“On a Mish” #346 The Windy-Force Valley (Part Two). Wilberforce Valley / River. West Canterbury. 30.8.2022. Fabric flapping frantically for an entire night is probably not most people’s cup of tea and not what many picture when they think recreational camping. The comfort of modern life sometimes needs a shot of reality, and this can be achieved by heading out camping in wild weather. Most nights spent safe and sound in a bed are not memorable, but a night or two spent out in the wilderness doing your best to withstand what Mother Nature throws at you will be etched into your memory forever…
After driving across the Canterbury Plains and into the mountains near Lake Coleridge I drove out onto the vast gravel lumps and bumps, and twisted waterways of the Wilberforce Valley. I wanted to get away from the signs of humanity around the Wilberforce Canals, so a slow bouncy plod took me west up the massive valley. The jolts of each jump were beginning to make my hip throb, so I needed to find a place to park up.
Eventually I got to a point where the rocks were too gnarly for the mighty Honda CRV, so I called it a day and readied myself for the night. Pitching a tent in high winds is a real test of your ability to get the job done. While we always wish that the weather is windless, sometimes it isn’t, so I recommend you practice putting your tent up as often as possible.
Due to the wind thundering its way down the valley I had to use the vehicle as a windbreak. This worked well apart from the fact that there is a large open, unprotect area under the vehicle. I figured that the wind was at its highest strength, so I could put up with the breeze blowing beneath the car. As I battled my invisible foe, I remembered the last time I was here with my cousin back in 2020. On that mish the Windy-force (Wilberforce) Valley name was born. We went to sleep in near still conditions only to be woken a couple of hours later by the blast of a gale!
After getting my campsite sorted, I went for a short walk to stretch my body out. The awkward twists and bending up and down movements had got my hip throbbing. On my short stroll I looked up the valley at the clouds brewing over the Main Divide. The hourglass had been flipped and it was only a matter of time before the fury forced its way over the mountains and washed its way down the Windy-force / Wilberforce Valley…
