OUTSTANDING VIEWS, MUDDY PUDDLES AND ANIMAL GAMES
11 DECEMBER 2023
The Unspoiled Wonders Of Marlborough
The Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand are a breathtaking labyrinth of waterways, dense forests and steep hills that create one beautiful landscape! There are secluded bays, hidden cove and crystal-clear waters that all seem untouched by time, which is why we love visiting Picton when we're in staying in Marlborough.
The Snout Track is a wonderful 8.4km return track in Picton, for both hikers and bikers, and from the minute you step out of the car at the carpark, you're greeted with the most insaaaaaane views!! I'd recommend heading to the carpark even if you don't have time to do the hike! The views are actually better here than at the end of the track, because it's up a lot higher, but don't let this put you off from doing the hike as it's still really beautiful and there are multiple viewpoints along the way.
Arabella had stayed behind for this hike, so it was just me, Lath, Sienna and Slothy (I'm sure you can guess who that is, by looking at the photos). Off we went, with clothes for hot weather packed into our backpack (because you never know what to wear on hikes in NZ as the weather changes so much!), lunch, plenty of water and of course, my camera. It was a really chilly start to the day and there was even a dusting of snow on the hills in the distance which was so exciting to see!
The first part of the track is out in the open and on a clear day you get views all across the Sounds which is the best time to do this track but it's not always so easy to plan a fine day if you're in the area for a short time. Looking out at the Sounds is really peaceful, the water is so blue and the trees are so dense and green... it's as if time has stood still, as everything remains so untouched.
The Snout Track is a wonderful 8.4km return track in Picton, for both hikers and bikers, and from the minute you step out of the car at the carpark, you're greeted with the most insaaaaaane views!! I'd recommend heading to the carpark even if you don't have time to do the hike! The views are actually better here than at the end of the track, because it's up a lot higher, but don't let this put you off from doing the hike as it's still really beautiful and there are multiple viewpoints along the way.
Arabella had stayed behind for this hike, so it was just me, Lath, Sienna and Slothy (I'm sure you can guess who that is, by looking at the photos). Off we went, with clothes for hot weather packed into our backpack (because you never know what to wear on hikes in NZ as the weather changes so much!), lunch, plenty of water and of course, my camera. It was a really chilly start to the day and there was even a dusting of snow on the hills in the distance which was so exciting to see!
The first part of the track is out in the open and on a clear day you get views all across the Sounds which is the best time to do this track but it's not always so easy to plan a fine day if you're in the area for a short time. Looking out at the Sounds is really peaceful, the water is so blue and the trees are so dense and green... it's as if time has stood still, as everything remains so untouched.
View from the carpark, can you believe it?
View from the carpark
View from the carpark
Views of Waikawa
It was a chilly start to the day as you can see by the snow on the hills
Help! I'm Running Out Of Animals!
Most of the track is undercover in the bush which is just green, green, green! The track isn't difficult and the path is made up of dirt and leaves, but it is mostly downhill to Snout Point... which means mostly uphill on the way back! Some parts of the track are shared with mountain bikers, so if there is a crossroads then you need to look before you cross because no one wants to be hit by a speeding maniac heading down the hill! We were thankful for the tree coverings as it ended up being really hot.
Every now and then we would come to a small clearing in the trees to look out across the ocean and the Sounds. There were plenty of boats zooming about which isn't surprising as it was such a mint day. We even saw the Bluebridge ferry come in - this is the ship we came over to Picton in, from the North Island.
We did the track in spring and found the track to be suuuper muddy in some places, so we had to stick to the side of the track in a few places or it would have been squishy central for the rest of the hike. It must be something to do with the land in Picton as the same thing happened on the track of the Tirohanga Track in Picton when we did it in the height of summer - by the way, we highly recommend this track if it's the only track you do in Picton, the views are unreal as the viewpoint is so high up!
Slothy being Slothy, decided to hang out in the trees... Sienna thought it was hilarious! We have been hiking with the girls all over New Zealand and we have leant that it's beneficial all round if we make the hikes really fun by stopping and letting the kids explore or in this case, let Sienna be silly with her teddy for a while. Another example is on the way back to the carpark, we needed to keep Sienna entertained (hiking with kids can have its moments!), so we ended up playing guess the animal for TWO WHOLE HOURS!!! I was completely wiped from all the guessing, but it kept her happy and she wanted to keep playing even when we got into the car.
Every now and then we would come to a small clearing in the trees to look out across the ocean and the Sounds. There were plenty of boats zooming about which isn't surprising as it was such a mint day. We even saw the Bluebridge ferry come in - this is the ship we came over to Picton in, from the North Island.
We did the track in spring and found the track to be suuuper muddy in some places, so we had to stick to the side of the track in a few places or it would have been squishy central for the rest of the hike. It must be something to do with the land in Picton as the same thing happened on the track of the Tirohanga Track in Picton when we did it in the height of summer - by the way, we highly recommend this track if it's the only track you do in Picton, the views are unreal as the viewpoint is so high up!
