A Puzzling Time in Wanaka

The town of Wanaka sits on the shore of Lake Wanaka and is surrounded by mountains making for a peaceful and relaxing setting. Not as lively as Queenstown Wanaka still offers a good few amenities including restaurants,  bars and shops. It also provides easy access to lakes and mountains being the gateway to the Mount Aspiring National Park. Our drive took us over the Crown Range via a series of hair pin bends until we passed the much photographed Cardrona Hotel. I added a few more photos to the memory card!

We arrived mid morning and sat outside a bakery in warm sunshine with a coffee and doughnut...an essential dietary choice when contemplating a walk! Suitably refreshed we wandered around town and then out along the shoreline towards the west returning by the same route after a mile or so.

We  then chose a campsite on the edge of town, (an old style Kiwi campsite) with lake views and only 10 minutes walk into town and after lunch headed off to explore the other shoreline and do another walk. I'd read about Diamond Lake, a small mirror surfaced lake up in the hills and found the signs and a parking area. It was a warm afternoon so the climb uphill involved a bit of effort but the lake was as still and beautiful as described.  We walked around the lake surrounded by birdsong, stopping to take photos before taking the route back downhill. 

A fantail displaying for us at Diamond Lake

Diamond Lake

The next day was Mrs B's birthday...so I took her to a maze..and reassured her I wasn't trying to lose her. Just on the edge of Wanaka is a long standing attraction called Puzzle World. It has a giant, multi level maze. Once you enter the challenge is to find all four corners and then return to the exit. This is harder than it sounds as in order to get from one part of the maze to another you have to climb a level, use upper walkways and footbridges all of which are riddled with intricate one way systems. There are dead ends and even the corner towers can be tricky to find. We raced around at the start and successfully found all four corners in 20 minutes so felt pretty chuffed. Finding the exit however was a bit more challenging...and took another hour. Mrs B. found the exit...I think it was her unerring sense of where the gift shop was located that helped! After a break we went into the illusion rooms..stuffed full of amazing visual trickery, holograms and puzzles. Everything was done with a good dash of fun and we both went around with smiles on our faces.

Part of the amazing maze.

Mrs B. after her breakfast porridge

After lunch we walked the eastern shore of Lake Wanaka..about a 4 mile round trip and then made our way to the best cinema in the world. Cinema Paradiso is a fantastic independent cinema. Film goers are able to order meals for the intermission (all films have one) and we placed our orders and took our seat..which happened to be inside an old car. There were lots of comfy seats..including sofas. We watched '12 Years A Slave'..enjoyed the freshly cooked food at the intermission and their home made ice cream. You can take a glass of wine or a beer in too..Cinema Paradiso is just perfect. (the film was pretty good too..)

Cinema Paradiso seat...not a drive in movie!

Wanaka had been a good place for a few birthday treats but our time in New Zealand was passing quickly now so it was time to move on again. We were headed for the wild West Coast and hoped to get close to a glacier or two.

Searching For Gold

Arrowtown is a quiet settlement today, picture postcard pretty and a magnet for visitors because of its well preserved colonial era buildings. It was to be our base for a couple of days as we explored Arrowtown itself and the surrounding area. In 1860 Arrowtown looked very different and there probably wasnt too much to see..but the discovery of gold in the Arrow river changed all that. A gold rush started and 4000 hopeful immigrants, from Europe and China flocked to the area in search of a fortune. Today Arrowtown is somewhat gentrified but the buildings reflect its history and it looks more in keeping with the Wild West of the United States rather than New Zealand. We even spotted horses tied to a hitching post outside the pub to complete the illusion.

We wandered around the conserved remains of the Chinese settlement, and learnt much about the history of the goldrush era in the small but interesting museum. The Chinese immigrants were welcomed at first, then subjected to appalling bigotry and prejudice before finally being accepted into the community. Arrowtown also had a small selection of shops including a bakery. Mrs B. was tempted by their apple strudel.

