The Bird’s Eye Brooklyn View
This short walk gives a great view over the patchwork fields of the Motueka plains, across Tasman Bay and over to the rugged beauty of the Takaka Hill. This walk does not take long (about 15 minutes each way), but it involves a reasonable level of fitness.
Head over the Motueka Bridge and instead of taking the main road bend into Riwaka, go straight ahead along the end of Umukuri Road. Turn left at the bend passing Brooklyn School on your right, then right along the Brooklyn Valley Road where the rural scenery is pretty no matter what time of year.
About 600 metres into the valley, the Brooklyn Valley Reserve or Domain is the starting point for this walk and there is plenty of room for parking. Toilets are on-site and there is a picnic area with tables for those who want to stay awhile.
The track starts from the reserve and after a short while there is a choice of path - straight ahead for the gentler but longer walk or to the righ for a short, sharp climb. We chose the easier one, which involved easy strolling and mostly gentle climbing.
It's not long before you reach the vantage point, where there is a bench seat to rest and beautiful views right over the Motueka Valley and out into Tasman Bay. Sit awhile. Listen to the sounds of farming and check out the variety of crops grown in the fertile soils of the area – crops like fruit, hops for beer making and new grape plantings for the region’s growing wine industry. Notice also the large number of small settlements of perhaps a dozen houses or so each across the vista.
View from the top
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