Diamond Harbour on Banks Peninsula makes a nice and inexpensive day out of Christchurch easily reached on public transport.
First take a bus from the central city through the tunnel to Lyttelton and then transfer to the Black Diamond harbour ferry.
Ten minutes later you're on the other side of the harbour and in another much slower world. Several walks are mapped on a noticeboard (more details available on a
website).
I planned to immediately take the clifftop head to head walkway but missed the turnoff (easy to do as the signposting leaves a little to be desired) and so I explored the settlement and visited
Stoddard Cottage: a pretty colonial cottage which was the birthplace of one of New Zealand’s foremost 19th century artists, Margaret Stoddart.
I had lunch before returning on the short track in reverse. The track is not paved and can be slippery after rain (I slid over twice) but offers some picturesque views of the harbour entrance, Lyttelton and the next bay (Purau).
A pleasant and easy walk although not suited to those with limited mobility. There are other more strenuous hikes nearby notably the
Mt Herbert Walkway.
Walked: April 2019
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