Located close to Blenheim and Picton, the Waikakaho Valley track is an awesome day walk. Starting off by the farm you can see the huge scale of excavations undertaken to find gold. As you head up the track you make your way through scrub and regenerating natives. There’s a few views to be had along the way, however the massive stone bluffs prove to be the really awesome feature on the way up. Once you hit the beech/kamahi forest you know you’re not far off the gold mines.
The gold mines themselves are impressive going straight into the hills for at least 100m. All that remains of the buildings are the foundations and chimneys. The village clearing is the perfect spot for lunch especially if its sunny. Further up the track you hit the saddle with a short side trip to the lookout ontop of a massive bluff with views over Rarangi and further afield.
Keep your eyes peeled for native birds as there seems to be a decent population of bellbirds and riflemen up the top. There’s also Powelliphanta (or at least their empty shells) in the cloud forest at the saddle.
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Photos and text by Andy & Tamzin
Useful info:
When we went: Early December
The weather was: Lower down it was super sunny and warm, higher up very cold and misty.
Walk time: 2 1/2hrs one way
How to get there: Drive from Picton or Blenheim
Drive time: 30mins from Blenheim.
Keep an eye out for: Huge bluffs, gold mines, remains of old buildings, native birds (riflemen, bellbirds), powelliphanta snails.
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