Road Trip! Banks Peninsula, Here we Come!

Thursday 9 July

Finally - a hint of blue skies and sunshine so after a slow morning we set off for a long drive round the Banks Peninsula to check out potential future camping options. I grabbed a few Fitbit steps walking out down the driveway - love that my scarf matches the winter blooms! There was around 25% blue in the skies as we left Westoby Farm, but it definitely got cloudier as we headed out to the peninisula. We took SH75 out to Little River and up the long hill over the ridge to Barry’s Bay and French Farm; there was a lot of flooding in the fields and the clouds were definitely regathering.

Quick stop into the Barry’s Bay cheese shop for a sample and a purchase (off cuts as they were cheaper - maasdam, gouda and cheese with chives - yum!) then on to the French Farm Estate where they have a POP on the way into the winery. French Farm Estate is currently closed for winter and renovations but looked to be a nice spot. The POP is on gravel so nice & easy in all weathers, and there was a cute spot in the gardens that looked perfect for weddings.

From here we pushed on through Duvauchelle (where friends Matt & Emma have a place) and down to Akaroa. A coffee for Louis from The Common then a wee wander around the stores and streets before we settled into the rotunda for a picnic lunch. Love The Common - lots of quirkiness including a wall of Polaroids of all their doggy visitors, hundreds of commemorative teaspoons and Chelsea treacle tins full of cutlery - and the cabinet is loaded with deliciousness ❤️. Their toilet is hidden behind a trompe l’oeil bookshelf - very funky!

Meanwhile at the Boucher there was a fantastic chalkboard message trying to cheer us up - "Any day is a good day for eating". I was tempted to get Louis and Nickie, our ocean swimmers, a teatowel from the best gift shop in town - except it was about $30 which is a lot for drying dishes!

We tried to have lunch on the pier but it was sooo cold & windy so we retired to the rotunda instead - accompanied by hopeful sparrows & gulls! I went to visit the painter and give him some inspiration for his blank canvas - such a cool installation. A lovely blue sky as we stopped at the war memorial - a rare sunny moment.

Had a few doggo smoochies as is the law!

The views out over the bay kept changing as the weather blew in and out, sunshine, rain, mists & even a rainbow at one point! The sun through the clouds made it all very moody at times.

We strolled on over to the lighthouse and then back, meeting Ghillie the blonde Goldie and Jane & Paul along the way and having a long chat about life on the road as they are keen to do something like this in a year or two. Ghillie is out of sequence in the pic above - she was gorgeous ❤️

Walking back to ELLAMY I took the inland route past all the gorgeous historic cottages and the historic Gaiety Theatre, while Louis detoured to the real fruit ice cream shop for a very disappointing treat - $7.50 and a pretty measly offering where the fruit didn't even colour some of the vanilla ice cream.

Next stop on our itinerary was Highland Spring POP over by Le Bon Bay which was a sweet little place but by now we’d already ruled out dragging Banjo over the big hill until we’d got the Cannon. We looped back up to the Summit Road, with its stunning views back across the harbour, and then dropped down a fairly steep hill to Okains Bay where there’s a nice campsite which was a bit boggy and looked closed for winter.

The beach there was lovely so we took a walk along it in the breezy sunshine then continued on our adventure. Rather rashly we chose to take the northerly route via Pigeon Bay along to Diamond Harbour which turned out to be quite a challenge - on a muddy zigzag switchback of a track with an average speed of 30kmh and hardly a passing space for kilometres at a time! Still on tar seal in the first pic below, but that didn't last long... the clouds closed in around us, and as we turned onto Pigeon Bay Road, the tar seal ran out for the next 40kms or so!

As we emerged over one of the many hills above Pigeon Bay we hit the most stunning light with the setting sun's rays bursting through the clouds - wow! Then shortly after dropped down to Purau then Diamond Harbour. At Charteris Bay we checked out the POP at Orton Bradley Park which I’d like to visit soon, then we set sail for home over Gebbies Pass arriving in darkness at around 6pm… what a long day!

Pork chops for dinner, Downton on the laptop and an early night 😴