Mrs B. caught in the act...

On our second day we went down to the river (no gold found) and climbed for an hour up the Tobin Track through trees until views opened up across to Lake Wakatipu and the Gibbston Valley. As if to greet our arrival at the top a rainbow appeared - despite no rain - and just added to the scenic views.

As some showers were forecast for later we headed off in Ned to explore the Gibbston Valley, the town of Cromwell and the wineries near Bannockburn. We drove through the Karawau Gorge but didn't stop..saving this for the return journey. By the time we got to Cromwell the heavens had opened and we took refuge in the town centre. Cromwell wasn't very inspiring (but did have giant fruit!)...

About the only interesting thing in new Cromwell!

...but of more interest about a mile away was Cromwell Old Town a collection of heritage buildings that were taken down when the old town was flooded in the 1980s as part of a hydroelectric project. They have now been lovingly conserved, restored and resurrected on a site adjacent to their original location.

One of the conserved buildings of Old Cromwell

After the showers subsided and we'd explored the Old Town we headed off to Bannockburn. The wineries around this small settlement are reputed to now produce some of the world's finest pinot noirs. The landscape is dry and desert like but supports pockets of vineyards which suit the pinot noir grape. It was again noticeable how the geography of New Zealand could change so dramatically within a few miles. I visited the Mount Difficulty cellar door and purchased a bottle of Roaring Meg...for consumption at a later date.

A satisfied customer at the Mount Difficulty vineyard

On our return journey we stopped at various places in the Karawau Gorge. The fast flowing blue waters cut through narrow channels were good to watch from a distance..as were the bungy jumpers leaping off the old Karawau Bridge. I offered to buy Mrs B. a ticket so she could have a go..but she declined my generous offer...can't think why!

The Karawau Gorge

The old Karawau Bridge...for some reason Mrs B. didn't want to jump.... 

The next morning we headed north as our next destination was to be Wanaka which was to prove scenic and puzzling in equal measure.

Queenstown Thrills

Queenstown is the adventure and adrenaline fuelled centre of New Zealand...and was to be our next destination. If bungy jumping, canyoning, parascending, sky diving or jet boating are your thing this is the place to come. The town also happens to be in the centre of a beautiful mountain area and sits on the shore of Lake Wakatipu with the backdrop of the Remarkables range of mountains.

Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables

Our campsite was only 5 minutes walk from the centre of the town. It was compact and quirky..with toilets that had received a unique interior design treatment!

On our first day we walked around the town, along the lake shore and treated ourselves to a Fergburger. Fergburgers are a million miles from MacDonalds in terms of  the freshness of the ingredients,  the range and the taste. People queue at busy times and it wasn't difficult to understand why they are so popular. We also booked a trip for the following morning, which meant an early start.

The jet boat is a New Zealand institution and I'd wanted to try one before we left. There are several jet boat companies operating in Queenstown but the one I'd selected combined two thrills in one outing. The Skippers Canyon jet, like most jet boat companies, offers speed, 360° turns and thrills galore but unlike the other companies includes rather an interesting road trip before you arrive at the jet boat. Mrs B. had bravely decided to join me..but I hadn't told her too much about the approach road...which was probably wise. At 8.30 am a small 4 wheel drive coach picked us up and we set off  on a steep mountain road. Then we left tarmac and started a 13 mile trip along a narrow, unsealed, twisting road with sheer drops. A few days later whilst drinking coffee and browsing the local newspaper we came across this article:

Its a good job Mrs B. hadnt seen this earlier. As it was the drive was spectacular. We saw the rocks that had been used as the Gates of  Mordor in the Lord of the Rings films (plus a bit of CGI) and every turn in the road brought a fresh view of our exposed situation. We passed a part of the road that had collapsed a few months earlier..necessitating cutting through fresh rock to open up a new route.

Part of the Skippers Canyon Rd...

