“On a Mish” #408 The Playground in the Trees (Part Two). Napoleon Hill / Ahaura. 29.6.2024. In no way did I think that when I drove north from Te Anau to Christchurch that I would end up driving 1360km in three days. The mighty CR-V would be put through its paces as I would not only see the epic scenery of the alpine passes Lindis, Arthurs and Lewis, but I would also travel to the West Coast and visit a hidden playground in the trees with my cousin…
Access to the Napoleon Hill Track is via a private farm. Once through the farm you go from paddocks to a 4wd playground in the trees. The tracks are from the gold mining days and along with the main route there are all sorts of trails, some a little bumpier than others. As you make your way through the forest it is crazy to think that a while back this was a small village with more than 800 people. Many buildings were here to house all the people and along with them there was a couple of churches and a school. After the gold dried up the town was no longer needed, and the buildings were dismantled. Nowadays it is hard to believe that all that activity even happened.
Along with having an epic day bouncing around the bush, Adam wanted to do some filming for a YouTube project he was working on with Jack. This meant that for the first time I could get behind the wheel. Until now I have taken up my place in the passenger’s seat whenever going on a mish with my cousin, but now it was my time to shine, and it would be on film!
Our day went by without a hitch, although Jack’s new Toyota Hilux had a few ‘Pinstripes’ down either side and one less mudguard. Thanks to the Jimny’s size most of the time where Jack would scrape along the foliage, the Jimny would power on through with plenty of clearance. It was along of fun to negotiate ruts, bumps and everything else the Napolean Hill Track threw at us. After a good couple of hours playing, it was time to think about where we were going to spend the night and thanks to the weather camping didn’t seem as inviting as it was before we began the mish. So, because we weren’t far from Reefton, a cabin in the camping ground seemed like the best idea.
Reefton is a small town in the mountains near the West Coast that was once one of New Zealand’s busiest. Gold was struck in many places nearby so not only did the area receive a lot of attention, but it was also the first town to have streetlights. I would have never guessed that I would end up here when I left my house in Te Anau just a day before. There is a lot of South Island between Te Anau and Reefton!
After a night checking out the two local pubs we retreated to the warmth of a cabin with drizzle and mist reassured us that our choice of cabin over camping was a good idea. Sleep was important because I still had around 250km to go before my unexpected roady was over. Early-ish the next I was up and away after saying good bye to the boys. While they headed towards another 4wd challenge I followed State Highway 7 back to Christchurch.
After getting back to Christchurch my body was a wreck. Any journey over about thirty minutes is uncomfortable for my hip and back, and on this mish, I had driven many hours to clock up 1360kms! In no way did that take away any of the fun of playing around in the trees on the West Coast. I now know from experience that the pain will ease, and the memories made will keep me pleased. Sometimes a mish can arise out of nowhere, and instead of rejecting it you should buckle up and enjoy the ride!
