Akaroa Short Walk

This short walk takes around an hour, depending on how long you wish to spend reading the engrossing gravestones or wandering in the subdued light of the Garden of Tane.

Start at the wharf. Look at the little building on the right with the orange tiled roof.

Now a souvenir shop, it was:

The Weighbridge Carts used to line up in front of this building to collect and weigh coal dumped on the wharf.

Walking on the right hand side of Beach Road you pass:

**The Britomart Gun **

The warship Britomart came to Akaroa in 1840 to assert British sovereignty over the area where the French wanted to establish a colony. The 1808 field gun was part of the ship's weaponry.

Pass the yacht clubs and stop to look at:

**The Lighthouse (1878) **

Originally on Akaroa Heads, the lighthouse adds to the picturesque views of the harbour. Continue along the foreshore to the sign for:

**The Britomart Memorial **

The memorial is uninspiring, but the views are impressive. The raising of the Union Jack here on 11 August 1840 put paid to the French hopes of colonising the area.

Retrace your steps to the lighthouse. Across the road, a path takes you into:

The Akaroa Cemetery

Reading old gravestones conjures up something of the lives of the earlier settlers.

From the cemetery you can enter:

The Garden of Tane

Tane is the Maori god of the forest. In 'his' garden, you can enjoy over 200 varieties of native trees as well as long-established exotics. Wander where your fancy takes you, listening to the songs of the birds. Just head downhill if you feel you've lost your way in the maze of tracks; you'll reach the road in a few minutes.