Eventually we arrived in Skippers Canyon itself, donned lifebelts and waterproof capes and set off at breakneck speeds down the canyon passing inches from the rock walls. It was tremendous fun..we hurtled around bends and saw another LOTR location (the ford of Bruien) before heading back along the canyon at 60mph. Mrs B seemed to enjoy herself...but was shrieking at regular intervals.

Mrs B....making a lot of noise!

I returned happy..but slightly deaf in one ear!

Later that day we went up the Skyline Gondola which took us 450 meters up above Queenstown and dined in the Skyline restaurant with panoramic views from our window table. After far too much food we wandered around at the top of the hill and walked through a forest getting views of Ben Lomond. We then returned to find keas investigating the chair lift apparatus. Their natural curiosity served as a good diversion whilst we waited for sunset. Watching the sun go down over the Remarkables made for a peaceful end to a day that had started with plenty of thrills.

Whilst there had been a buzz to Queenstown, which was enjoyable for a short time, we were both keen to leave after a couple of days to experience somewhere a little more restful. We decided to decamp and explore the beautiful landscape in the surrounding area. Heading to the Dart River and the settlement of Glenorchy we set off on gravel back roads to find Lake Sylvan...and eventually found a place to start a walk. Crossing a swing bridge led to regenerating New Zealand beech forest, along an old logging tramway. Moss covered rocks, birdsong and a green light filtered through the tree canopy made for an almost otherworldly atmosphere and a sense of isolation. We found Lake Sylvan itself surrounded by trees and beyond high mountains.

Lake Sylvan

After a few more diversions we headed to a Department of Conservation campsite at Moke Lake about 8 miles up in the hills. This peaceful and somewhat remote location was used in the BBC drama 'Top of the Lake'  screened last year. It was a lovely place to camp and the on site warden was really friendly.

Peaceful Moke Lake

Unfortunately I had an increasingly dodgy travellers tummy so we didn't do too much other than feed a few ducks and watch the sun go down over the hills. The following morning Mrs B. left the camper to visit the toilets whilst I stayed dozing in bed. My slumbers were disturbed by a loud clattering and banging noise on the camper and I thought Mrs B. was trying to wake me up in a rather unsubtle manner. I got out of bed, out into a chilly misty morning to find no sign of Mrs B.....but there were 2 keas on the roof of Ned. I tried to entice then down but they seemed determined to wreak havoc..so worried about the camper and not wanting a repair bill I squirted one of them with a water bottle. It worked...it flew down, followed by its mate, hopped around in front of me with a very hurt expression. Then it flew a few meters and started to investigate a fellow campers tent. After a quick breakfast we left the keas to their mischief and made our departure..we were headed to Arrowtown and the promise of gold.

The Sound of Silence

A cursory glance at the south west corner of the South Island reveals that Fjordland is a true wilderness area. There are few roads and even fewer people living here. Its an inhospitable landscape covered by dense rain forest that cloaks mountains that fall almost vertically to the Tasman Sea in a myriad of inlets and large steep sided fjords.  We travelled to a small settlement of Manapouri, situated by a lake of the same name in order to get a little closer to this wild and remote area.

Early morning we set off as the sun was rising on the first stage of a journey that would take us to Doubtful Sound, one of the few fjords accessible to travellers. This first leg of the journey involved taking a boat across Lake Manapouri..a beautiful lake in its own right.

Early morning on Lake Manapouri

At the western arm is a small jetty and a coach was waiting for us to take us up and over the Wilmot Pass. This road is remarkable. It is reckoned to be the most expensive road built in New Zealand and its only accessible by boat either from Lake Manapouri or Doubtful Sound. Built to facilitate the construction of a hydro electric power station (buried deep underground) and 13 miles long, it took 2 years to complete and rises to 670 meters. Our trip included a brief visit to the Manapouri power station down 2 kilometers of tunnel, to something of an engineering masterpiece. Using 7 giant turbines this hydro electric plant produces around 10% of the South Islands electricity..and powers an aluminium smelting plant at Bluff. But for the outflow on Lake Manapouri you would have no idea it existed.

