Leaving Nelson we took the State Highway 60 up through Motueka into the Abel Tasman National Park, up the extremely winding road over Takaka Hill, stopping to take photos, down to Takaka and on to Pohara, a small beach area with another Top 10 Holiday Park.

Takaka Hill was used for a couple of scenes in LotR, including one where Legolas spots Saruman’s flying spies searching for the Fellowship. The camping park was very spread-out, with lots of room between pitches and the obligatory mallard ducks making themselves busy cadging food off campers.

The site was also adjacent to the beach, part of Golden Bay, which was miles of clean grey sand with no other people in sight. We decided to stay at Pohara for a couple of nights, to give me a break from driving long distances.

The next day we drove the few kilometres to Takaka and did some Christmas shopping and posting there, before returning for a meal at the Penguin Cafe at Pohara beach.