the other side of the fence, so Lath hopped over the fence and went to see what they said.All they said was 'track' and we didn't know if that was the path we were meant to be on, or if we were on the correct one already. We could see part of a track further to the right, so we went in that direction and came to another path that went a completely different way. At this point we were super confused and realised that we were not even on a track and we were probably on private property... OOPSIEEEE but thanks for the free walnuts!!
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Lost And Found
We had no idea which way to go and decided to follow our noses. We took the path across the fence, which was in an open field and it started heading down towards the beach and we knew the rhino was on top of a hill, so we turned back and went back to the path to the right of where we started, but that took us downhill through the bush, which was dripping with wet leaves and it was pretty cold in there! It's fair to say the kids were not happy with us, especially because we told them it was only a 1-hour walk... sorry kids! Lath and I were even starting to get annoyed and frustrated at not knowing where the heck the track was.
We felt like we were going round and round in circles, because at one point the path seriously forked off into about 5 different paths!! Lath made the executive decision that we needed to go back to the path at the open field and try our luck there again.
We felt like we were going round and round in circles, because at one point the path seriously forked off into about 5 different paths!! Lath made the executive decision that we needed to go back to the path at the open field and try our luck there again.
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Big Sloshy Poo
The track across the open field took us higher up the hill, through long grass and along the coastline. The views from this point were gorgeous and we could see all the way around us as it was such a fine day with barely a cloud in the sky!
The track itself wasn't a well-worn path and was mostly grass, dirt and the odd cow pat (or big sloshy poo, if you're not familiar with that term), but this didn't surprise us at all, considering we hadn't seen a soul since we got into Akaroa and of how lost we got getting to the track in the first place! To this day, we still have no idea how these tracks all around Children's Bay actually lead up to each other as there isn't much information on them.
The track itself wasn't a well-worn path and was mostly grass, dirt and the odd cow pat (or big sloshy poo, if you're not familiar with that term), but this didn't surprise us at all, considering we hadn't seen a soul since we got into Akaroa and of how lost we got getting to the track in the first place! To this day, we still have no idea how these tracks all around Children's Bay actually lead up to each other as there isn't much information on them.
Looking at Akaroa town in the distance
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A Walk On The Wild Side
We came to a small rhino and luckily I had seen a photo of the rhino on the hill otherwise I would have been BITTERLY disappointed that this was it and we had gone on this mission for a rhino barely the height of my knees.
When I was researching this walk, I read that you can get to it via Children's Bay Beach, but only if the tide was low. One of the signs said to go left to Children's Bay, but we didn't want to risk getting down there and having to turn back because the tide was in, so we took the risk to go right and follow the Moa Point and Takamatua tracks to the right. I mean, at this point we may as well keep taking risks as we had zero idea where we were anyway!
The track led us further uphill and through more long grass, where we eventually came to a super beautiful view! We were overlooking the harbour from high above and the water was blue, the sky was clear and the gorse bush flowers were a stark contrast to the green bush surrounding it. Gorse is an invasive plant that was brought over by the European settlers in the 19th century. The intention was for it to have many uses, including being a hedge plant, a source of shelter for livestock (particularly sheep) and to use as soil stabilization on erosion-prone land. Unfortunately, it began to spread rapidly and it became an invasive species. It's hard not to enjoy the vibrant yellow flowers but really easy not to enjoy the giant thorny spikes that get you as you walk past! Did you know that the lupins in Tekapo, that attract thousands of international visitors each year, are also an invasive plant?
Soon enough we found another stone animal, a sheep this time, and more arrows pointing this way and that way and we kept following our noses.
When I was researching this walk, I read that you can get to it via Children's Bay Beach, but only if the tide was low. One of the signs said to go left to Children's Bay, but we didn't want to risk getting down there and having to turn back because the tide was in, so we took the risk to go right and follow the Moa Point and Takamatua tracks to the right. I mean, at this point we may as well keep taking risks as we had zero idea where we were anyway!