Deep underground..the Manapouri Power Station

The drive over the Wilmot Pass opened up a vista of Doubtful Sound far below and our coach negoiated the steep twisting descent to deposit us by another small jetty for our next boat trip.

First view of Doubtful Sound from the Wilmot Pass

The next 3 hours involved a cruise up Doubtful Sound out to the Tasman Sea. It was an overcast day and this made for a dramatic journey passing silent rain forest cloaked valleys that appeared to resemble lost worlds. Waterfalls and cascades plunged from great heights. 

The magnificent Doubtful Sound

We passed close to an 800 meter high cascade that appeared to drop almost vertically. One of the most striking qualities was the silence.  Sadly there is little bird life in these vast forests. Early European settlers introduced stoats and weasels to try and control the rabbit population (that they brought to New Zealand in the first place) and these efficient predators largely wiped out the native birdlife. Efforts are now being made to eliminate these predators and slowly some native birds are returning to the forests. Doubtful Sound isn't without life though. We saw yellow eyed penguins fishtailing through the water - a rare behaviour - and little blue penguins diving for fish. We also saw a large fur seal colony and delighted in watching young seals dive and play off the rocks.

All too soon we arrived back at the jetty for a return journey by coach and then boat. The whole trip lasted 8 hours and was a very special day.

Our next base was Te Anau, a nice lakeside town and we stopped for a couple of nights in order to make a return journey to Milford Sound (a 140 mile round trip). Milford Sound is world famous but the journey there along the Milford Highway is equally spectacular. Lots of unplanned stops and detours were made! On the outward leg we stopped by the 'Mirror Lakes' and drove 15 miles along a bumpy gravel road to do a walk to see the Humboldt Falls.

The 250 meter high Humboldt Falls

Finally we arrived at Milford Sound itself. I expected it to be overrun with coach parties but it seemed quiet...or maybe the scale of the mountains and scenery absorb the masses. It was overcast on arrival but patience was rewarded as, after a picnic lunch and a walk, the cloud cover lifted and Mitre Peak revealed itself. We also saw wonderful views of the Bowen Falls, lots of little silver eye birds by the shoreline and it was hard to tear ourselves away. Returning via the 1.2 kilometer long Homer Tunnel which is single lane but traffic light controlled, we saw more kea waiting by the traffic lights....no doubt planning some mischief. 

Mrs B. ...and Mitre Peak

The Bowen Falls, Milford Sound

We stopped again to walk to see 'The Chasm' a spectacular cascade that pours water with frightening velocity through rock arches and hollows. Finally after another 'grand day out' we arrived tired but happy back in Te Anau and rewarded ourselves with a delicious crepe from a little creperie called La Roulette operating out of a caravan.

Fjordland had been billed as a spectacular place to visit and it hadn't disappointed. 

The Deep South

Having reached Cape Reinga, the northerly tip of the North Island we set off early in the morning to find the most southerly point of the South Island. Cape Reinga celebrates its position on the map with a light house and a multi-place signpost pointing to major world cities. The most southerly tip of the South Island by contrast is a relatively low key affair. Slope Point is reached by way of a 6 mile gravel road and then a mile walk over fields in rolling but not dramatic coastal scenery. Reaching a small grassy headland a simple signpost announces you've reached the most southerly tip of the island and informs you that in one direction its 5140 kilometers to the equator and 4803 kilometers to the South Pole.

The usual debate about which way to go next....

Our next destination as we travelled through fairly mundane but pleasant countryside was the small port of Bluff. There isn't much at Bluff if truth be told, its a working port, so typical shabby steel or aluminium warehouses line the approach. At the edge of town is however a very pretty headland with a more impressive signpost to rival that found at Cape Reinga. There were also lots of walking tracks so as the sun was shining we set off following a trail along the coast and then up into bush onto a track called the Glory Road. On the way back down there were scattered World War 2 gun batteries that formed part of New Zealands coastal defences against a possible Japanese invasion.

