Thames & The Coromandel Peninsula
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Cotswold Cottage is situated in one of the most picturesque parts of New Zealand. Take advantage of the many cheap flights on offer and join us for a tour or stay at Cotswold Cottage.
Cotswold Cottage – set elegantly on a bend of the Kauaeranga River overlooking the sea waters of the Firth of Thames and the Kauaeranga River Valley with views as far as the Pinnacles Ranges.
"If any one man won the battle of Britain, he did. I do not believe it is realized how much that one man, with his leadership, his calm judgement and his skill, did to save, not only this country, but the world." |
The land here was farmed by the Voykovich family from Dalmatia in Yugoslavia for over 50 years (now Croatia), until 1954 when they converted it to a superb orchard, famed locally for its quality, producing grapes, apples, apricots, plums and citrus.
They sold the land in 1981 to Heather and Bruce Phillips who moved Cotswold Cottage in 1991 from Epsom in Auckland were it was originally sited, to its present site in Totara, Thames.
Cotswold Cottage was named by the original owners who had emigrated from England in the early 1900's and it seemed fitting for Heather to keep the name. Heather and Bruce then spent a year restoring and converting it and in 1992 opened it as a fully restored Boutique Hotel and Restaurant.
In 2000 it was sold again and this time closed as a restaurant and ran solely as a Bed and Breakfast business.
In 2007 Graham and Jacqui purchased Cotswold cottage and set about again restoring it, and the large one acre plus garden, back to its former glory. It now runs as a small luxury country house hotel providing full bed and breakfast service with speciality evening meals and all the little touches today's traveler expects.
Whether you are self drive tourists, free independent travellers, wine touring or on a walking holiday, Thames has something to offer you.
As travellers you may be following the Pacific Coast Highway, as yet an underdeveloped scenic route following the coast from Auckland along the Eastern sea board and meeting up with the Thermal highway that ends at Rotorua, (where there is a good airport to fly to the South Island or other destinations).
This beautiful area is relatively unknown in the major tourist market and as a result is very much unspoilt by the mass tourism of other areas and yet has all of the qualities they possess. The Coromandel is as beautiful as the Bay of Islands and has many activities such as sea kayaking, cave cruising, scenic boat trips, diving, surfing, fishing, walking and bird watching.
Whether you are from the UK, the USA, Europe, Australia or Asia, there is always plenty to occupy you in Thames and a warm welcome for you at Cotswold Cottage Bed and Breakfast New Zealand.
From Cotswold Cottage it is only 5 minutes to the historic gold mining and colonial architectural town of Thames with a good selection of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars as well as the School of Mining Museum, the Historical Museum and a lovely coastal walk which meanders from the town along the coast passing mangroves and bird sanctuaries and ending at a lovely bay.
Also just minutes
from Cotswold cottage Bed and Breakfast is the Kauaeranga Valley Road which enters the heart of the Coromandel Forest Park an - area of
magnificent scenery, crystal clear waterfalls and rivers, prolific
native bird life and picnic places.
There are over 20 walks and tracks catering for everyone of all ages and levels of fitness.
The Pinnacles are one of New Zealand's best and there is
abseiling, cannoning adventures, jumps and climbing all only minutes
from the comfort of Cotswold Cottage.
Cotswold cottage is also only minutes from the Golf Course and a short drive to the local thermal pools.
Cotswold Cottage is within easy driving distance of all the Coromandel Peninsula - the perfect base to explore all that this beautiful area has to offer.
Things to do:
Beaches |
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For children |
Waiau Waterworks www.waiauwaterworks.co.nz |
Butterfly and Orchid House www.butterfly.co.nz |
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Thames small gauge railway - historical interest |
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Historical walks around Thames |
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Thames School of Mines museum |
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Historical Interest |
Historical Walks around Thames |
Thames School of Mines Museum |
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The Goldmine Experience |
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Thames Historical Museum |
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Thames Heritage Collective - <<CLICK HERE FOR THE GOLDEN FOUR>> |
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For bird lovers |
Thames Bird Hide |
Fishing/Cruising Charters (Contact Jacqui to arrange this for you) |
The boat "Fish 4 T" owned and operated by Thames Charters and based between Thames and Coromandel, is a multi purpose 8m boat that can comfortably fish 6 anglers. There is a toilet and shelter on board. Specialising in Fishing, Diving, Cruising or Sightseeing. Trev (the skipper) has 30 years experience fishing the abundant waters of the beautiful scenic Firth of Thames and knows the local fishing spots. At all times the comfort, safety and enjoyment of the clients is of utmost importance, whether fishing, diving or just enjoying the beauty on a scenic cruise. www.thamescharters.co.nz |
Kauaeranga River Trout Fishing |
The Kauaeranga River begins its life in the Coromandel Ranges and flows towards the Firth of Thames. This is a beautiful river with clearwater and a boulder/cobble bed. Excellent access is provided by the Kauaeranga River Valley Road which runs alongside the river for much of its length. The scenery is stunning with the surrounding forest and rugged mountains of the Coromandel Forest Park. Rainbow Trout are abundant in the upper reaches of the Kauaeranga River and although a high catch rate is often achieved, these trout are generally small. Most anglers therefore fish the middle reaches which hold fewer, but larger fish (average 0.75 – 1 kg). In mid-summer, algal blooms can be frustrating for fly fishers using nymphs, however dry flies are often very effective. (information courtesy of New Zealand's fish and game website) Fishing Licences may be purchased on line using your credit card or at the Outdoor Shop in Thames. |
Tours |
Cycling and Treks, and Mountain bike hire. Eyez Open Adventure Company Limited |
The 2010 Whitianga Scallop Festival will be bigger and better than ever.
