Six Wires Over a River | Cesspool Swing Bridge, New Zealand

Deep in the Arahura Valley on New Zealand’s West Coast, we hiked to a one-person swing bridge made from just six wires stretched above the river. This is the final episode of our four-part West Coast adventure. After leaving Hokitika Gorge, we stop at the Kōwhitirangi Memorial before following the backroads toward Dorothy Falls and Lake Kaniere. From there, the gravel roads lead us into the Arahura Valley, where the mountains disappear into the clouds and the bush closes in around us. Then the driving ends. We follow the Styx Valley Track deeper into the bush, listen to tūī calling through the trees and finally reach the Cesspool Swing Bridge, the crossing that inspired this entire journey. Six wires, one swinging bridge and a long way down. Thanks for joining our Canadian family as we explore New Zealand’s hidden roads, wild coastlines and unexpected places. Watch the complete four-part West Coast series here on The Scenic Route. Chapters: 0:00 Six Wires Over a River 01:00 Leaving Hokitika Gorge 01:15 The Kōwhitirangi Memorial 01:55 Bridge Day Continues 02:41 Dorothy Falls and a Roadside Sausage Stop 03:45 Lake Kaniere Through the Bush 04:05 Into the Arahura Valley 04:28 The Arahura Valley Track Begins 07:35 Finding a Huge Piece of Pounamu | New Zealand Jade 08:30 River Crossing 09:00 Deer Horn / Hunting Season 10:00 Tūī bird discovery 12:45 The Cesspool Swing Bridge 16:40 One More Crossing 22:35 Distance Guess 23:55 Four Episodes Across the West Coast #WestCoastNZ #NewZealand #TheScenicRoute