The more impressive signpost at Bluff

Tui spotted on Bluff Headland

We'd opted to stop overnight in New Zealands most southerly city of Invercargill. It doesn't have much to detain the visitor but a couple of things were noteworthy. It was home to a motorcycling ace called Burt Munro who set a number of world speed records in the 1960s. Burt Munro was a pretty remarkable man. He set his speed records on a 1920s Indian Scout motorcycle that had a top speed of 50mph. He modified it over the years until at the age of 68 he broke the world speed record..reaching a speed of 190 mph on a bike that was 47 years old. This record still stands today. Burt died in 1978 but his beloved Indian Scout motorbike is on display in a hardware store (EL Hayes) in Invercargill. We wandered around the store which doubles up as a motor museum! 

The campsite lent us a DVD of the biopic made of Burt Munros life..called 'The Worlds Fastest Indian'..starring Anthony Hopkins. Its a feel good type of film, recommended for family viewing and provided a pleasant and cheap night in for Mrs B. and myself as Ned has all mod cons including a DVD player!

The next morning, before leaving Invercargill,  we headed to the Southland Museum which has a small exhibition on Burt Munro as well as one of the replica Indian Scout motorcycles used in the filming...and opportunity to climb in it...so I did!

The museum also has a large collection of 'living dinosaurs'. Called tuatara these reptiles are unique to New Zealand. Dating back at least 200 million years they followed a different evolutionary path to lizards and snakes. They have no ears, but are able to hear sound and have 'third eye' invisible in adults but detectable in young. There were lots of tuatara at Southland Museum and we spent some time watching them do very little. The star tuatara is Henry who is at least 115 years old. 

Henry..the dinosaur

The deep south of New Zealand had thrown up some eclectic surprises but once again it was time to move on. We were headed to one of the most unspoilt areas of the country: Fjordland. 

Penguins on Parade

After the glorious mountain scenery of Mount Cook our travels took us to the east coast...a far less rugged landscape. Our base for a couple of days was the old port of Oamaru. A small Victorian town Oamaru has a number of eclectic attractions. Firstly it boasts a beautiful harbour area where old warehouses have been conserved and are now used as artists studios and galleries, for a bakery, an old bookseller and gift shops.

 At odds with the genteel charm of the harbour area but housed in an old warehouse is Steampunk HQ. I confess to having had limited knowledge about Steampunk. Its a science fiction genre that reimagines future worlds but rooted in Victorian era machines. At Oamaru this vision has been translated into a strange gallery in which old pieces of machinery, video and artwork is merged together in darkened atmospheric rooms. Its all very HG Wells meets Dr Who and completely baffling but also inventive.

The strange world of Steampunk HQ

Our main reason for visiting Oamaru was for some penguin spotting. On our first evening we drove to a viewing platform, high above a beach, to watch some yellow eyed penguins return to their burrows. Although a long way from 'the action' our patience was rewarded by seeing two penguins return from a day feeding at sea. The following evening we bought tickets to enter a conservation centre that enables visitors to see blue penguins returning to their nest. The Blue Penguin is the smallest in the world, only 30cm tall, and we got to see around 30 birds returning to their burrows, quacking greetings as they arrived on shore and waddling comically up the beach, over rocks and from only a few meters away. Blue penguins are easily disturbed so no filming of  any kind is permitted. It was a memorable evening. Mrs B's new favourite game was penguin spotting!

After two nights of penguin spotting we headed South to Dunedin. Founded by Scottish settlers Dunedin proclaims itself as the Edinburgh of the South. It certainly delivered weather more akin to Scotland as we had two days of squally showers. Dunedin's railway station must be the most photographed building in New Zealand. An over the top architectural statement it proclaims Dunedin's place in the world.

