Finding solace in Banks Peninsula, 2
Posted: 23/07/2025
After Governors Bay I continued along the main road to Chateris Bay and then to Diamond Harbour. I don't think I had ever stopped in Diamond Harbour before (though my parents had certainly gone around the area at least once while we lived on Banks Peninsula) so I popped into the Four Square and refuelled at the only gas station in the town (and which seemed to enjoyed a monopoly in the area given a litre was about twenty cents more than I usually pay in Christchurch).
Charteris Bay
Purau
Mount Herbert
View from the pass
Unfortunately I didn't get too many more photos before my phone died, but I got all the way to Port Levy before I decided to head back. Next time, I'll do the whole drive to Akaroa and around, given a bit more planning and hopefully some company.
Overall, although the trip was relatively impulsive (and I paid a bit in fuel), I saw for myself some of the nature on our doorstep that people in Christchurch seem to forget in lieu of the ski fields and walks out in the high country, and I got a bit of time to myself where I could just appreciate things as they were, without external affairs colouring my thoughts. The peninsula is a beautiful place, difficult to drive at times, but so close to home and really not fully appreciated by us in the city (seemingly quite a few of us don't seem to recognise it as anything more than the Port Hills). I hope I can show more people about this area of Canterbury.