WITH TENT AND MOTOR

Evening Star, Issue 20985, 26 December 1931, Page 13

WITH TENT AND MOTOR

ON THE WEST COAST NORTHWARDS FROM GREYMOUTH THE BEAUTIFUL BULLED GORGE [By Trip.] As a further service to readers, “ Trip ” is prepared to answer queries relating to motor camping, and to assist in planning itineraries in either island where desired. Queries should be addressed to “ Trip,” P.O. Box 1,178, Wellington, and a stamped addressed envelope enclosed for reply. In this column last week we journeyed over land from Christchurch to the West Coast, and then visited the glaciers in Southern Westland, mentioning in passing that apart altogether from the glacial wonders, the West Coast offered a delightful holiday in the area north of Greymouth, and suggesting that those who had never been there before should make their first holiday exclusively in the southern portion, leaving the remainder to be covered at some future time. Assuming that the time has now .arrived, wo will leave Otirn, and make towards Greymouth, rather than go southwards to Hokitika. The first stage is made over the same road to Eumara, and for those with the time to do so a run from here to Lake Brunner will he interesting. There is a very fair road from Kumara, and some splendid camping places at tlie lake. GREYMOUTH AND DISTRICT.

Greymouth is ono of the West Coast towns with really good accommodation for the motor camper, so those who prefer good facilities should make it their Iheadquarters for a time, seeing as much of the district from there as possible. There are some fine runs to be made from Greymouth to places like Kopara, through the coal mining and gold bearing area, or to Moana, where the principal attractions are fishing and deer stalking. For those who have not spent some time in the Hokitika district a journey there will be well worth while, for some of the best of the West Coast lakes are tucked away behind Hokitika, and there arc some great scenic runs to places like the Hokitika Gorge. Lake Mahinapua, for instance, some fifteen miles from Hokitika is renowned for its reflection'’.. Actually it is like a lagoon, the water being dull-coloured and reflecting the bush to perfection. It is entirely different from most of the West Coast lakes, and specially interesting on that account. Lake Ivanieri, about twelve miles out of the town, is a great place for campers, has boats for hire, good beaches by the lake, and wonderful scenery, to say nothing of the fishing and shooting in the vicinity WESTPORT AND THE DULLER. The most uninteresting portion of tho Coast lies between Greymouth and

Reefton, desolate stretches being relieved only by farming country. There are very few spots there attractive enough to make you wish to camp, and actually the best way is to hurry through to Inangahua Junction, whence the road leads off through the Buller Gorge to Westport, and either camp there or run through to Westport, which also provides the motor camper with a well-equipped ground. This section of the Buller Gorge is probably the most beautiful of all, and certainly the most spectacular, one or two of the corners which arc sheer above the river being familiar to most people because of tlie many photographs scattered throughout railway trains, etc. Your next camps will be in the Buller Gorge, to the north of Inangahua, and here you will be among some of the most beautiful bush in the dominion. The road through the Buller, which was very badly damaged by the West Coast earthquake, has been repaired, and has given surprisingly little trouble since. To-day it is once again most largely used, and the route via Maruia, which came into prominence while the Buller was closed, has now become a secondary highway once more. However, it provides motorists with something entirely different, and if you have ample time on your hands it will be well worth while making through that way from the Murchison end, after you have camped in the Buller Gorge. OTHER BEAUTY SPOTS. There are so many places where delightful camping may be had that it is really just a.question of selecting those that appeal most to you. Lyell, in the heart of the Buller district, makes a good camping place, and there are several clearings in that vicinity where really first-class camping may be had. You will want to take fair supplies along with you if you intend camping here, as the nearest tpwnship is Murchison, some twenty miles further on. It is from Murchison that yon make in to Maruia hot springs if you wish to do so; the road is quite a good one, and there is a great diversity of scenery.

About twenty miles north of Murchison you come to a turn which takes you to Lake Rotoroa, some seven miles off the main road. It is a very peaceful spot, and provides opportunities for fishing and shooting to the heart’s content.

About twenty miles further on the main north road again is the place where the Tophouse road leads off towards .Blenheim, this going close to Lake Rotoiti, a little-known lake, with further opportunities for tho camper.

There is one piece of general information which should be given to every motor camper visiting the West Coast, and that is to take a liberal supply of citronella with him. The mosquitoes are very bad in a number of places, particularly in tho lower part of the Coast. Quite a number of queries have been made as to the roughness of the West coast roads, their old reputation sticking to them till this day. They are not rougli on the whole now, although at times their surface is more neglected than that of roads in some districts. Light cars can bo taken there with impunity, and the day when a West Coast visit meant broken springs is well past. This camping holiday on the northern part of the Coast is just about the ideal, and certainly one of the best in Now Zealand.