Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Within 1km of the shelter you reach
The Lookout
, where a bench allows you to enjoy a
view of the coastline, with Kaikoura Peninsula 37km to the north and Banks Peninsula
145km to the south. The track then turns inland, cuts through a couple of paddocks and des-
cends into the
Medina Conservation Area
. Protected from livestock grazing since 1984,
this gully is rich in native plants and also features several ancient podocarps, including an
800-year-old kahikatea, so large it takes four people to link their arms around it.
Eventually you climb out of the conservation area into open tussock, to reach the
Rest
and Reflect Bench
(10.6km from Ngaroma) with its grand view of Medina Farm. From
here it's less than 30 minutes to the farm's accommodation,
Medina
, where you will stay in
either the Whare or the Garden Cottage. Both offer stunning views of the farm, its livestock
and the mountains beyond. There's a pool to recover in, and wine in the refrigerator that can
be enjoyed for a fair price.
Day 2: Medina to the Staging Post
4-5 HOURS, 13KM, 589M ASCENT, 549M DESCENT
You can see the first half of the day's tramp, right to the climb of Mt Wilson, before even
leaving Medina. The first hour is a gentle climb through open farmland with wonderful
views all around, including the ocean behind you. Within 2km you reach a stile, which
marks the boundary to
Hawkswood Farm
, the second you'll cross.
The track remains in open country until it descends into a forested gully and crosses Little
Dawn Creek. You resume climbing, merge onto a 4WD track, and about 4.5km from Med-
ina, make a sharp right onto another sheep track at a well-signposted junction. This one
leads you to open tussock, with a steady ascent that improves the views dramatically. You
reach
Mt Wilson Saddle
where, if you peer to the west, you can see the Staging Post, your
target for the day. Just up the track, a two-hour (6.8km) walk from Medina, is a large track
sign announcing that the top of Mt Wilson is just a two-minute climb to the left, while the
Mt Wilson Shelter is 10 minutes to the right, on the back side of the mountain.
You can peer in any direction from the top of
Mt Wilson
, a 649m rocky knob. From the
benches in front of Mt Wilson Shelter you can see west to Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku (2885m),
the highest peak on the South Island outside the Southern Alps. This is the most basic of the
three lunch shelters, but there is drinking water and protection from the wind.
Continue the ridge walk to
Saddle Shelter
, reached at 8km, where there are the final
views of the Pacific Ocean. At this point you begin the long descent to Hawkswood Farm.
The remaining 5km are all downhill and all along 4WD tracks. The exception is at the very
