3. Port Hills
To the south of Christchurch is the port at Lyttleton. It's ringed
by hills formed by a now extinct volcano. These Port Hills are close
to Christchurch, and offer a number of walking tracks. I walked up
over the Bridle Path, which was one of the early routes into
Christchurch from the port at Lyttleton. It was a moderate climb,
taking a couple of hours to get over across to the other side.
In the view back over Christchurch you can see right up along the
coast, but its more the hills themselves that are the show.
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| Port Hills |
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| Sheep on Port Hills |
Lyttleton harbour feels quite characteristic of the south island of
New Zealand. It's somewhat relaxed and in a bold natural setting.
The harbour ringed by the barren hills is quite a sight, and it's the
type of scene you are immersed in.
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| Lyttleton Harbour |
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| Lyttleton |
As I was there, a change in the weather was coming through, and this
included a series of clouds with a striking similarity to airships.
That added something else to the character of the harbourside. Not
that the port itself was without character - the bright colouring of
the containers and crane give it almost a model-like look against the
backdrop of the hills behind.
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| Lyttleton Harbour |
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| Lyttleton Port |
The township itself has quite a pleasant small-town feel. It's hemmed
in by the steep-sided hills on three sides, and the harbour on the
forth.
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| Lyttleton |