Slothy being Slothy, decided to hang out in the trees... Sienna thought it was hilarious! We have been hiking with the girls all over New Zealand and we have leant that it's beneficial all round if we make the hikes really fun by stopping and letting the kids explore or in this case, let Sienna be silly with her teddy for a while. Another example is on the way back to the carpark, we needed to keep Sienna entertained (hiking with kids can have its moments!), so we ended up playing guess the animal for TWO WHOLE HOURS!!! I was completely wiped from all the guessing, but it kept her happy and she wanted to keep playing even when we got into the car.
Queen Charlotte View
One of the iconic features of the Marlborough Sounds is the Queen Charlotte Track (which is a 71km hike and one we plan to do!) and there is a great viewpoint of this around 2.5kms into the Snout Track.
The trees make way for a clearing which is an ideal spot for a wee break... and literally a wee break as there is a toilet here, plus a picnic table. I admit, I used the picnic table more to stand on than to eat from as the trees are getting taller and therefore the view of the Queen Charlotte Track smaller!
We had a small break here each way and Sienna even did a little photoshoot with Slothy... what do you think? A travel photographer in the making?
From here, the track goes downhill until Snout Point, which makes it an ideal spot to turn around if you are short on time or feel like you've had enough views of the Marlborough Sounds for the day (said no one ever).
The trees make way for a clearing which is an ideal spot for a wee break... and literally a wee break as there is a toilet here, plus a picnic table. I admit, I used the picnic table more to stand on than to eat from as the trees are getting taller and therefore the view of the Queen Charlotte Track smaller!
We had a small break here each way and Sienna even did a little photoshoot with Slothy... what do you think? A travel photographer in the making?
From here, the track goes downhill until Snout Point, which makes it an ideal spot to turn around if you are short on time or feel like you've had enough views of the Marlborough Sounds for the day (said no one ever).
What do you think of Sienna's photos of Slothy?
Can You Find The Rope?
After 2 hours, we made it to Snout Point where we came to a clearing above a cliff. It wasn't a huge space but enough for 5 groups that were there to have enough space to themselves to relax. We thought that we would be able to get to the water from here, as we didn't realise it would end at a cliff, but it would have been a scramble to get down to. It's a shame as the water was soooo incredibly clear and it looked so inviting! I did read that there is a rope or rope ladder somewhere on the cliff that people use to get down to the water which is pretty awesome if you're fit and able as that water looks SO inviting!
We set up a little picnic of baguettes with cheese, salami and pesto (yum!) and some fruit, and enjoyed sitting in the warm sun. We didn't find it super relaxing here, only because there were so many people! I can't remember which day we went, but I am guessing it was a weekend and this is why it was so busy. Plus, we were on a cliff and it's never that relaxing having kids near a cliff is it?
We set up a little picnic of baguettes with cheese, salami and pesto (yum!) and some fruit, and enjoyed sitting in the warm sun. We didn't find it super relaxing here, only because there were so many people! I can't remember which day we went, but I am guessing it was a weekend and this is why it was so busy. Plus, we were on a cliff and it's never that relaxing having kids near a cliff is it?
Know Before You Go
- The track is 8.4kms return from the Snout Track Carpark at the Victoria Domain. It took us 4 hours to complete
- If you're short on time, the views from the Queen Charlotte View lookout are worth heading to and this is around 2.5kms into the track
- The track is mostly undercover in the bush
- The track can get super muddy in places
- Some parts of the track are shared or cross over with bikers
- There are toilets at the Queen Charlotte View lookout
- We recommend doing this track on a clear day otherwise you won't be getting any views on a rainy day, it will just be a walk through the bush!
How To Get To The Snout Track In Picton
The track starts in the Victoria Domain in Picton, click here for the carpark location on Google Maps. There is plenty of parking here and be sure to enjoy the views before you start the hike!
Conclusion
We really enjoyed the Snout Track in Picton. It has beautiful views of the Sounds and the bush walk was a great relief as the day got hotter which made the 4 hour hike comfortable. We enjoyed the blue water and green trees everywhere we looked and we were surprised at how clear the water was out at the point. Our favourite part though, was the views at the Snout Track carpark, would you believe it?
Gallery of the Snout Track
Check out the rest of the awesomeness that didn't make it to the main blog but deserves to be shown.
More to do in New Zealand
CABLE BAY
NELSON TASMAN Cable Bay in Nelson is a slice of paradise – from its turquoise waters and breathtaking views to the untouched essence of New Zealand nature.
|
HOKITIKA GORGE
WEST COAST Take the short or longer walk through the Hokitika Gorge over bridges and marvel at the BLUE glacier fed river.
|
HOKITIKA BEACH
WEST COAST A popular beach on the West Coast where you can find greenstone, make driftwood huts and even see seals!
|
SEND US A MESSAGE, WE LOVE GETTING MAIL! |
DISCOVER |
FOLLOW USBORING (BUT IMPORTANT LEGAL) STUFF |