Over the Rocks and Through the Cavestream - greatest family adventure EVER

In line with our desire to visit scenic outdoor movie sets, we traveled next to Castle Hill, the setting for the climactic battle scene in the “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” from the Narnia movies.  This beautiful location was recommended highly by our guidebook, “NZ Frenzy.” Located in the Canterbury high country and just off the state highway, it is a gorgeous green ridge spotted with a crazy maze of huge limestone boulders and spires. These rock formations are the water-eroded remnants of limestone from the time when NZ was covered by water.  We could see why the producers chose such a dramatic backdrop for the war scene. The location had a mystical feel to it.  It is a place of spiritual significance to the local Maori and hidden among the rock outcrops are 500 year charcoal drawings thought to have been created by the Waitaha, the first people known to have lived in the area.  (We did not see the cave drawings however.)

It is a vast natural playground with a few established trails but the whole place was really just a big maze of decide-for-yourself-here-you-want-to-go hiking trails.  Who needs a plastic playset when you have God’s wonderland of climbable rocks and tussock to explore? You can, and we did, spend hours clambering on top of and meandering through the maze of uniquely shaped boulders.

Pete thought it would be an awesome place to train for cross country running since kids would probably run and run for hours before realizing they were tired.  The kids thought it would just be a great place to play hide and seek. 

Jen tried to get the kids to reenact the movie again but since there were other trampers out and about they refused. Still, check this picture out and see if it is not very reminiscent of the final battle scene. Try to imagine the children of Narnia along with their animal friends fighting against the White Witch amidst the setting of the strange looking rocks. 

Castle Hill is also known for its world class bouldering and rock climbing and we spotted a number of climbing routes designated by the bolts in the rock.  

Here is one last picture of the happy couple.

We wish we could have stayed longer, but with evening coming and feeling the need to get moving toward our camp spot, we left. We planned to just keep driving but five minutes or so later, Jen convinced us to stop and take a peek at the entrance to "the Cave Stream".  This was the next entry in “NZ Frenzy” and although the author described it is a truly Kiwi experience not to be missed, we were a bit put off at the idea of wading through waist high, freezing cold water while walking upstream through a pitch black cave. We stopped in the carpark and hiked the 1/2 mile down to the cave entrance where we met two German girls (are there any 20 something Germans left in Germany or are they all here vacationing in NZ?) who raved about the awesomeness of the cave.  So we tramped back up to the car and changed into bathing suits, grabbed our headlamps and embarked on what was to be one of the greatest family adventures ever! 

The entrance of the cave was deceivingly innocent. It was about 20 feet high, brightly lit with an ankle deep stream of cool water trickling out of the opening.  

Off we set, Lauryn and Kendra in the lead holding the GoPro, followed by Jen and then Pete who had a firm hold of Lindsay’s arm. Or Lindsay had a firm hold of his arm, we aren’t sure which!  The cave quickly got darker, colder, and wetter.  Within 20 feet the icy stream all of a sudden got, not waist, but chest high and Lindsay’s feet could no longer touch bottom to keep her head above the rushing water.  Our voices echoed around as we tried to guide the person behind us in order to avoid loose rocks or steeper ledges.  The cave walls narrowed down threateningly, the amount of light became limited to our "torches" and the speed of the water picked up alarmingly.  Pete took a stronger hold of Lindsay (or vice versa as Pete felt a growing alarm).  

We would go in and out of knee or ankle deep water most of the way with a few higher spots, and Occasionally the current would become even fiercer, we were very much in total darkness except for the small lamps, and the water was producing a kind of hypothermic chill.  So it was very challenging.  

We knew we were about 2/3 of the way there when we came across several ledges four feet or so in height that we had to boost ourselves up over.  Lindsay was particularly brave and though she had some issues getting past this spot, was able to do so through the strong current.  

Then we spied the end of the journey- a metal ladder drilled into the rock.  One by one we clambered up the ladder, then got on our bellies to scoot under an overhang and then emerged from the cave exit, wet but exhilarated at experiencing such a unique Kiwi-style adventure.   

The whole journey took us about 45 minutes to an hour from entrance to exit, and consists of 594 meters of caving in a river.  To verify that what we are describing is actually there (since we are not posting any pictures) we are posting the URL addresses to the DOC site and another to the brochure below.  It has info and great pictures of the "tramp" including warnings of what to expect. 

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/canterbury/places/cave-stream-scenic-reserve/things-to-do/cave-stream-tracks-and-cave-walk/  

http://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/parks-and-recreation/places-to-visit/canterbury/waimakariri/cave-stream-brochure2009.pdf

This was a particularly insane and fun experience -  combining a cave with a rushing river and then just allowing people to go explore it on their own?  Totally nuts.  But so fun!  None of us were keen to go back in there that night, but I think we all agreed this has to be the most memorable thing we have ever done as a family!  If you ever get near Arthur's Pass and want a serious challenge, hike the cave stream!