The 2010 Festival dates are still to be confirmed (August) and will once again see over 60 cuisine stands turning out mouth-watering dishes. Entertainment from ionic New Zealand performers and seafood cooking demonstrations will round out what organisers expect to be another very successful celebration.
A great line up of events are in the pipeline for the three days leading up to the festival including entertainment, live cooking demonstrations, scallop shucking shows and competitions.
<<Click Here For Our Scallop Festival Special Offer>>
30 October 2010 - K2 CYCLE THE BIG ONE
Stay at Cotswold Cottage luxury Country House bed and breakfast while partaking in or watching one of New Zealands toughest one day cycle races!
Make it a great weekend and choose Cotswold Cottage bed and breakfast. Enjoy full bed and breakfast and a hot spa to ease the aching muscles!
HOST DINNERS AVAILABLE BY ARRANGEMENT
MAKE IT A MINI BREAK ... Stay 2 nights and enjoy all the Coromandel has to offer ...
The K2 is the toughest one day cycle challenge in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also one of the most scenic and varied with the route traveling through sub tropical forest, pacific coastlines, rural farmland and the Pohutakawa coastline of the Hauraki Gulf
It Is not to be missed ...
This years race marks the 9th anniversary of the K2 and this year the race will start in Coromandel and travel in an anticlockwise direction through, Thames, Tairua, Whitianga and back to Coromandel
The K2 takes its name from the Coromandel township of Kuaotunu, an enchanting community on the wild eastern coastline of the Coromandel Peninsula. In Maori "Kuaotunu" means "to inspire fear in young animals". With 2300 metres of up hill climbing the K2 race promises to do just that and more.
The 2 represents the almost 200km that the ride will cover. Like the K2 the k2 mountain is the 2nd highest, and probably the most difficult to climb, mountain in the World. This 200km solo race is without doubt the toughest one day road cycle race in the Southern hemisphere.
The event is also unique and growing in popularity every year
It is four continuous stages and starts in a new town each year.
This event continues to attract some of the best like Sarah Ulmer, along with people who do it for the challenge. The locals and tourists on the Coromandel come out in droves to support and cheer the 1000 odd cyclists on along the way. They know too well that this is no walk in the park.
The K2 has two starts:
The K2 Mens Elite Race – Starts at 7:45am - This race is for professional and semi professional riders who are likely to complete the K2 course in less than 6 hours.
The K2 – Main Race – Starts at 8.00am - This race is for the weekend warriors and recreational riders.
The race is limited to riders of 16 and over.
Held in the popular seaside holiday resort of Whangamata the 5 day festival celebrates the music, culture, fashion, hot rods, motorbikes, dancing, dragsters, scooters of this golden era. The festival has grown from 4,000 to over 70,000 people in just 5 years. This makes it one of the largest events of its kind in the world. All proceeds raised are donated to emergency services in the area. Come along and enjoy all the non stop action!
<<Click on images for a larger view>>
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Check out the website www.beachhop.co.nz
The Pinnacles - Voted 67th of the 101 Must Do's for Kiwis
MAKE IT A REAL EVENT AND STAY THE NIGHT BEFORE AND AFTER THE WALK AT COTSWOLD COTTAGE
The stunning Kaueranga Valley, located upriver from Thames is one of New Zealand’s true hidden treasures. Of the many popular historic walks in the foothills of the valley, the Pinnacles walk rates as one of New Zealand’s most popular overnighters, with an 80 bed DoC hut often booked out well in advance.
The Pinnacles Walk follows the original steps constructed for packhorses which carried supplies for kauri loggers, gum diggers and gold miners who plundered the area in the early 1900’s.
