The driveway is steep, and can be tricky to access from the road at times due to traffic. The main road is a rural road, but very windy, so extreme care must be taken to give a lot of notice before turning into the driveway, and if it is missed, drivers should continue past for 100m and turn around in the turning bay.
The setting
We are 7 minutes from the centre of Thames township, a rural town of 7,000 people.
The property encompasses one whole valley, and there are no neighbours visible.
It is a quiet place, with good access to the sea, and a situation right in the middle of pristine New Zealand native forest.
The land rises from sea level to 340m in elevation, and there are 5km of walking tracks which give access to the whole area.
The spots
The camping sites are mostly situated in the forest, although there is a large grassy clearing that is also available.
The campsites have been selected for their beauty, the ease of access to amenities, and to ensure that they get enough sun.
Some sites are 30 second walk from parking, whereas others may take half an hour.
It depends on how keen our guests are, and how prepared they are with regards to their equipment.
The sanitary facilities
We have a long drop style toilet (dry toilet) and a shower shed with solar showers. However, you can shower where you like (away from waterways) using one of our solar showers, if you want to hang the shower somewhere in the bush. Hot water is only obtainable by boiling it on the stove.
Water is straight from our stream, and safe of any contaminants.
The amenities
We can provide access to electricity for charging devices and limited wifi.
Guests can use the shed downstairs from our house for charging electrical gear, and for storing bikes, etc.
There is a fridge there for guest use, as well as a washing machine (available for $5/load).
There is a charcoal & wood barbecue for use by guests (wood provided).
The kitchen is an outdoor set up under a tarpaulin, with a gas cooker, gas barbecue, sink, bench, and some basic furniture.
There are a couple of cold pools in the stream to bathe in during summer.
All pots, pans, utensils are provided, along with some basic condiments.
We have a good range of books for people to borrow during their stay.
We can take people's recycling and rubbish, and we have composting facilities for biodegradables.
We welcome dogs, as long as they are well trained, are kept on long leashes when not supervised, do not harass other guests or bark constantly, and owners make an effort to clean up their poo.
The proprietors can offer dog sitting services on arrangement, as well as a limited amount of dog paraphernalia.
Breakfast and dinner can be cooked for guests for an additional sum, and given advanced notice.
The activities
There are 5km of walking tracks cut and marked. Much of it is labelled as a botanical walk, and a pamphlet guide can be bought for $2 to accompany it if required.
I am happy to give guided walks for NZ$20/hour, describing the vegetation and cultural history of our place, as I have worked in the bush for over 20 years doing botany work. We have kayaks and basic fishing gear, so visitors can go fishing from across the road, straight from our beach (I can accompany them if I am available).
Fish can be caught 200m from shore.
Other things
The driveway is steep, and can be tricky to access from the road at times due to traffic. The main road is a rural road, but very windy, so extreme care must be taken to give a lot of notice before turning into the driveway, and if it is missed, drivers should continue past for 100m and turn around in the turning bay.
Tent ready
