Esk River, Hawke's Bay
Encyclopedia
The more northerly of the two Esk Rivers in New Zealand lies in Hawke's Bay
, in the eastern North Island
. One of the region's major rivers, it flows south from the slopes of Mount Taraponui in the Maungaharuru Range before turning east to reach Hawke Bay
10 kilometres to the north of Napier
. State Highway 5
follows the lower course of the river for several kilometres close to the settlement of Eskdale. The river is probably named after the Esk River in southern Scotland and north-west England.
The lower 19 km of the Esk can be suitable for Whitewater canoeing
, but the flow needs to be above normal. Brown
and Rainbow trout
are available in the river, but fishing is restricted.
The southern stretch of the river forms the northern boundary for urban development in Napier
.
Chardonnay
and red wine grapes are grown in the Esk River valley.
Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay is a region of New Zealand. Hawke's Bay is recognised on the world stage for its award-winning wines. The regional council sits in both the cities of Napier and Hastings.-Geography:...
, in the eastern North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. One of the region's major rivers, it flows south from the slopes of Mount Taraponui in the Maungaharuru Range before turning east to reach Hawke Bay
Hawke Bay
Hawke Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It stretches from the Mahia Peninsula in the northeast to Cape Kidnappers in the southwest, a distance of some 100 kilometres....
10 kilometres to the north of Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
. State Highway 5
New Zealand State Highway 5
State Highway 5 is the second shortest of New Zealand's eight national highways. It extends from SH 1 at Tirau, on the plains of the Waikato River to SH 2 close to the Hawke Bay coast at Bay View, 10 km north of Napier...
follows the lower course of the river for several kilometres close to the settlement of Eskdale. The river is probably named after the Esk River in southern Scotland and north-west England.
The lower 19 km of the Esk can be suitable for Whitewater canoeing
Whitewater canoeing
Whitewater canoeing is the sport of paddling a canoe on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater canoeing can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
, but the flow needs to be above normal. Brown
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and Rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
are available in the river, but fishing is restricted.
The southern stretch of the river forms the northern boundary for urban development in Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and red wine grapes are grown in the Esk River valley.