The stunning 3 hour walk to the base of the craggy Pinnacles traverses through groves of nikau palms, huge rata trees, and across streams and swingbridges. Crossing the streams you can imagine the roar of huge torrents of water and logs rushing past as the kauri dams upstream were released sending thousands of huge kauri logs downstream towards Thames.
On the return walk you can follow the Billygoat tramline which also transported logs from the hills, past the Short Trestle and Billygoat falls before emerging back at the Kaueranga River.
Reaching the summit of the Pinnacles should be something every Kiwi does at least once!
The Coromandel is a walker's dream with a centre dominated by a range of jagged mountains and its fringes scattered with picturesque coves and beaches.
The mountains are remnant of the Coromandel's volcanic past and are largely covered in regenerating native bush recovering from the pioneering past. In the later part of the 1800's gold was discovered in the Coromandel area - between 1862 and 1952 it has been reported that 16 million tones of ore were mined from Coromandel goldfields.
One of the more recent gold mining towns is Waihi. Waihi is still a rich gold mining town, producing most of New Zealand’s gold and silver bullion. Enjoy exploring Waihi and the Karangahake Gorge also rich in goldmining history.
Kauri logging was also a major industry in early pioneering days of the Coromandel and the hills filled with huge kauri tree all but disappeared off the peninsula. As a result of this past many of the walks in the area are steeped in gold mining and kauri logging history.
Evidence of some of the earliest Polynesian settlement in New Zealand exists on the Coromandel. Historical interest points exist around every corner, telling the stories of the two great navigators Kupe and Cook and those who followed in their footsteps. Centuries old Maori Village Sites dot the coast and wonderful remnants of our culture and pioneering past are waiting to be explored.
with grateful thanks to Coromandel Tourism
THE WAIHI GOLD MINE TOUR
This is a must do for those wanting to get up close and personal with a modern day working gold mine.
This tour is a very special one taking you into areas that are normally off limited to the general public (you are fitted out with all safety equipment)
The tour takes you to see every stage of the process from extraction to final processing.
The tour departs daily from Waihi at 9.30am and 12.30pm and must be pre-booked at least 24 hours in advance.
Let us arrange your tickets and transport to the mine while you stay at Cotswold Cottage.
The Mine has a history that spans three centuries. John McCombie and Robert Lee first discovered gold on Pukewa (Martha Hill) in 1878. Martha Mine quickly became one of the most important gold mines in the world. By 1952, when the mighty Martha Mine closed, 174,160kg of gold and 1,193,180kg of silver had been extracted.
The deepest vertical shaft plunged 600m from the surface. Radiating from the seven vertical shafts, a 175km long network of tunnels was opened on 15 horizontal levels. About 600 men usually worked the mine but in 1909, when gold production peaked, 1500 people worked between the mine and its stamper battery at Waikino.
Following the resurgence of the gold mining industry in New Zealand in the late 1970s the new Martha project was the first major hard rock mining operation to be commissioned. Opening in 1987, the open pit was extended in 1997 and an underground operation on the outskirts of town also began operation in 2006.
Taking time off, Jacqui was lucky enough to meet the Coromandel Icon and creator of Driving Creek Railway - Barry Brickell. Driving Creek Railway is a must to visit while your staying at Cotswold Cottage.
<<Click on image for a larger view>>
Miranda is a fantastic sea bird center and a great place to visit while you are staying at Cotswold Cottage and only a few minutes from the thermal pools too.
Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway
The Karangahake Gorge Historical Walkway is situated off State Highway 2 between Paeroa and Waihi. It follows the Ohinemuri River as it tumbles over rocks and boulders through the steep-sided Karangahake Gorge. Gold mining relics and the natural beauty of the landscape make this a very memorable walk.
Part of the walkway is along the route of an old railway line that followed the riverbank through the gorge. It crosses three bridges and includes a two kilometre loop section that offers the chance to walk through an 1100 metre tunnel. The railway line was closed in 1979, allowing visitors to access the historical sites associated with gold mining. As you walk along this scenic gorge you can feel the past all around you.
In the early 1900's the townships of Karangahake, Owharoa and Waikino were important mining centres with large batteries to crush and treat gold-bearing quartz from local mines.
The Karangahake Gorge Historic Walkway is seven kilometres long and takes about two hours one way. Allow 45 minutes for the loop section. The Crown Tramway Track and Windows Walk lead off the walkway. A guide to the walks is also available.
Just a 60 minute drive from Cotswold Cottage, walk in the footsteps of Prince Caspian of Narnia and enjoy one of Jacqui's special picnics on the beach, swim in the safe crystal clear waters or simply enjoy the stunning scenery while strolling the coastal walk ... whatever you do, don't miss this stunning location and all only a short drive from the comfort of Cotswold Cottage. Useful Links
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