The track led us further uphill and through more long grass, where we eventually came to a super beautiful view! We were overlooking the harbour from high above and the water was blue, the sky was clear and the gorse bush flowers were a stark contrast to the green bush surrounding it. Gorse is an invasive plant that was brought over by the European settlers in the 19th century. The intention was for it to have many uses, including being a hedge plant, a source of shelter for livestock (particularly sheep) and to use as soil stabilization on erosion-prone land. Unfortunately, it began to spread rapidly and it became an invasive species. It's hard not to enjoy the vibrant yellow flowers but really easy not to enjoy the giant thorny spikes that get you as you walk past! Did you know that the lupins in Tekapo, that attract thousands of international visitors each year, are also an invasive plant?
Soon enough we found another stone animal, a sheep this time, and more arrows pointing this way and that way and we kept following our noses.
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The Road Less Travelled
By this point we were about 3 hours into the walk and we all just wanted to see the rhino and get back to the car! We did pass one person on the track (the only person we saw the whole way around) and he said the rhino wasn't too far away - thank goodness! We passed by some old rusty machinery as we walked along some 4WD tracks (no doubt the local farmers track) towards the rhino (at least, we assumed we were heading towards it!).
The views from this side of the hill were just as beautiful as the ones on the other side and honestly if it was an overcast day, the whole walk would have been a complete waste of time and definitely not worth it! If I'm going for a walk or hike, it needs to be in a beautiful place and it needs to be good weather or I'm not going! The only exception is if it's in the rainforest, when the clouds are low against the towering mountains, like in Milford Sounds and along the Milford Road - that was one beautiful sight.
The sun was starting to get low and our tummies were starting to rumble when we FINALLY spotted the rhino in the distance. I can't tell you how relieved we were to finally get this walk over and done with!
The views from this side of the hill were just as beautiful as the ones on the other side and honestly if it was an overcast day, the whole walk would have been a complete waste of time and definitely not worth it! If I'm going for a walk or hike, it needs to be in a beautiful place and it needs to be good weather or I'm not going! The only exception is if it's in the rainforest, when the clouds are low against the towering mountains, like in Milford Sounds and along the Milford Road - that was one beautiful sight.
The sun was starting to get low and our tummies were starting to rumble when we FINALLY spotted the rhino in the distance. I can't tell you how relieved we were to finally get this walk over and done with!
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Sienna The Rhino Rider
The girls raced off down the hill towards the rhino and I loved taking photos of Sienna on the rhino, especially when the sun was directly behind her and the rhino and there was a glow all around them.
The rhino is made of scraps of metal, bolts and lots of old machinery - it's really well put together! It even has a sweet little bird sitting on its nose. I'm not sure what the rest of the sculptures on the track are made of, just the two concrete ones we saw (the small rhino and the sheep). One day we'll be back in Akaroa and we'll be able to do the proper walk and see for ourselves ;)
The girls played on some other round boulder, sculpture looking thingys but we weren't too sure exactly what they were meant to be.
The rhino is made of scraps of metal, bolts and lots of old machinery - it's really well put together! It even has a sweet little bird sitting on its nose. I'm not sure what the rest of the sculptures on the track are made of, just the two concrete ones we saw (the small rhino and the sheep). One day we'll be back in Akaroa and we'll be able to do the proper walk and see for ourselves ;)
The girls played on some other round boulder, sculpture looking thingys but we weren't too sure exactly what they were meant to be.
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Silver Linings
We saw a guy run up a path and take a photo of the rhino, then run back down, so we followed him along the path, assuming it would lead to the carpark. You guessed it... it didn't!! We ended up having to walk on the road, winding its way down the hill to the carpark. It was an 100km zone and there was no footpath, so it was a little sketchy in some places.
We didn't plan on staying for dinner in Akaroa, but the sun was getting low and we had two hungry girls who were excited to know there was a fish and chip shop nearby! We had been told we HAVE to get the fish and chips there and there was even a sign saying they were world famous for their fish and chips... but judging by the quality, it was most likely an old sign with either older owners, or an old chef, because it wasn't that impressive! We sat down by the harbour to eat our fish and chips, and watched the sun cast a golden hue over the hills.
