Kurow a farming town in the Waitaki Valley is located on the south eastern side of Kurow Hill. Duffies cottage is located on the north western side of Kurow Hill. The first thing our intrepid traveller must do is go west through Kurow or away from the river to find Manse Street. Kurow is a very small village maybe three blocks in width. Manse Street runs between the golf course and the tennis courts. At the end of Manse Street there is an intersection beside the school. At this intersection turn right up Cattle Valley Road. 2 km up Cattle Valley Road the seal turns to dirt road just over a culvert.

Another km on there is an intersection where if you turn left you will end up at the Awakino Ski Field. Duffies cottage is infinitely more comfortable and considerably better laid out for the itinerant traveller than the Awakino Ski Field. Therefore don't turn left at this intersection but carry on past an Oamaru Stone house in trees to the bridge over the Awakino River. 200 m past the Awakino River you will find the entrance to Awakino Station. This is a rather grandiose affair and a photograph is included on this page. As you will observe if you read the yellow sign with black embossed lettering on the gatepost straight ahead you are now 3.5 km from your destination.

If you proceed straight ahead you will now be driving on an essentially well graded and maintained farm track over the ridge from the Awakino Valley into the Little Awakino. Follow the road up over the ridge and past a gate in an awkward position if requiring opening and closing and then you will find the second yellow sign to confirm you are on the right path. It is attached to the gatepost at the top of the ridge.

You are now looking into the valley of the Little Awakino. Duffies cottage is still out of sight but is only 2 km from the top of the ridge. Proceed down the hill and over the ford at which point you will be able to see the derelict cottage known as Whites upstream from the true left branch of the Little Awakino. Less than a km from the ford you will come across the front entrance to Duffies. The wooden gate is labelled with the sign as shown elsewhere on this page. Follow the road parallel with the deer fence and through the lucerne paddock until the cottage it's outbuildings and perimeter stone walls lead you to confirm you have discovered this marvellous heritage hideaway.

Looking into the Little Awakino Valley