Wanaka

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Shania Twain and the Seven Witches of Wanaka

Date: 19-20 November 2016
Distance: 12km

A lovely, sunny day to start off with.
A South Island Oystercatcher.
Following the Fern Burn river up the shadowy valley.
The fast-flowing stream is crossed via a sturdy footbridge.
Some muddy and wet patches along the way.
Very steep slopes – not for the faint-hearted.
As the valley narrows, the amount of cascades and waterfalls increase.
A sharp little turn with a sheer drop if you’re not careful, especially on the downhill.
Some very steep sections had steps to help you along.
Finally above the tree line.
The track winds its way along the ridges, offering splendid views if you have the guts to raise your eyes from the footpath.
Tiny path traversing the saddle of a hill.
The hut came into sight, but first you have to get down to the river and cross a side stream, before heading up again to reach the hut.
A beautiful tranquil spot.
Fern Burn Hut, built in 2008.
Two bunk beds – sleeps six people at the top and six at the bottom.
This is where it all happened for 18 adults and a baby.
Getting ready the next morning.
Some final photos of the hut before heading back towards Wanaka.
Fern Burn hut, set amidst the gorgeous Central Otago countryside.
Too close for comfort.
A huge slip just below the path did not fill me with confidence.
Returning along the saddle.
Finally back amongst the trees in The Stack Conservation Area.
Hesitantly making our way down the valley.
Beautiful tree-lined stream.
Another gorgeous day out in nature.
Almost back at the car, and already thinking about our next adventure.
Californian poppies by the toilet at the car park. If you don’t have lavender, poppies will have to do! 🙂

After the lovely night (albeit bitterly cold) at Meg Hut, we decided to head out for another two days on the trails. But first a good scrub-down was in order, so we spent the night at Glendhu Holiday Park to get ourselves sorted for the next trip. A quick top-up of supplies and a fresh set of clothes and we were all set to leave early in the morning. Continue reading →

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Mt Aspiring – Rob Roy Track

Date: 1 January 2015
Distance: 10km (+6)

Our view waking up on New Year’s Day. Hope the rest of the year lives up to this breathtaking start! (© Gerry le Roux)
Crossing one of the little fords on the road to the proper start of the Rob Roy Glacier walk.
The beauty of New Zealand’s scenery never fails to leave me speechless. (© Gerry le Roux)
Love the typical turquoise colour of many of New Zealand’s rivers. The Matukituki River, with the swing bridge in the distance. (© Gerry le Roux)
Crossing the swing bridge over the Matukituki River.
A dash of colour en route.
Boulder hopping across a little stream.
A bit of a tricky section crossing a huge slip.
An early view of the Rob Roy glacier. (© Gerry le Roux)
Beautiful mountain streams. (© Gerry le Roux)
Snapping away. I sometimes wonder how many photos are taken per year in New Zealand. Must be millions! (© Gerry le Roux)
Arriving at the viewpoint at the end of the track, we were surprised by the number of people lounging around. Little did we know that these were the earlybirds, and that the masses were still on their way! (© Gerry le Roux)
The cameraman at work. 🙂
Lovely views of the Rob Roy glacier – a fitting reward to a nice little walk. (© Gerry le Roux)
Time for a lunch snack before heading back down.
Admiring the views.
Classic New Zealand scene. Mount Aspiring peeking out on the right. (© Gerry le Roux)
View of Mount Aspiring on a beautiful New Year’s Day. (© Gerry le Roux)

On the morning of the last day of 2014, Gerry and I left Te Anau for the Wanaka area in the hope that we would find a deserted spot in the mountains to see out 2014 and celebrate 2015 somewhere tranquil. We just weren’t in the mood for loud music, heaps of drunk, puking people and the usual hustle and bustle of new years parties.

Wanaka was buzzing with people, as were all the other towns we passed through on our way there. We stopped to return Gerry’s hydration vest, went for a quick browse through Mt Outdoors to see if they might have larger size packs, and ended up having a nice long chat to Steve Hart who told us about all the nice camping spots and walks in the area. Afterwards we went for a quick beer before following the road next to Lake Wanaka and into the Matukituki valley.

Continue reading →