Taylors Mistake

Bridget:

Yesterday was New Zealand’s Labour Day. Somehow, Craig and I both managed to find ourselves with the day off, so we were finally able to get out and do some sightseeing. We headed to the coast to do a short hike around the cliffs leading to a little beach called Taylors Mistake, a quiet beach nestled in between the mountains but still a popular spot among surfers. (Update:  I recently came across this on another NZ blog:  "I read somewhere that Taylors Mistake (Maori name "Te Onepoto") was named after Captain Taylor who mistook the little bay to be an entrance to Lyttleton Harbour or possibly Sumner Bay.")

We hopped on the bus to Sumner and then walked along the boardwalk or “promenade” to the Scarborough Beach area and on up the mountain. The trail follows the edge of the cliffs taking in some stunning views of the coast and spring wildflowers, then leads down to the small beach of Taylors Mistake.

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We were lucky with the weather…the forecast was calling for a cold front and rain, but that didn’t hit Christchurch until around 5 or 6 that night.   Most of the day it was sunny and around 13 degrees C which would be somewhere in the 50s F.  Here are a few pics from the trip:

Scarborough Beach and Bachs (Holiday Homes)

The view of Sumner looking back down from the first climb

Beautiful Cliffs

Wildflowers called “Pride of Madeira” -  we saw these everywhere along the trail.

View from the top of Scarborough Walk

(Taylors Mistake is tucked away just beyond the first cliff).

Wildlife!!! 

Ok, not really...the trail actually leads through someone's backyard who raises donkeys.  There is a gate and sign on either side of the property asking you to please shut the gate after passing through to keep the "stock" in.

A few quaint beach homes at Taylors Mistake.

Beautiful beach at Taylors Mistake.

Gorgeous wildflowers spotting the hills.

Craig and I on the "tramp" back.

A few surfers (in wetsuits, of course) catching waves at Scarborough Beach.