Entirely World Famous Nicquel: THE CATLINS

Sorry I haven’t been in contact for a while, the Catlins is a very beautiful region however there is no cell service and definitely no Internet. Then again that is what makes it so special. It really was a holiday away from our ‘working’ holiday.

Glenfalloch Cottage

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This was our first destination, which is surrounded by farm and bush land. We first noticed the lack of reception when Tom-Tom led us too far up the road. Plan A: ‘we’ll just ring them and ask how to get to their cottage from where we are’. Plan B: ‘drive back up the same road and ask the nearest house where to go’. Well the nearest house was actually the house we were looking for.

As we drove the beast (our wicked van) up their driveway Angela, John and their two children came out to greet us with huge grins covering the length of their face. “We saw you drive past and were wondering how long it would take you to figure out”. Well I’m glad they found it humorous. Stupid Tom-Tom.

We were very appreciative when they informed us that their guests visit the Catlins for one reason and one reason only, to just chill out and relax. So that is what we did.

The three bedroom self-contained cottage comfortably sleeps up to 6 adults and is perfect for groups or families. The cottage has been recently renovated and comes complete with a heat pump and a fire in the lounge. The great thing about the cottage was being able to cook our own meals in the brand new kitchen, which is equipped with an oven, cook-top and dishwasher.

The Glenfalloch Cottage is located on Angela and John’s family farm and so there is always something to do. The farm has been in their family for almost 100 years and they are very passionate about what they do.

Pricing starts from $110 per night for 2 people. Visit the website for more info: http://glenfallochcottage.webs.com/

Chaslands Farm Cottages

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Dianne has owned and operated Chaslands Farm Cottages with her husband Tony for the past 2 years. Previously called a ‘motel’ Tony and Dianne have done extensive renovations to establish the upstanding reputation the cottages have today.

We arrived at the Cottages at around 1.30pm had a cup of tea with Dianne and then were back on the road by 2.30pm. Dianne had pre-arranged for us to see the Cathedral Caves, which were very awesome! You can only view the caves on low tide because during high tide the caves are filled with water and can become extremely dangerous. The caves are situated just off the Southern Scenic Route and are just spectacular.

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There is a pleasant 20minute walk leading through a natural rainforest and down to a 10minute walk along Waipati beach.

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Despite having seen the caves several times, Dianne was just as astounded and in awe as we were. They are one of the most popular tourist attractions on the Catlins Coast and I can see why.

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The uniqueness of the cave lies in the fact that the two caves are linked with each other within the cliff. One of the caves has a thirty-meter high ceiling, which is very cool! The height of the caves makes your voice echo inside. This coupled with complete darkness makes for a very eerie atmosphere.

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We also visited the Mcleans falls, which were magnificent.

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Back at Chaslands Farm Cottages, Dianne took us for a tour of Wayback Station, which is a 750 acre fully working farm surrounded by forest. The cottages are located on the farm, which dates back to the late 1800s and has a great history surrounding it. One of the original farmhouses still stands their today. Once again there wasn’t enough time in the day to do everything. We would have liked to have done the walk to The Bridal Veil Water Falls and The Masons Apron Water Falls, which are accessible through their farm. So little time with so much to do…

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We occupied the largest of the three self-contained cottages, which sleeps up to 7 people. To say that the Cottage is set in a peaceful and tranquil farm environment would be an understatement. I have never been anywhere so quiet- not even the animals were making a sound. I had no problems sleeping that night ☺

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Catlins Horse Riding with Te Taunga Adventures

Te Taunga is a certified Organic sheep and beef farm covering a span of 660 hectares along the coast of the Catlins. Cara is the operator of Catlins Horse Riding Adventures and offers a wide range of riding options from farm tracks to bush tracks, and even gallops along the beach- Te Taunga is your oyster.

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Cara has been riding horses since she was in diapers and has a display wall of sashays, trophies and medallions. She is very passionate about her horses and wants to ensure you experience the same thrill she does when riding. By factoring in a number of things, Cara can personalise the tour to suit just about any level of riding ability.

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My horses name was Deb (short for Debra) and she was just a jem to ride. Our horse riding adventure was on high tide so we weren’t able to ride along the beach but we were still able to enjoy stunning views over several beaches, Owaka and Catlins Rivers as well as the Catlins Lake. When we were back at the house and about to depart the farm, the weather turned very sour. We didn’t mind though because it had been such a beautiful day.

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For information on prices or contact details visit Cara’s website at: http://www.catlinshorseriding.co.nz/

Catlins Beach House

Our last stop in the Catlins was at the Catlins Beach House in Curio Bay. The Beach House offers some of the most spectacular views of one of the most unique beaches that Southland has to offer. This fully self-contained house is absolute beachfront and may be rented by the bed, by the room or by the whole house. The bad weather made for an amazing sunset as the sun bounced off the clouds and shined through the gaps. We were able to view this from the comfort of the Beach House, where we sat in front of the warm fire.

The house or hostel is equipped with new and modern facilities and creates a cosy feeling with an open log fire in the lounge room. The layout of the kitchen, dining room and lounge room is open plan and takes advantage of the magnificent view. There are two well-appointed private double rooms and one dorm room. The main room is equipped with an ensuite and capitalises on the view.

Curio Bay is home to the hectors dolphins, sea lions and yellow-eyed penguins. I wasn’t lucky enough to see any dolphins or seals but I did see the yellow-eyed penguins in the Petrified Forest.

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The Petrified Forest is one of the most extensive and least disturbed examples of a Jurassic fossil forest in the world. At that time (180million years ago) Curio Bay was a broad forested coastal floodplain lined by active volcanoes, which flooded the forests with volcanic debris. The lower parts of the trees were buried and turned to stone. The trunks that lie exposed were carried in by the flood and were partially buried. It really is an impressive site and has so much history behind it!