The sun was almost set by the time we finished dinner and we left Akaroa with full bellies and tired legs. We drove along, watching the sky glowing brighter and brighter with each minute passing. We couldn't believe what we were seeing and I just had to stop the car and take photos! There was some space along the road and we pulled over and I got my camera out as quickly as I could... because I have learnt (the hard way) that sunsets and sunrises wait for no man!! It was a race against time and I managed to get some incredible snaps. There were a few swans near the edge of the water and also out in the distance and I was so excited to use them as my subject, to see a clear outline of their silhouettes against the insane orange glow on the water.
We have seen some pretty incredible sunsets over the years, like at Muriwai Beach, Hokitika Beach and at Lake Te Anau, but this was on a whole other level. We watched as 5 other cars pulled up beside us, and everyone else on the highway was slowing down to see this spectacular sight! It was the perfect end to a long and confusing day and despite all of the frustrating, I have to say that it was definitely worth it, especially to see the sunset, as we wouldn't have seen it if we'd been on the correct path in the first place! Silver linings and all that :)
We didn't plan on staying for dinner in Akaroa, but the sun was getting low and we had two hungry girls who were excited to know there was a fish and chip shop nearby! We had been told we HAVE to get the fish and chips there and there was even a sign saying they were world famous for their fish and chips... but judging by the quality, it was most likely an old sign with either older owners, or an old chef, because it wasn't that impressive! We sat down by the harbour to eat our fish and chips, and watched the sun cast a golden hue over the hills.
The sun was almost set by the time we finished dinner and we left Akaroa with full bellies and tired legs. We drove along, watching the sky glowing brighter and brighter with each minute passing. We couldn't believe what we were seeing and I just had to stop the car and take photos! There was some space along the road and we pulled over and I got my camera out as quickly as I could... because I have learnt (the hard way) that sunsets and sunrises wait for no man!! It was a race against time and I managed to get some incredible snaps. There were a few swans near the edge of the water and also out in the distance and I was so excited to use them as my subject, to see a clear outline of their silhouettes against the insane orange glow on the water.
We have seen some pretty incredible sunsets over the years, like at Muriwai Beach, Hokitika Beach and at Lake Te Anau, but this was on a whole other level. We watched as 5 other cars pulled up beside us, and everyone else on the highway was slowing down to see this spectacular sight! It was the perfect end to a long and confusing day and despite all of the frustrating, I have to say that it was definitely worth it, especially to see the sunset, as we wouldn't have seen it if we'd been on the correct path in the first place! Silver linings and all that :)
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Know Before You Go
- The track from the carpark takes around 1 hour and 10 minutes return
- The track that we did takes forever ;) But seriously, it took around 4 hours and I couldn't even tell you how to get onto the right track in the first place!
- There are no toilets here
- If you are going on the rhino walk via the beach, be sure to go at low tide
- There are various animal sculptures to spot along the track
- The trailhead for the rhino walk isn't super obvious and it starts a few metres back from the carpark, across the bridge on the right (look for the sign in the flax)
- Dogs are allowed on leash
- No bikes are allowed on the track
- The views from the top of the track are amazing on a clear day!
How To Get To The Children's Bay Rhino Walk in Akaroa
Childrens Bay Road is off the Christchurch Akaroa Road. You'll see a yellow sign saying Childrens Bay, follow that road until you reach the carpark which is just after the small bridge. It's just 3-minutes north of Akaroa town and is 1.5 hours from Christchurch City.
The trailhead starts on the right, just before the bridge.
The trailhead starts on the right, just before the bridge.
Conclusion
This is such a fun track for families as the kids will love finding the various animal sculptures along the way. The farmland surrounding the track is really beautiful and the views are world class! The highlight is definitely the rhino at the top of the hill, which Sienna loved to climb on and pretend she was riding it. The track is just over an hour return, which is a good length for kids, especially if they are young. We recommend going on a clear day so you can make the most of the amazing views across Akaroa.
Gallery of the Children's Bay Rhino Walk
Check out the rest of the awesomeness that didn't make it to the main blog but deserves to be shown.
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