Dateline January 24, 2015, Bay of Islands, Swallow Ridge
We drove out of Auckland early Saturday morning, heading north for our first golf adventure of the trip with the Bay of Islands as our destination. The area is well known for its 144 islands, its water sports, and its beaches. The beach was not on our list, but the scenery along the way certainly was. After about two hours we arrived in Whangarei and stopped at the information center for ideas on what to see along the way. The hostess suggested we drive the "Loop" out to Tutukaka (try saying that a few times) and then continue on to Russell. Two hours later we were back on the main road, only about ten kilometers further north of where we had started. Now heading toward Russell, little did we know the second "Loop" would take another two hours of driving up and down the high cliffs. By the time we finally arrived in Russell, a place known these days for the rich and famous, it was too late to do anything, and we still had over an hour to get to our B&B in Kerikeri.
The shortest route was by ferry, so we headed for the dock at Russell. Our destination was the Swallow Ridge Bed and Breakfast, where we were welcomed in by the owners, Mike and Chris. Their home was beautiful, with sweeping views down to the Bay of Islands. Mike and Chris had moved to New Zealand from London about seven years earlier and had built the home themselves in 2009. They had kept their place in London, thinking running a B&B would be an interesting hobby and that they could always return home if it didn't work out. As it turned out, they loved living in Kerikeri and told us they had made more friends in New Zealand than they had in London. They were renting out the London house and living full-time in Kerikeri. They had been awarded a silver medal in the Master Builder House of the Year competition for 2010. The B&B had two large guest rooms at one end of the house, with sliders that opened directly to the bay views. Sunrise from our room, all we can say, was wow.
After breakfast we headed out for our first New Zealand round of golf at Kauri Cliffs. When we returned, we settled in for a few drinks. Mike had made us reservations at a local restaurant, and we enjoyed a fine dinner before heading back to Swallow Ridge for a good night's sleep.
Mike wore many hats around the property and was the chef in the morning as well. Chris was not allowed in the kitchen while he was cooking. She spent the early morning working on the bookings. They were very busy from December into April, with a full house most days. It was a wonderful stay with a wonderful host couple.
If you come to New Zealand, a stay at Swallow Ridge should be in your plans. If you are playing golf at Kauri Cliffs, their B&B is the perfect place to stay.
