About Kidnappers Escape
500 Terry Francois St. San Francisco, CA 94158
KIDNAPPERS ESCAPE
Escape to this sunny stunning corner of the east coast of New Zealand,. a coastal strip of land stretching from Clifton to Cape Kidnappers, which boasts a wide range of activities and unique attractions.
Explore! Come and stay to visit the world-famous gannet sanctuary at Cape Kidnappers, choose among several great places to eat and indulge in award winning wines, discover the variety of tours, the passionate artists and crafts-people, wonderful creative gardens, sea and river swimming, relaxing walks ... even museums! And you can even do it all by riding or walking the new coastal cycle track!
It’s a great way to spend a day or two or three!
The Kidnappers Escape trail starts in Clive (a five minute drive from Napier, Hastings or Havelock North) and covers the 12 kilometres out to Clifton.
MT_MG_5920
wineCycle1 F_edited
Elephant Hill aerial
CAPE KIDNAPPERS the history
The original name for Cape Kidnappers is Te Matau a Maui - the fishhook of Maui. According to legend, Maui fished up the North Island (Te Ika a Maui - Maui’s fish) and the Cape was his hook.
It was named Cape Kidnapper by Captain Cook when Tiata (the Tahitian servant of Cook’s translator, Tupaia) was kidnapped by local Maori in 1769.
The only access is by tour (see attractions) or walking along the beach at low tide - distance approximately 14km return.
CLIFTON
This area, named by descendants of the Scottish family still farming the station, was so-named after a popular beach resort for the English on the north Indian coast not far from Karachi.
Ref: ‘In the Shadow of the Cape’ by Angus Gordon
TE AWANGA
East Rd to Charlton Rd
Te Awanga is named after a species of flax called Awanga, distinguished by white streaks in the leaf, which grew on the flats by the creek. The full name of the area is Te Awanga o Hawea, after the pa belonging to the
Hawea iwi.
“American and British sealers and whalers frequented the ocean off Te Awanga from the late 1700’s setting up shore camps and interacting with local Maori until the 1850’s, when the Crown purchased land, and European settlers commenced farming.”
Ref:
HAUMOANA
Black Bridge to East Rd
Haumoana means sea breeze - the breath of the Heretaunga Plains, drawing life in from the sea during the day, and breathing back out during the night.
CLIVE
State H’way 2 to Black Bridge
Clive was named after Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB, also known as Clive of India. He was one of the key figures in the creation of British India during the mid 1700s.