Denniston Dreamings

Dreamy bright Autumn day with hardly a cloud in the sky and just a light cooling breeze. Took a trip up the hill to Denniston for stunning views of the Buller coast up to the Karamea Bight and beyond. Its amazing to think that they mined coal up here in the late 1800's and shipped it down to the coast on the Denniston Incline a stunning gravity fed railway running down the steep mountainside. They must have made them hardy in those days...

"Described as "a place either loved or hated - but always with a passion", the people living and working on the 'hill' back in those early days were extremely isolated, with the perilous incline and steep windy tracks forming the only modes of access and transportation.” - http://www.denniston.co.nz/history

Also headed up the coast to one of my favorite little coastal towns, Granity. Arty little place these days huddled on a thin strip of land between the steep bush clad hills and the ever encrouching coast. The beach has taken a further battering since I was last here and the constant work with diggers to shore up the eroding beach and keep the houses safe continues. Although the pounding surf and rocky shore has other ideas and had broken through in more than one location. Used to be a nice picnic tale on a layby by the road looking out over the ocean but thats gone now buried beneath the digger piled shingle.

Long straight streches of road here, great for crusing down at speed... Cabbage Trees and Tree Palms sweep by either side with the pounding surf one side and the native bush clad mountains on the other.

Just a magical place.Read more