Blue Duck Station

Fabulous few days with Mel & Eve, Dan & Blue, Ken & Alex - stayed at Blue Duck Lodge and River Lodge and loved the accommo and meals. Walking was a grind for us oldies on day one but routes were easily sorted by the very capable Mel. Bit of rain second day but 7 ks in the lads picked us up in a 4 wheel drive buggy and took us to the Chefs Table to get out of the weather. Totally fantastic views which were the highlight of the trip. We loved our stay and can only highly recommend to others.

Wonderful weekend away to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. The location is magical and pristine, the service is fabulous and everyone you meet is so very friendly. We stayed a night at Frontier lodge with dinner breakfast and lunch at the Blue Duck Cafe. We jet boated, we 4WD safari-ed up to Chefs Table and we have dinner and breakfast up there. Can't recommend enough - thank you all - we will be back.

This was an interesting experience. No mobile reception, no internet - except at the cafe during the daytime, no television, no radio, no newspapers. It made me wonder if this is what life was like for the pioneers. The silence was often total. It also made me wonder about our busy life today, and how we aren't - as a society - really able to cope without constant entertainment. They provide a few board games, and a few books, but the clear expectation is you will be going outside - that's what they do. They do walks, jet boats, rides, hunts, and so on. But it might be an idea to give a few more indoor activities, as it can rain a lot in this isolated Central North Island hill country. I had my laptop and kindle, and was well prepared, and would suggest everyone else staying more than a day or so does the same, just in case. I had wanted to go riding, as although I have ridden an elephant, I have never ridden a horse - which is rather ironic. But there is a minimum of two bookings for horse rides, and I didn't want one so much that I would pay double. Some other place, some other time. So instead, I walked up to the Kaiwhakauka Falls. It was an easy walk on a well graded, if muddy, four-wheel-drive track. Some cows were rather interested in what I might be doing, and headed to their fence to try and find out. Once you turn off the track and head down to the falls though, it's very steep. You end up at the top of the falls - if you have children, make sure they do as you tell them, because it's a fifteen metre drop. The track to the base of the falls heads off to the right, and requires some scrambling over tree roots, before you hit some steps over the steepest bits. There are kayaks at the bottom, and you can return to your lodge via the gorge, but kayaks and I have had a nasty history over the past thirty years - overturned, crashed, stuck between rocks, you name it it's happened - so I just walked back. The falls plunge down a cliff into a punch bowl in several cascades, and they are very beautiful. I had brought my own breakfasts and lunches in, but in the evenings I ate at their cafe. What you see is what you get - this is an operation at the end of a gravel road, about an hour and a half from the nearest supermarket, so a varied menu will not be yours. They can easily do a vegetarian dish, other restrictions are more difficult, so do make sure you tell them before you arrive, if you need food specially prepared - or bring your own. The lodges all have kitchens. The first night, it was a beautifully cooked beef stew with carrots, and roast potatoes, with a bit of brownie for 'afters'. I stayed at the Frontier Lodge, very new, very comfortable, and a great bed to lie in. All the bedrooms have a private bathroom, and they're panelled with plywood in a very natural, relaxed, style. Sheepskin rugs on the floor add to the country vibe. The kitchen was well equipped, with everything you needed, from knives