Cave Stream awe-inspiring
Even at the height of summer, walking Cave Stream is chilly.
The natural attraction has drawn Cantabrians for years, as it’s a convenient hour-and-a-half drive inland from Christchurch, near Castle Hill Village.
Once at the car park off State Highway 73, a few minutes drive north of the village, it’s a short walk to the downstream entrance of the cave – the recommended entrance for safety and ease.
The Cave Stream walk requires little preparation. Signage at the cave mouth states that caving is ‘‘dark, cold and wet’’, a succinct description. What it fails to mention is the awe-inspiring entrance. No photo can do the gaping hillside hole justice.
Armed with sturdy footwear and headlamps, although handheld torches would do the trick, any amateur adventurer should feel confident to tackle the hour-long underground walk. Warm clothes are recommended and a helmet is advised.
The water at the entrance is the cave’s deepest. If it’s above the waist of an average adult, turning back is recommended. It’s also not advisable to enter if there has been significant rainfall or it looks like the cave might be flooded. If the water is discoloured or foaming, walk away. Debris in the stream is also a sign of danger.
The initial chill of the alpine water can take a moment to wear off, but once your legs have regained feeling and your breathing has levelled out, it can feel like you are the first to have ever strode inside.
Water rushes around your feet as you make your way up the slow incline. For much of the hour-long walk, the cave roof is several metres above your head. During one of the flatter parts, try stopping and turning your torch off to become enveloped in darkness.
There are about six small waterfalls to scale, including the last where a metal ladder has been installed.
For the spiritually inclined, emerging from the cave into the sunlight can feel like a rebirth of sorts. For the more nervous adventurers, it can bring about a sense of relief the earth failed to collapse on you as you wound your way underground, a place wholly inappropriate for humans.
Do not wear your Sunday best when doing this walk. It could be considered more of a swim than a walk, so have a towel and dry clothes ready in the car, a short walk from the upstream exit.
Rental baches aplenty are available at Castle Hill Village, which was established as a regional recreation base in 1982 by John Reid, who owned Castle Hill Station at the time.
Should the cave be out of action, the nearby rock formations at Castle Hill are famous for offering idyllic, often zen-like walks between them. Rock climbers the world over descend on the hillside for arguably the best bouldering in the world. It was also the setting for an epic battle scene in the Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe film.
Regardless of your intention, Castle Hill and its surrounds are unique both above and below ground. Do yourself a favour and get there.
"Emerging from the cave into the sunlight can feel like a rebirth."