This weekend will see the opening of New Zealand’s first public Via Ferrata on Tākaka Hill.
Few New Zealanders will be familiar with a Via Ferrata climbing route, but in the European Alps there are more than 1000 routes. They are rock climbing routes where steel footholds and wire rope have been added so that anyone with reasonable strength and fitness is able to climb a rock face that otherwise only experienced rock climbers could have climbed.
The thrill of rock climbing becomes available to many more people and the fixed wire rope provides a continuous safety line. Every climber wears a rock climbing harness with lanyards that are always attached to the wire rope.
The Tākaka Hill Via Ferrata is the brainchild of Till Middelhauve, who founded an Incorporated Society which aims to build and promote free public Via Ferratas in this country. The club applied for grants to fund the materials to build a route. It took more than two years to obtain all the necessary agreements and raise the funds. This August, the society members got busy on the rock face. The steel footholds, wire rope and materials needed to be carried to the cliff, then holes were drilled into the rock face and the footholds glued into place.
“It was hard work with volunteers often hanging from ropes to do this work,” says Till.
Walking tracks and signage were also put in place.
“Thousands of hours of volunteer work have gone into this project.”
The climbing route is accessed from the big car park at the very top of the Tākaka Hill road. Signs at the car park show the way. Till suggests everyone first go to the practice route in the ‘Skill Zone’ which offers easy climbing and a chance to get familiar with the gear and check their head for heights. A 10 to 15-minute walk further on takes people to a route called the ‘Cliff Traverse”.
This is a longer (170m) and much more challenging route that will provide thrills and adrenaline. A walking track from the top leads back to the car park.
A feature of the Tākaka Hill Via Ferrata is the fantastic views into Golden Bay, the Kahurangi National Park, and Farewell Spit.
“The views are world-class, the thrill is very real, and we expect the route will attract plenty of people from far and wide,” Till says.
The open day starts at 10am on Saturday, 7 December. Helmets and harnesses will be available free and society members will be there to help. Bring warm clothes, wind proofs, strong footwear, and gloves.
For more info visit the society website www.viaferrata.org.nz
