Pencarrow Lodge opens doors to public

by Carl McRae

The loss of revenue from the cruise ship business was a stark reality for Pencarrow Lodge owner/operator, Jane Curtis, once COVID restrictions were put in place and liners were no longer able to dock in Wellington.

Gone was a bus load of tourists to the Lodge most days for six or so months, of each year morning tea included in the package.

The cruise ship saga was just part of it. Once in lockdown, where the landscape changed often, functions, weddings, conferences and other events were also off the menu with social distancing issues and restricted numbers allowed on premise.

Like many business owners, Jane had to think on her feet with an eye on the future, yet somehow reinvent the wheel to adapt to the now.

“There was little time for reflection,” she says, “but we had to think of how to generate some new business and call that into action.”

“For the first time in our history we are opening our gates for walkers and cyclists traveling along the Pencarrow Coast Road.”

Eastbourne locals can benefit more from one new initiative that has been put into place; The cafe will be opened up on Sundays (and select other days) over summer - with bookings essential - where one has the option of riding, walking or catching a bus out to the Lodge to enjoy a gourmet platter, sourced from local produce.

“People can still ride or walk (or run) out,” Jane says, “but we are also putting on a bus service from the Eastbourne Bus Terminal. Based on the phone calls, emails and messages we had received, we knew this new bus option would be popular.”

The scenic drive out to the lodge is a great journey in itself. The drive passes the Pencarrow lighthouses and Wellington’s two freshwater lakes, Kohangapiripiri and Kohangatera, before arriving at the working sheep station with commanding views out across Cook Strait to the Kaikoura Ranges. The rustic and wild location is surrounded by thousands of acres of regional parks.

“And we are now putting on gourmet platters,” says Jane, “featuring produce from Marmalade Deli, The Eastbourne Butcher, The Chubby Baker Bakery, Zany Zeus and Cameron Harrison. Desserts, tea and coffee, cold beverages also available.”

Jane, a great supporter of local enterprise, is also working with the newly renamed Wild Finder - Pencarrow (formerly Pencarrow Bike Shed), who themselves have a range of comfort mountain bikes & cruisers to eBikes & tandems for hire.

The bike ride takes around 50 minutes to an hour…unless you stop to take in Baring Head, the or continue south to the seal colony at Turakirae Head.

Bookings are essential, Jane says, and can be made through their website; https://www. pencarrowlodgeevents.co.nz or Facebook page (where you can also keep up to the hour with information) https://www.facebook.com/ PencarrowLodge.