Many scenic walks

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34045, 8 January 1976, Page 7

Many scenic walks

Akaroa offers visitors a wide variety of scenic and historic walks. Some are short, others are day trips, but all can be en joyed by the whole family. Old French Cemetery: This is on L’Aube Hill and the short walk up a well formed road as far as the reservoir will give many fine views of the town.The cemetery is the first consecrated burial ground in Canterbury. Green’s Point Memorial: This is about a mile south of the town by winding road along the shore. The memorial stands on a small promontory opposite Green's Point reef. Here Captain Stanley, of H.M.S. Britomart, hoisted the flag demonstrating British sovereignty over Banks Peninsula. Akaroa Domain (Garden of lane): An area of 11 acres at the southern end of Rue Jolie, it contains many fine specimens of exotic trees, most of which were planted 100 years ago.

The Kaik: A long level ■walk giving good views of the harbour. Kaik is the ( South Island equivalent of I, Kainga, meaning “unforti- 1 ' tied village.” ( Purple Peak: The Purple < Peak track branches off to; the left of Balgueri Valley Road, about a mile from ( the town. ■ goes over a , bridge across the valley ' creek and up the hill to ( the right of the private L road to the Mount Vernon ' homestead. It is a rough J track but commands fine < views of the harbour and; town. Mount Berard: The Balgueri Valley Road extendsi over the range to Stony! Bay on the other side of the peninsula. The walk up! the Stony Bay Road to the. hill top is a splendid one. In Stony Bay Valley, crepe and various other ferns, totara, beech and native pine trees are abundant in the

creek bed. Mount Brazenose: Brazenose Peak is reached by taking the Lighthouse Road, turning off from the Kaik Road beyond the Akaroa Hospital, and ascending the hill on the left. It is a stiff climb, but well worth it. Good water will be found on the Lighthouse Road just beyond the foot of Brazenose. It is advisable to walk some distance along the road before making the final ascent, rather than climb straight up the hill. From the summit of Brazenose, the Alps, the Canterbury Plains, the Kaikouras and Ninety Mile Beach can be seen quite plainly on a clear day. Even Timaru has been seen from this point under ideal conditions. Mount Herbert (2805 ft Mount Sinclair (2765 ft and French Peak (2675 ft are well viewed from this The Lighthouse: Signposts in the village will direct visitors to the Lighthouse Road, which branches to the left of the Kaik Road above the Akaroa Hospital.