Post by jonsdigs on Jan 6, 2007 8:55:48 GMT -5
Climber high on Golden Bay
By HAYLEY GALE - The Nelson Mail (NZ)
Friday, 5 January 2007
Dunedin's Jolyon White is spending most of his three week holiday in Golden Bay off the ground.
For him, one of the main attractions of the bay is the internationally known Paynes Ford "crag" just outside Takaka.
"The crag has literally hundreds of climbs of all grades. It's a great place, surrounded by native bush," said Jolyon, 33, a qualified rock climbing instructor and electrician.
The limestone rock in Golden Bay has a different quality to the rocks down south, he says, and Paynes Ford is a well-developed site, with bolts already in place on the rock, making it popular with sports climbers.
"Rock climbing offers a complete physical and mental challenge and it can also be quite meditative, nothing but you and the rock and the moves," he said.
On holiday on his own, he is staying at Hang Dog campsite, just a stone's throw from the "crag".
"Most of the campers are climbers themselves so there is never a shortage of people to climb with. There's also a really good social scene," Jolyon says.
Having lived in Takaka for three years in the past, Jolyon is already familiar with Golden Bay's outdoor attractions. When he's not climbing at Paynes Ford he's doing some other outdoor activity such as swimming or caving. An experienced caver as well as rock climber, he has even ventured down into Harwood's Hole, New Zealand's largest sinkhole.
"I love the environment of Golden Bay," he said.
Article
By HAYLEY GALE - The Nelson Mail (NZ)
Friday, 5 January 2007
Dunedin's Jolyon White is spending most of his three week holiday in Golden Bay off the ground.
For him, one of the main attractions of the bay is the internationally known Paynes Ford "crag" just outside Takaka.
"The crag has literally hundreds of climbs of all grades. It's a great place, surrounded by native bush," said Jolyon, 33, a qualified rock climbing instructor and electrician.
The limestone rock in Golden Bay has a different quality to the rocks down south, he says, and Paynes Ford is a well-developed site, with bolts already in place on the rock, making it popular with sports climbers.
"Rock climbing offers a complete physical and mental challenge and it can also be quite meditative, nothing but you and the rock and the moves," he said.
On holiday on his own, he is staying at Hang Dog campsite, just a stone's throw from the "crag".
"Most of the campers are climbers themselves so there is never a shortage of people to climb with. There's also a really good social scene," Jolyon says.
Having lived in Takaka for three years in the past, Jolyon is already familiar with Golden Bay's outdoor attractions. When he's not climbing at Paynes Ford he's doing some other outdoor activity such as swimming or caving. An experienced caver as well as rock climber, he has even ventured down into Harwood's Hole, New Zealand's largest sinkhole.
"I love the environment of Golden Bay," he said.
Article