Cave Stream Cave Walk

It’s a short five-to-ten minute zigzag from the large, hard-to-miss car park at Cave Stream Scenic Reserve on SH 73, down to the river. Within no time the sound of running water overpowers the occasional bird song as you face the tunnel-like limestone opening of Cave Stream, looking a little foreboding in the early morning shadow. A deep breath and a little courage is all that’s need to take those first tentative spelunk-spelunk steps into the frigid water – the start of an exciting caving experience, also aptly known as spelunking. The cave gets darker, turning pitch black, as you venture into the tunnel mouth; the water also gets deeper easily coming up to waist height on adults about 30 meters in. That first freezing pool is the deepest you’ll encounter and the water level hovers between ankle- and thigh-deep after that as you meander, climbing upstream with beams of torchlight bouncing and bobbing on the off-white to beige limestone walls. Expect to see water-sculpted limestone holes and terraces, and the odd deeper pool and several small waterfalls. The walk through the 560m-long cave is relatively easy, and takes about an hour at a casual, gentle pace. The hardest part of the route is at the end, using a metal fixed ladder to climb up a three-metre waterfall followed by a short crawl or bum wiggle along a ledge to the exit and back into daylight and sunshine. The ten-or-so minute walk uphill back to the car park is a good way to warm up. Do pack a towel and change of clothing, and a thermos with a hot drink to sip while enjoying the surrounding limestone outcrops while the adrenaline from your adventure wears off. You’ll probably find the caving experience intriguing and possibly too short so you can either head back for a second round, or otherwise, you can opt to test the local pies at the Sheffield Pie Shop on the way back to Christchurch. What to take: You don’t need any previous caving experience for this walk, but you do need sturdy hiking or running shoes and one torch per person, with fresh batteries. A good head torch is recommended as it leaves both hands free for climbing and balance. A cycling or climbing helmet could save you head from the odd bump, but is not essential. Thermal polypropylene underwear under a pair of hiking shorts and a warm top is a good idea year-round, and wetsuit booties and even wetsuit bottoms will increase your comfort levels in winter. When to go: Being a river cave walk, this is a fair weather trip and not one to attempt during or after heavy rain. If the water is not clear, running brown, or foaming you’ll need to forgo caving and head to the nearby Castle Hill Scenic Reserve for a gentle stroll through the limestone rock formations instead.