Troublesome Trail

Monday 10 March

Another stunning day - though a little more cloud and a little less sun - followed by stormy winds by late afternoon.

We both did a little work on our socials - under the eager eye of Frida Carlo - and Louis composed more music for the next video

After trying to expand the paper map with our fingers (doh!) we consulted the big map on the kitchen wall at the Camp and decided to cycle the Hāwea River Track over to Albert Town. It was a 1star difficulty rating so even I felt confident.

We set off with great gusto - across the dam, along the side streets of Hāwea and then dropped onto the Track in the woods above the river, and running alongside a beautifully clear water race. These first sections along the water race and down to the Camphill Bridge were fab - we stopped to admire the view a few times and marvelled at the White Water section where the river’s natural drop had been enhanced for kayakers and surfers. The waters were crystal clear and where they dropped into a hole over the falls the colour was a stunning deep aquamarine, glinting like a jewel.

I particularly loved the official warning sign up on the fence - designed by local school kids it definitely got your attention the way a standard H&S sign really wouldn't.

From there on the track got a bit gnarlier and going through the woods on a rooty, sandy & stony downhill with dodgy rear brakes, I took a tumble which dented my knee and my confidence and destroyed my favourite denim shorts ☹️ Turns out Ebikes are quite heavy when they land on top of you...

I was a lot more cautious after that, avoiding deeper gravel and walking up and down hills. Definitely walked across the swing bridge - that was way too narrow and wobbly for my liking!

But I soon felt better after a pain au raisin at Pembroke Patisserie 😍 Jonny Webster had recommended this place, just round the corner from Albert Town, but we had somehow missed visiting. This was a major error rectified - the place was jammed with cyclists and locals and served the most delicious array of stunning pastries, doughnuts, classic biscuits, macarons, slices and pies. Louis got the last Basque cheesecake and I had the most scrumptious pain au raisin, loaded with vanilla creme patisserie. The sparrows joined every table as soon as the humans got up and left - but they didn't get much joy when we left!!!

We avoided that section of track on the way back & it was much quicker by road until we rejoined the track at the bridge. I much prefer nice smooth(ish) tarmac to bumpy gravel tracks, though sadly Louis is not in agreement on this!

We cycled back along the race, and watched some kayakers getting ready to launch just below the white waters of the Hāwea dam and head down the river to the white water park area.

After a siesta and some knee TLC we popped down to the beach for a dip in Lake Hāwea but it was pretty windy and chilly by now so it was more of a token gesture. I was more excited to meet Inca the beautiful Border Collie - she was very smoochie.

BBQ chicken for dinner, some finagling with the batteries on Banjo and then some work on the blog & vlog under a glistening waxing gibbous moon. 🌔