1. H
aving lived in New
Zealand my whole life, I
thought I’d seen all our
beautiful country had
to offer, but this theory was
proved wrong on a recent trip to
the Nelson / Tasman region
where I was left speechless by
Abel Tasman’s natural beauty.
This was my first visit to the park
and it’s easy to see why
thousands of people travel from
all over the world to witness this
stunning scenery! John and
Lynette Wilson started their
tourism business here in 1977
and can trace their family history
all the way back to 1841 with
Lynette’s great-great
grandparents, the Newth’s and
the Snow’s, being the first official
British settlers here.
There’s no better way to
experience the wilderness of this
park than with a walk, cruise or
sea kayak with Wilson’s Abel
Tasman. We opt for a three-day
walk, allowing us enough time to
really soak up the environment
we’re exploring. Our guide John
Glasgow, also has a close
association with the park and can
trace his family history back to his
grandfather who settled in the
area in the late 1890s. He’s one
of New Zealand’s most
experienced guides and takes
great pride in showcasing this
beautiful region – the park is
literally his backyard with about
700 metres of coastal track
BY SARAH WEEKS
TRAVEL
Trekking
Abel
Tasman
the
Golden sandy beaches, azure waters,
playful seals and untouched greenery
with the sweet sound of birdsong – these
are the ingredients, that make up one of
New Zealand’s best kept secrets, the
Abel Tasman National Park.
no better way to
Sarah Weeks and fiancé Craig
Wrightson at Abel Tasman
National Park
Meadowbank
Homestead, Awaroa
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NEWZEALANDFITNESS,June/July2013

2. passing through his land.
Throughout our walk, he gives a
detailed history of the land and
it’s people, whilst pointing out
interesting flora and fauna along
the way – things we would’ve
never noticed had it not been for
his wealth of knowledge.
Wilsons Abel Tasman offers
two, three and five-day walks and
kayaks, but the three-day walk is
the perfect option if you can
afford the time and want to
experience everything this great
park has to offer. Don’t worry
about having to “rough it” either
as you’ll get the luxury treatment
without having to lug around
heavy packs or cook meals. Best
of all, you’ll get to stay at their
exclusive beachfront lodges –
Meadowbank Homestead in
Awaroa and Torrent Bay Lodge. A
hot shower and fresh local
cooked food is the perfect
welcome after a day walking
through bush, beaches and
estuaries. They even transport
your luggage between each
lodge – how convenient is that!
Our first day starts in
Kaiteriteri where we board the
Vista Cruise. And what a fitting
name, as we enjoy many stunning
vistas cruising along the coastline
towards the northern part of the
park. Along the way, we see New
Zealand fur seals “Kekeno” at the
legendary seal hot-spot, Tonga
Island. It’s great to see these
beautiful creatures in their natural
habitat and protected within the
marine reserve.
We arrive at Totaranui where
the Department of Conservation
(DOC) operate a hugely popular
campsite. This marks the starting
point of our three-day walk south.
Our guide takes us on a two-hour
walk through mature beech and
rata forests, stopping along the
way at secluded golden beaches
to enjoy a bite to eat, a drink and
time to take in the view. We
arrive at the tidal inlet at Awaroa,
which can easily be crossed at
low tide if you don’t mind getting
a bit wet – it’s all part of the
experience really!
A warm welcome awaits us at
Meadowbank Homestead, a
beautiful recreation of the Wilson
family’s original home complete
with heirlooms representing eight
generations of the family’s
history. Each room is named after
members of the family who lived
at the original homestead and
the decor pays homage to years
gone by. After a day on the trail,
we enjoy some well-deserved
pre-dinner drinks and snacks
before a delicious seafood feast
is served. Later in the evening,
our tour guide shares the
fascinating history of the Wilson
family’s ancestors, through the
triumphs and tragedies of this
original European settlement.
There’s even a book, Awaroa
Legacy, to read afterwards for
the real history buffs.
After a relaxing night’s sleep
listening to the tide go in and
out, we awake to birdsong and a
cooked breakfast overlooking the
gardens by the sea – a perfect
way to start our second and
longest day of walking. We
depart Awaroa to enjoy a
morning walk through native
forest with magnificent coastal
views and along the golden sands
of Onetahuti Beach. Another
DOC campsite is found here and
an opportunity for a toilet stop, a
quick snack and time to fill up our
water bottles.
We continue on to explore
the historic sites and picturesque
golden cove of Tonga Quarry
Beach, where granite was
quarried earlier this century and
remnants of this remain. A short
walk over a forested saddle and
around the Waterfall Trail takes
us to Bark Bay, where we stop for
lunch at the DOC campsite. This
is one of the most picturesque
beaches in the park and is very
popular. After a short break to
take in this breathtaking scenery,
we continue to wind our way
through shady gullies of mature
Beech forest, fern grottos and
sunny groves of Manuka framing
coastal vistas, providing plenty of
photo opportunities.
After crossing a swing bridge
at Falls River, we arrive at our
destination for the night, Torrent
Bay Lodge, right on the
beachfront. Previously the Wilson
family’s holiday home, it’s now
renovated to include all modern
comforts for guests whilst
keeping its relaxed, bach-like
atmosphere. After a six-hour
walk, we take time to relax on the
beach and enjoy the sunset after
drinks and dinner with the rest of
our group.
Our third and final day is the
easiest section of the coastal
track to Marahau. After two
stunning days drenched in
sunshine, the rain has
unfortunately arrived.
Nevertheless, we still have time
to appreciate the bays and
beaches named by French
explorer, Dumont D’Urville in
1827 with an interesting history
lesson from our tour guide. After
a four-hour walk, and feeling
quite chuffed with our efforts, we
arrive at Park Cafe in Marahau
where we enjoy a nice hot drink.
We’ve completed our goal of
walking the entire length
of the park and are quite
proud of ourselves!
Walking through
Onetahuti Beach
G
ood news for chocolate lovers. New research from
Swinburne University of Technology has found the
polyphenols in dark chocolate increase calmness and
contentedness. Polyphenols are found naturally in
plants and are a basic component of the human diet. These
compounds have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, which is
associated with many diseases. They may also have beneficial
psychological effects. “Anecdotally, chocolate is often linked to
mood enhancement,” Swinburne PhD candidate and lead author
of the study Matthew Pase said.
“This clinical trial is perhaps the first to scientifically
demonstrate the positive effects of cocoa polyphenols on
mood.” Seventy-two healthy men and women aged 40 to 65
years took part in the randomised study to receive a dark
chocolate drink mix standardised to contain either 500mg of
cocoa polyphenols, 250mg of cocoa polyphenols or 0mg of
cocoa polyphenols. The drink mixes were given to participants
in identical packaging so that both the investigators and
participants were unaware of which treatment they were
receiving.
Participants drank their assigned drink once a day for
30 days.
DARK CHOCOLATE
promotes calmness
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NEWZEALANDFITNESS,June/July2013