A Wee Walk Around Waddington - Part 1

For those that haven't yet had the chance to come and visit our gorgeous nook in Canterbury we're doing a photo tour of the hamlet of Waddington, the village in which we have lived for 2.5 years.

Initially built for the railway workers constructing the mighty Waimakariri Gorge bridge (now a road bridge) the village was home to a bustling community in the late 1800's. It was well serviced with a school, church, village hall, butcher, general store and a great deal of agricultural folk in the surrounding Malvern Hills.

Nowadays the stores have gone and no church remains in Waddington, although the cemetery is still used and beautifully maintained by the locals. Residents of Waddington now use the Sheffield village hall, the Sheffield primary school and, of course, the Sheffield pub!

A water race runs along the Eastern boundary following Tramway Road, which the kids still use to swing into and across and use inner tubes to race down it.

Waddington has roads entering from the East (Old West Coast Road) and the West (Waimakariri Gorge Road/Great Alpine Highway).

Entrance from East


Entrance from West (Southern Alps)


Waddington High Street during a busy period.


The road out of Waddington to the Waimakariri Gorge.



In the cluster of oaks by the water race - doggie baths.



Tramway Road where the dogs are walked daily and we enjoy the mountain views.