Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Day 3: Camp Bay to Portage
8 HOURS, 23KM
This is a tough day's walk, kicking off with a steep climb up to Akerbloms Rd, where signs
will command you continue onward and upward. You'll have a good half an hour's warm-
up under your belt when you reach
Kenepuru Saddle
, at the intersection of Akerbloms and
Titirangi Rds. Follow the signpost directing you south to the Bay of Many Coves.
The track sidles the ridge, and at first you are treated to views of Deep Bay to the east, but
most of the time you are gazing down at the head of Kenepuru Sound to the west. Constant
climbing and descending is rewarded with ever-changing panoramas of the inlets and
sounds on both sides.
Two hours on from the saddle you hit the longest and steepest climb of the day, which
tops off at a signposted spur track to
Eatwells Lookout
. This short spur track climbs stead-
ily to 474m, one of the highest points along the Queen Charlotte Track. The climb is worth
it. From the lookout you can see both Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru Sounds; 1203m Mt
Stokes, the highest mountain in the Marlborough Sounds, is to the north.
From the junction you begin a long descent that bottoms out at
Bay of Many Coves
Saddle
, from where it's just another 15-minute climb to the Bay of Many Coves Campsite.
Great views, a shelter, water and toilets make this a nice spot for morning tea or lunch. It's
not the most sheltered spot for tent pitching should the winds be a-blowing.
From the shelter there is a gentle 40-minute climb to a high point where a signpost indic-
ates the spur track to
Bay of Many Coves Resort
( 03-579 9771, 0800 579 9771;
www.bayofmanycovesresort.co.nz;
1-/2-/3-bedroom apt $620/830/995; )
, a 1½- to two-hour
walk downhill. This plush joint has secluded apartments, upmarket dining options and, most
importantly, a hot tub and massage services.
From the ridgeline junction, the Queen Charlotte Track continues relatively level for an
hour or so before some more uphill action is required. Around 1½ hours from Bay of Many
Coves Campsite, the track skirts the south side of the ridge, and for almost 1km you enjoy a
continuous view of Blackwood Bay. The track then dips into the bush and emerges to more
great views on the north side. Less than 30 minutes from Black Rock you make a long des-
cent, and then an equally long climb, until you top off at the campsite.
Black Rock Campsite is a six-hour walk from Camp Bay and two hours from Portage.
Situated on the south side of the ridge, its shelter affords panoramic views, including a vista
of Picton across Queen Charlotte Sound.
