Gannet Beach Adventures offer personally guided, four-hour round trip tours on a vintage tractor / trailer. Owner / Operator Kim Lindsay was our tour guide for the day who’s energy and enthusiasm made it hard to not get excited about the interesting cliff formations and migration of the gannet.

Some of the amazing cliff formations

View from the top of the cliffs

On the trailer making our way back

Driving 15 minutes from Hastings to meet everyone outside the Clifton Motor Camp, we all climbed up on the vintage tractor to start our tour. The seats were extra comfy and I sat next to a really friendly local who hadn’t visited the gannets before (why wouldn’t you?!)

Setting off on the trailer, it was a little wobbly but you soon got used to it. We drove straight on to the sandy beach where Kim started to tell us about  the geological history of the cape as we passed by the towering cliffs. A part of this stretch of coastline from the Cape to Clifton is over 4 million years old and you can see much of that history etched into the rocky cliffs.

Bring a jacket as the wind can pick up along the coast, and be prepared (depending on what side of the trailer you are on) to get your feet wet as you drive though some shallow waves.

Our trip was in early October so there weren’t a lot of gannets around and those which were there were nesting. But by December the chicks will have hatched and the colony will be a hive of activity. There are four main nesting sites at the cape that becomes home to over 15,000 birds in the height of summer. At 15-16 weeks the chicks take their first flight which see’s them fly across the Tasman Sea to Australia. It’s a hazardous journey and only around 30% of the birds will return to the cape to breed when they are 2 – 3 years old, which was very sad to hear.

The highlight of the tour was a seal we saw on the cliffs basking in the sun. It was a great way to spend an afternoon and I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to do something a bit different and explore our region.

Bookings

Bookings are essential for these tours. Contact Gannet Beach Adventures on 0800 GANNETS (426638) if you are in New Zealand, or 0064 6 8750 898 from outside of New Zealand. You can also find them on Facebook!

Ready to board the balloon

The view

Another shot of the view from inside the basket

Soaring in the sky watching the sunrise was a true memory maker for me, even with a lack of sleep (wake up call was 4.50am) and a slight fear of heights!

After having been woken up by Early Morning Hot Air Balloons owner / operator Andrew Livingston with a phone call to confirm the conditions are fine for flying, we meet and help set up the balloon.

An experienced pilot having flown for 20 years, Andrew introduces me to the rest of the people who’re flying today (you’re allowed six people in the basket). Two New Yorkers, two locals, me and Andrew.

After a safety briefing, and a few nervous comments, we help fill the balloon with cold air to let it expand then the gas is turned on and the balloon is filled with hot air ready to fly.

We all hop inside the basket which is suprisingly roomy for the six of us, and you instantly feel light as a feather as it takes off.

Taking off is a dream, we reach good heights and had amazing views of the Gimblett Gravels and surrounding orchards. We can even spot  Mt Ruapehu in the distance and the snow dusting it’s tips.

The gas roars to get us higher which keeps us super warm – I quickly forget about that nagging scared-of-heights feeling!

We head towards Napier passing orchards, vineyards and over the Ngaruroro River where we land in a paddock about an hour after take-off with sheep greeting us on arrival.

After packing up the balloon, we head to a sheltered spot in the Pakowhai Country Park where we get brekkie and celebrate our successful landing over a glass of bubbles (yes please!)

Andrew gives us all an Early Morning Balloon lapel pin as a memento for our experience, a lovely surprise and a great reminder of our experience.

You can fly all year round, weather permitting of course. Allow for about four hours all up once you set up the balloon and have breakfast. Rides don’t come too cheap at $345 per person but it’s well worth it. For more information contact us at the Hastings i-SITE on phone 0800 HASTINGS or email info@visithastings.co.nz

The trained guides will teach you all you need to know to safely ride the quads and will lead you on the adventure. A ride is available for all levels of ability and each adventure is tailored to the skill level of those taking part.

Crossing the Ngaruroro River

You don’t have to be an experienced quad bike rider to enjoy this experience – you just need is a love of the outdoors and a sense of adventure!

