I’ve been hoarding a page from an old magazine in my “must go there one day ” folder since 2007. And today we finally got to do it. So just was this long awaited trip? None other than a ride on the Nile River Rainforest Train, from Charleston.
This dinky little train with it’s corrugated iron carriages is pulled by a small diesel powered engine. The 2km narrow-gauge Nile Railway was built about 10 years ago and our driver kept us amused as he told us of the trials and tribulations of laying the track over unstable ground. Originally built to support the company’s caving business, the train soon became an attraction in it’s own right. Graham kept up a running commentary as pointed out the rock formation known as “Ships Bow”.
The train slowly snaked through dense rain forest containing nikau, rata, totara, rimu and lancewood, plus many ferns. Beside the track we could see the remains of a water race dug by miners in the gold rush days of the 1890s when they worked this area. On the other side of the track the Nile River glinted in the sunshine. This area was chosen as a location for the BBC drama “The Lost World”, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel.
Our slow and easy ride ended at Soft Rock Terminal and we followed the easy track through beech trees and ferns to the Nile River Suspension Bridge.
Climbing the 110 steps to the Triclops Entrance of the Nile River Cave System was definitely harder. As we trudged up the steps, one step after another, we remarked that we would be trudging down them all very soon.
Our weary legs got a rest as we travelled on our return journey, with a flock of sheep keeping us company.
We had a lovely trip through the beautiful scenery of the Paparoa Ranges. Graham, our driver, was interesting and informative, and full of jokes. So this is another trip I can tick off my list – and even better, we got to travel on seniors rates!
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