I confess I didn't find Dunedin to be a particularly attractive city overall but it had a few redeeming qualities in the form of two excellent museums and spacious botanical gardens. Our campsite was on the edge of the city so there were some walks available through the bush. I ventured out after dark on one of these trails to see some more glow worms. Our second day involved driving out to the Otago peninsula. A wild and rocky coastline with beaches well off the beaten track, this peninsula is home to the only mainland breeding colony of the Royal Albatross. We arrived too early for the centre to open but nevertheless managed to spot several of these giant birds soaring over the headland. A return journey took us on unsealed roads where we saw lots more bird life including a pair of kingfishers.  

Our departure from Dunedin and gradual movement south heralded an improvement in the weather. We stayed for one night close to the Moeraki boulders. These almost perfectly round giant balls of rock (limestone) are on a beach just outside a small seaside village of Moeraki. 

The Moeraki Boulders

Our campsite host also told us where we might see some more yellow eyed penguins. Following his directions along a gravel road for a few miles we found a pretty headland. We had hoped to get slightly better views of yellow eyed penguins so set off down a grassy track keeping our eyes peeled for penguins. Nothing could have prepared us for what followed. There were yellow eyed penguins in grassy hollows and on cliff tops only 2-3 meters away. We had to be careful not to walk on them! In addition fur seals were snoozing on rocks and on the grass. Tiptoeing around we spent ages watching penguins groom themselves, socialise or just prepare for sleep.

The next leg of our journey took us through the Caitlins. With gentle hills, wide beaches and dramatic cliffs this area offers the visitor plenty to enjoy. Its off the beaten track too, is sparsely populated and conveys a sense of real remoteness. We drove along quiet roads and as signs for waterfall walks kept popping up we followed yet another gravel road to the start of a waymarked track to the Purakaunai Falls. After walking through dense bush we came to the base to find a picture postcard waterfall. Water cascaded down a series of tiers to tremendous visual effect. These falls apparently featured on a New Zealand postage stamp in the 1970s and have an iconic status. 

The Purakaunai Falls

We carried on for 10 miles and went to see the taller Matai Falls before concluding we'd seen enough for one day! Our campsite was at an 'end of the road' place called Curio Bay. The campsite was sandwiched between the wild sweeping sands of Cooks Bay (home to a pod of 50 Hectors dolphins) and Curio Bay itself,  home but another yellow eyed penguin colony and a petrified forest. The setting was superb and each camper had its own screen of flax to block out the wind but the facilities were primitive. Showers were set in circular concrete bunker like constructions as was a tiny kitchen which could accommodate about 5 people at a squeeze. Fortunately we had Ned so were self sufficient. 

The Curious Curio Bay Kitchen!

We wandered down to Curio Bay early evening to see if we could spot any more penguins. A Department of Conservation volunteer warden was on hand and we learnt that there were 9 breeding pairs. Patience was rewarded when two 4 month old chicks came out of their burrows to greet a parent who was returning from a day feeding at sea. The adult hopped and waddled up the rocks with two noisy chicks demanding food. Surprisingly they moved closer to us...only 3-4 meters away and we watched the adult regurgitate food into the mouths of the chicks. 

One chick was dominant and got the lions share of the food. Everyone spontaneously cheered when the smaller one managed to get some food! 

We also learnt that, following the arrival of orcas in Cooks Bay a couple of days previously, the dolphins had (wisely) made themselves scarce for a while. The next day, when the tide was out, we did an early morning coastal walk and we got to see some of the petrified forest for which Curio Bay is best known. Its possible to see tree trunks lying horizontally that are 180 million years old. This preserved fossil forest is a rare record of plant life that existed before New Zealand broke away from a continental mass called Gondwanaland. Another astonishing glimpse of a long distant past.

We also spotted a couple of penguins so I needed to drag Mrs B. away...Southland and the furthest point south of mainland New Zealand were waiting for us.