Views of the Ngaruroro River Vallley

It was awesome – we got to ride through rivers, along a dirt track, through native bush and (albeit briefly) we stopped to admire the amazing views across the Ngaruroro River Valley – gorgeous.

The journey home

Best of all, I came away from my day at On Track fizzing!

Typical concerns in my group were that it might be a bit frightening (and a bit lad-dish), some in the group thought the worst – running out of petrol, crashing, being left behind (normal stuff), but we all had a ball!

On Track Adventures were fab, and we found out they also do clay bird shooting, archery and golf – legends.

More information on On Track Adventures is available at www.ontrackadventures.co.nz

Springtime at the zoo is always popular with many babies being born (sooooooooo cute), and the really cool thing is that you can get up close and personal with almost all of the animals.

The looks on the kids faces are just priceless as they get up close to the animals. They love the feel of the animals coats when they pat them, and being able to feed the different animals with food from their hands (corn kernals) is such a treat.

You can bring a picnic, have a BBQ under one of the sheltered picnic tables, or just roam beside the animals in their enclosures. It’s all in a day out at the Hawke’s Bay Farmyard Zoo. Loads of local kids have their birthdays there and a good time is had by all – parents and kids alike.

Hawke’s Bay Farmyard Zoo also has lots of horses. There is the opportunity to take the kids on a pony ride or you can book one of the five Horse Treks. The rides range from 1 to 3 hours and take you along the nearby beach, through vineyards, along the river, or over hill country, depending on which ride you choose.

There really is something for everyone at the Hawke’s Bay Farmyard Zoo – young and old.

More information on Hawke’s Bay Farmyard Zoo is available at www.farmyardzoo.co.nz

Despite the name, this is a magnificent example of easily accessible New Zealand forest land and includes a relatively flat 40 minute walks through well established forest which is excellent for families.

Our next stop was about at the Mangatutu Hot Springs. It was pretty grunty – we travelled along a gravel road and across a stream, so we recommend a 4×4 to get across this ford (the DOC staff said it is okay for cars however (yeah right), depending on the height of the river).

There was a short, sharp walk up to the hot springs, but when you get there you are rewarded with a wicked little pool – that’s halfway down a mountainside overlooking the Mohaka River. Mint.

Awesome day trip, and great for an (older) family jaunt/picnic.

But the absolute highlight – a 40 – 50 minutes into the Kawekas to take part in a kiwi hunt!! DOC staff reckon there’s a 50/50 chance of spotting a kiwi. We were on the track for about 20 minutes when a device the DOC guys carry indicated a kiwi was nearby. Five minutes later they found the kiwi in a hole just off the track.

We each got to hold the kiwi and had photos taken. We were with the kiwi for about 10 minutes then put returned it to its home. It was AMAZING.

Hawke’s Bay has some fantastic places to visit which are a little off the beaten track but offer a fantastic experience and best of all, they are free. In winter you need warm clothing and very good footwear and food and water is required at all times.

With an On Yer Bike Winery tour you cycle past vineyards, olive groves, orchards, horse studs, and farmland – all on flat terrain with wonderful views across the countryside – easy for all levels.

The tours starts and finishes at an historic woolshed just south of Hastings (nice and close). On Yer Bike provides a map of the cycle route and the 21 speed mountain bikes are really comfortable to ride (no sore bums). There are also tandem bikes available which are a fun way to tour the wineries.

You will spend most of the day leisurely experiencing the joys of Hastings District while riding from winery to winery. Within a 28 kilometre route you will find Ngatarawa, Te Awa, Trinity Hill and Alpha Domus winery’s. You may also like to stop in at Selini Estate, Salvare, Abbey Estate Triangle Cellars and Ashridge wineries.

A bike ride provides a relaxing way to soak up the sun and enjoy the ambiance of the wineries and surrounding countryside with your friends.

You can choose a wine tour route to match your level of fitness. All the wineries on the map  offer the opportunity to taste their wines and have outside seating where a visitor can enjoy the superb settings before moving on.

