Queen Charlotte Walk

Queen Charlotte Walk is less well known, and therefore less crowded than many of the other more famous tracks in New Zealand. Nevertheless, it has stretches that can be challenging, though it is billed as suitable for all ages. From what I hear, it is probably one of those that you can take the whole family on.

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Queen Charlotte Walk was an unexpected pleasure. We came to Queen Charlotte almost by accident, as we did not want to spend the weekend in Wellington, having already spent more than a week there. Someone told us that the Queen Charlotte Walk was easy, the way there through the ferry beautiful, and the view from Queen Charlotte worth seeking out. So off we went.

Once in Picton, the access route to Queen Charlotte Walk, we discovered that the whole walk is actually a three to four-day journey, but that you can do the walk in sections. The starting point for many of the three to four-day walk is Ship Cove, so on that particular day about 5 couples disembarked and walked the hill up to the start of the Queen Charlotte Walk. Even then, we knew that we would encounter gorgeous scenery, as the view from the starting spot, not marked a viewpoint, was already stunning.

The walkway takes you through dense and very lush forest, which suddenly opens up into ridges with panoramic view of the Queen Charlotte and Pelorus Sounds. Throughout, you will be enchanted by the scenery, the fauna, and the comparatively deserted environment--after the starting point, we only encountered two couples on our way, one walking towards us, and the other passing us with a baby on their back!

Even getting to the Queen Charlotte Walk and back is an adventure in itself. I don't know of anywhere else where the only way to get to the start of a hiking trail is through a boat. Essentially, for those of you who want to hike only sections of the Queen Charlotte Wal, you would determine the starting point for your hike, then book a ride on a boat that would take you there. The skipper then asks where you want to be picked up, and based on the estimated walking time, tells you where and when he will come to pick you up. The trick of course is that you better be punctual, or the boat will leave without you. The problem of course is that unless you get to the starting trail very early, and other walkers or tourists want to go to your pick-up destination, you may miss the boat and not be picked up until the skipper has a reason to return to the pick-up place. And if you are walking in the off-season--I am not sure when the off-season is, but we were walking in February, and there were very few people walking that particular track--missing your pick-up time is like trusting to your fate. That's one reason to pay attention to the time. The day we were there, we ran into someone who missed the earlier boat and was now unsure whether he would be picked up. Without camping equipment, he was really stuck, unless he could convince our skipper to take him on. Luckily, our boat had some space.

For those of you interested in tracking New Zealand, but are put off by the crowded Abel Tasman Park Track, or the difficult to get into Milford Sound Track should definitely try this one. The Queen Charlotte Track is officially called a walk, and supposedly it is suitable for people of all ages and all fitness level. That may be true and fine, but having gone through Queen Charlotte, I have a warning. New Zealanders are such outdoors people that their definition of walk is really our definition of a good hike, and their assessment of how long it takes to cover a distance should be taken with a grain of salt, especially by those who are taking the shorter 1-2 hours walk. Build in some extra time, or you will be sure to be extremely frustrated, and therefore not able to enjoy the walk as much as you can.

Is Queen Charlotte Walk a walk, a hike, or a military boot camp? New Zealanders must have considered Queen Charlotte a stroll, for nowhere in any brochure or any tour book was there a warning that a little bit of work is required. Of course, the fact that the top of the walk is 1100 feet high should have served as a warning, seeing as we started at water level when the boat dock into the entrance to Ship Cove. Anyway, the trails are real good climbs, and at one point, I was so tired that I just had to yell at the top of my lungs, to relieve some frustration. That said, I really enjoyed the absolute gorgeous scenery, and well, my sense of accomplishment when we actually completed the walk.

The brochure told us that from Ship Cove to Resolution Bay takes 2 hours. Well, it does take that much time, and requires that we walk almost non-stop, with just little breaks to admire the view. When the sign warned us that we did not cover half of the distance in half of the time, we panicked and almost ran. When we got to the spot where we were to be picked up, my legs were just trembling. Luckily, the way is uphill in the beginning, and downhill towards the end, but if there is one frustrating thing about the walk, it is that nowhere is there any sign to prepare us for what came next. The map they gave us at the information kiosk was totally useless, as there indicates a straight line. Well, just be forewarned.

Getting to Queen Charlotte Walk from Wellington is half the fun. Queen Charlotte is located in convoluted Marlborough Sounds, with numerous coves, bays, and islands that offer up an interesting vista, as well as protected areas where many can kayak. We took the interisland ferry from Wellington, which takes about 3 hours, and is totally worthwhile.

As you set out on the interislander ferry, be sure to stand at the rear of the ferry to admire the Wellington skyline. Once on open water, the passage is a bit ordinary, until you get to Marlborough Sounds. The many islands and bays of Marlborough requires that the ferry weaves in and out, while the fog and mist mean that once in a while, suddenly, an island that has heretofore been covered by the fog will appear as if out of nowhere. To enjoy the crossing, make sure that one of the crossings is one the morning.

In the evening, the last ferry ride is typically on the newest ferry, which of course takes cars as well as passengers. This ferry is really something else. It is huge, with space for a home theatre, a couple of bars, open spaces where large comfortable leather chairs and couches are set out for passengers who need to sleep or just rest, and I believe even casinos, although don't hold me to it if you don't find one. On my trip, they showed the "Truman Show" to a packed audience. The sound system was superb, and it was just like sitting in a theatre. It is like being on a small cruise. I was totally impressed--the ferry experience in itself is worth crossing the water.