No matter how much exploring you do it doesn’t feel compete until you have made it to Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island and Bluff at the bottom of the South. Yes, we still have loads more to explore but I feel like we’ve book ended our adventures now we’ve visited Bluff.
Southland’s port town Bluff is what I would call a real working town. And not just any kind of work – the real tough Southland kind.
There’s the Tiwai Aluminium Smelter and off course the Bluff Oyster Industry. And then their is the heritage of Bluff – dating back to 1836 when it was first established as a whaling station.
We visited on a particularly windy day and watched the boats coming in through Foveaux Strait with some awe as they navigated the rough seas.
We made a bee line for Stirling Point. This is arguably Bluff’s most iconic and most photographed spot and is where State Highway 1 starts, before finishing at Cape Reinga. I’m glad to say we’ve officially now been end to end.
There’s a great sculpture there that the kids loved playing on.
And also a restaurant that when in season serves Bluff Oysters. Unfortunately for us we came outside of oyster season so we stopped in for a drink only.
After that we headed up to Bluff Hill. There’s 3 things you need to know about Bluff Hill.
#1 The road is super steep! It’s definitely one that you want to use your gears as well as your brakes when you are in a big campervan. Oh and big ups to the guy we saw running up it. You are a true legend!
#2 The views are incredible. 360 degrees right around Bluff.
#3 It’s even more fun on a windy day!
The path to the lookout point twists around and if you strike a windy day like us it’s great fun as you put you face into the wind and power up it.
It was rather a quick trip to Bluff. I have to admit we were a bit like that at the other end too with Cape Reinga. The two spots share a lot in common being fiercely beautiful and rugged and really are those places as Kiwi’s that we really must see.