The wine will be superb, the scenery amazing and being out on the fresh air is just what the doctor ordered.

More information on On Yer Bike Winery Tours is available at www.onyerbikehb.co.nz

The 13,500 acre station at Clifton Station was originally settled in 1859 but has been progressively made smaller to remain as a productive farm of 2,000 acres today. The woolshed was built in 1886 and while, no longer used as a working area it has become the centre of entertainment on the station.

A Farming Show in the woolshed allows you the chance to climb in a pen with pet sheep, a cow or a captain cooker pig.

At the Wool and Shearing show you will see sheep being shorn using modern and historical appliances while sheep dog and woodchopping demonstrations are also performed on the station.

The woolshed includes a museum where you will be able to get up close with an assortment of old farming memorabilia, much of it having been used on Clifton Station over the years. Also included in the woolshed is a wool retail shop where keen knitters can buy supplies for their next garment.  A licensed café is located a short distance from the woolshed and is an ideal place for a cup of tea or coffee and something to eat following your farming experience.

WoolWorld shows last around an hour and are available to individuals, families or school groups.

Life on the farm often holds a bit of mystique to local and international visitors, and WoolWorld allows everyone a chance to see close up what goes on ‘down on the farm’. Look at what these people had to say:

More information on Wool World is available at www.cliftonstation.co.nz

The adventure begins at the Clifton Beach carpark, around 20 minutes drive from the major cities of Napier and Hastings, and your transport to the Cape is by a unique vintage tractor which has a trailer in tow. Don’t worry, the cushioned seats on the trailer make for a pleasant ride, while the genial host/ driver stops to point out places of interest along the way.

You will travel along the majestically, rugged coastline of Cape Kidnappers spending around 90 minutes at the Cape, which allows ample time to take a close up look at the nesting gannets. If you’re keen you can take a dip in the ocean, or enjoy a pleasant 25 minute walk to view the saddle plateau and take in the panoramic views across Hawke’s Bay.

Gannet Beach Adventures runs daily tours from October through till May. They operate in all weather conditions but suitable clothing is required depending on the weather. It is important to book your tour, as departure times are dependent on the tide.

This ia an adventure of a lifetime. You get a close up view of the gannets, a chance to take in a panoramic view over Hawke’s Bay and learn about some of the history of the magnificent Cape Kidnappers. The gannet colony is unique to the Cape and the whole family will be thrilled to see the birds soaring on the thermals.

More information on Gannet Beach Adventures is available at www.gannets.com

Starting at $115 per person, treks begin at owner Dzidra McHenry’s home in Clive weaving along the Tukituki River, at times catching the lapping waves of the beach all the while taking in the majestic views of Mahia to your left and Cape Kidnapers to your right.

Upon arrival at Boutique Horsetreks, we were warmly welcomed by Dzidra who showed us our helmets and riding boots. Soon after, we were acquainted with our horses, mine being a 16-year-old French Warmblood called Juice. A slow old girl, Juice had no doubt done the treks a few hundred times as at one point I dropped my reins and she continued to travel along the path.

Boutique Horsetreks is owned and managed by Dzidra and her husband who started the business one year ago after Dzidra wanted to turn her love of horses into a business.

Full-up over the warmer months, Boutique Horsetreks offers rides for complete beginners to more experienced riders.

One of the most popular rides is the Clearview Estate Winery Ride through the Tukiuki River to Clearview Winery where you enjoy a yummy lunch and a glass of wine. The horses ‘park up’ while you soak up the atmosphere. This ride is suitable for more intermediate riders and you must be able to trot. This ride costs you $215 per person which includes lunch at Clearview and a glass of wine.

Another popular ride is the Magical Beach and Wetlands Ride which takes you along the beach and through the Clive Wetlands catching sight of an array of birds along the way. Suitable for beginners prices start from $115 per person.

Contact Boutique Horsetreks today on phone 870 1202 or 027 286 6174, or visit their website and book online www.boutiquehorsetreks.co.nz