Wai-iti Domain - Freedom Camping

Not far south from Nelson (about 30kms) along SH6 is a small settlement named Wai-iti. And just before the Wai-iti Bridge if you turn left, you'll find yourself at a roadside picnic area. It's a decent size spot with several large totara trees and a couple of kahikateas offering plenty of shade.

A little further along is the Wai-iti Domain/Reserve. Although there's oodles of room it might be unsuitable for bigger rigs as the left hand bend is a little tight, and there's a few over hanging branches as you approach.

The Wai-iti Domain/Reserve is a massive area with mature trees bordering the perimeter. It's dog friendly and kids will like the large, flat area to ride their bikes or to kick a ball around. There are toilets and rubbish bins and it's free to stay!

Behind the reserve is a forest walk, which loops back to the start. 

The walk begins by climbing a gentle incline that hugs the side of the hill. After about half an hour (less if your fit, or longer, if like me, you're a bit of a stroller!) you reach the top. 

Being autumn - it was the season for toadstools.

It's an easy walk, the track is wide and covered in pine needles, plus there's birdsong to enjoy. With no 1080 poisoning to worry about, dogs are safe off lead to run around and explore. 

After awhile, Oakly started to look for water. We came across a forestry water supply but seeing the colour of it, I decided being thirsty was a better option than to drink from it!

All up, the walk took about an hour and a half, which included taking a wrong turn. We ended up at a forestry skid site, which wasn't a complete waste of time as it had a fabulous view. 

At the end of the walk we wandered over to the Wai-iti River (Wai-iti = low water). And true to its name, the river was shallow. In the warmer months it's been known to have toxic algae, however after recent floods it was safe for the dogs to cool off and have a well deserved drink.

Away With the Fairies

You don't have to believe in magic to enjoy a visit to a Fairy Grove. Whatever your age - young or old, spending time in a charming woodland is sure to delight.

Not far from Nelson, in the suburb of Stoke, is an enchanting Fairy Grove. The fairy houses and fairy doors come in all shapes and sizes, restricted only by one's creativity and imagination. Some hang from branches, others are attached to tree trunks, while some rest against the base of trees. 

My granddaughter and I enjoy our visits to the Fairy Grove. Mikah loves to peek inside each little house, as some of the dwellings have tiny accessories, adding to the wonderful world of make-believe.

Some log-benches have been arranged in a semi-circle, providing seats for a picnic, or somewhere to relax and let your inner child enjoy the moment.

Fairy-Land wouldn't be complete without toadstools. And fortunately someone had that thought and made some delightful toadstools. 

However, not to be out done ... nature has added clusters of dainty white toadstools flourishing under the canopy of tree branches.

And better still, it's dog-friendly (always a winner for me)! 

There's a path running through the reserve, which passes a shallow swimming spot, it's a perfect place for dogs to cool off. A few resident ducks have made it their home and weren't at all bothered when Oakly and Boo joined them for a swim.

First Overnighter

I decided to have the first night away in our 'new' bus not too far from home. Bernie was working so it was just me and the dogs.

After looking at the NZMCA app and reading posts in various Face book groups, I chose to go to a DOC campsite near St Arnaud - Teetotal Camp. First, and most importantly it was dog-friendly,  with several walks right beside the camp. Secondly, we hadn't been away overnight in this particular bus, I thought if I ran into trouble, I was only an hour from home.

We (Oakly, Boo and I) arrived just after midday on a hot summer's day. Only one other camper was there so choosing a spot to park was easy. I decided on an area beside some trees for some shade for the dogs.

As I mentioned, one of the reasons I picked Teetotal Camp was due to reading some Facebook posts. One post had shown photos of dogs in a river and with that thought in mind Oakly, Boo and I set off for a walk. Usually I don't walk the dogs during the day in summer as I'm mindful of how hot it can get for them. However they were itching to get out to explore and I figured they could cool down once we got to the river.

After walking for more than half an hour there was still no sign of a river. I thought of turning back, the dogs were hot and seeking shade to rest. However, I thought if we turned back they'd have to walk another half hour or more and still wouldn't get to cool down in the river. But, how far away was this river?

After some toing and froing, I decided to keep going, hoping the river wouldn't be too much further. Oakly is 13 now and in the last 12 months has started slowing up. Nowadays he likes to stop every few metres to smell everything in sight, so it was a slow walk.. 

In the distance I heard some dogs barking and when they appeared, along with their owner, I asked how far ahead the river was. She told me there wasn't a river ahead. Fortunately she lived in the area and suggested rather than returning on the same track, we follow a less trodden path. She knew the area well and explained the shorter route. So off we went.

Oakly handled the return-walk surprisingly well ... it was Boo who struggled, so I had to carry her some of the way. I felt awful having them out walking in this heat.

It was great to eventually see the campsite! 

And, after a nice, big drink of water we lay down to rest.

The dogs signal when they're ready for dinner - I never need to check my watch. It's alwaysbetween 4 and 5pm. When they indicated they were hungry, they ate in the shade and not long after were napping again.

I had a rough idea how to turn the inverter on so I could turn Netspeed on, but when I tried it didn't work. Normally, this is when I'd see if Bernie knew how. However, he wasn't there so I had to figure it out myself. I know it's not rocket science but the set up in this bus was different than our previous set-up. However I'm pleased to say, I figured it out!  Then I celebrated a successful day with a movie and wine.

Later that evening I messaged my Facebook friend to ask where the river was that she'd posted while staying at Teetotal. I laughed when I read her reply. Turns out, when she stayed there they took a day trip to Nelson and stopped at the Motueka River to give their dogs a swim. When posting photos of their time at Teetotal she'd included the Motueka River photos. LOL.

Wow, we could have walked for hours and not found a river! Thank goodness we stumbled across that local lady walking her dogs!

Dog-Friendly Park in Blenheim

If you're staying in Blenheim and looking for somewhere to take your dog - Pollard Park is a beaut spot. There's loads of space, plus it suits all ages. 

Over the little red bridge is a rhododendron grove, although it wasn't the season for them to flower, there were hydrangeas planted amongst which added splashes of colour.

A stream winds through the park with weeping willows and many other trees providing plenty of shade. The water was crystal clear, perhaps it's spring-fed. 

 A generous size playground was a popular spot for kids of all ages.

Even the fitness folk have been catered for, with exercise stations dotted about with instruction boards explaining how to use the equipment.

I imagine the gazebo below has been used in lots of wedding photos over the years.

The rose gardens not only smelt divine, it was also interesting wandering around reading the names beneath each rose.

And like most parks, there were formal flower beds too.