Walk from Taylor’s to Godley Head offers overwhelming views
There was a time when New Zealand was gearing up for invasion. Threats from WWII foes kicked off the frenzied construction of coastal batteries around the country.
Years later, in a time of relative world peace, we have the chance to amble quietly among buildings designed for defence and destruction.
One of the best examples of Kiwi coastal defences is Godley Head, less than an hour’s drive from central Christchurch. Built in 1939 and closed in 1963, the sprawling complex once housed 400 men and women in what was essentially a self-contained community.
There are several ways to get to Godley Head. We took what is considered the most popular, the walk from Te Onepoto/Taylors Mistake. The Department of Conservation (DOC) suggests three hours for the round trip, which took us along a winding coast walk, past penguins and historic baches. It is also possible to drive to the site along Summit Rd.
From behind some of the more precariously perched baches, a track quickly ascends to give perspective back over the bustling surf beach. The track winds through long grasses, dropping down in places behind sheer cliffs as waves crash on rocks below.
Before long the green buildings of Godley Head appear above the rolling hills. The views by this stage are near-on overwhelming, the area well-known before the war for its vantage point to guide ships into Lyttelton Harbour using the Godley Head lighthouse. The structure was damaged in the 2011 earthquakes and is no longer accessible.
A campsite among the buildings was opened by DOC in October 2016, offering tent campers and motorhome dwellers the chance to lap up the views at all times of the day. Having visited in the early afternoon, we could only imagine the sunrise and sunset delights awaiting overnight visitors.
We set up camp on a concrete platform for lunch, looking out over the heads towards the northern bays of Banks Peninsula.
I imagine our hot dogs from a thermos differed greatly from what was served in the mess in the 1940s, and we made a point to count our blessings. Next time we will be in a tent.