If you’re a hiker, then you’ll probably already know about New Zealand’s Great Walks. It’s one of the big draws if you’re interested in that. On the South Island, while not a Great Walk, there’s also the Queen Charlotte Track. At just over 70km, it’s not as daunting as some of the other walks might be. However, it’s also not something you’ll want to tackle in a single day.
The Queen Charlotte Walkway has been in development, as a public walkway, since the early 1980’s. After initial work by local landowners to create a walk-able track from 1981 – 1983 a rough walking track was opened for the public to use in early 1983.
When I visited New Zealand in 2019, I spent a few days in the Marlborough Sounds, staying at Lochmara Lodge. It was an idyllic stay and though I was only there for two days, it was paradise for those 48-hours. During my full day at the Lodge, I decided that I was going to walk as much as I could of the area that connects to the Queen Charlotte Track. When I checked in on the first day, I mentioned my plan. They gently advised me not to depart that day as I had arrived at 3PM and sunset was fast approaching. Given the trails and the lack of lights, they recommended that I only go in full sunlight.
So the next day, I checked my map of the Lochmara grounds and began to make my way up to the entrance to the path to the Track. I left just after lunch for my exploration and began to wind my way through the Sounds. I’d brought my phone with me for music, but actually disconnected from it pretty early on. The sounds of nature around me were so peaceful and made me pay more attention to the walk.
What quickly became clear is that I was totally on my own. I only ran into other hikers twice in the three hours I was out there. This is a positive and a negative as a solo hiker. Luckily, I had my phone in case of an emergency. There were definitely a few times that I worried about something happening and being stuck out there.
The needle-covered path as you traverse the Track.
One thing I also quickly learned is that I probably didn’t have the right shoes. It had rained recently, so the ground was a bit slippery and unstable in areas. I found myself a walking stick, but there were a few downhill parts of the track that made me feel extremely unsteady and wary about a twisted ankle. Proper walking sticks and hiking shoes would have helped immensely with that. It’s definitely a lesson I’ll keep in mind for next time.
I was out on the path for about three hours and made it to Fitz’s Folly and an area where I could see a 360-view of the Sounds with multiple bays in my view. In about an hour and change, I managed to get to the track itself, but if I wanted to continue on with the track, I would need a lot more time and also to pay a fee to cross some of the private land.
As it was, I managed to get a fantastic taster of the hiking experience, some good exercise, and some great views. With that complete, I turned around to make my way back to the Lodge for the night.
If you like hiking, this is something that you might want to look into. If you love it, then you might want to plan a full vacation around the Queen Charlotte Track hike, which will take a lot longer than three hours. As an introductory sampler, though, this gave me exactly what I was after. I was able to disconnect in nature with great views and absolute peace and quiet.
