This is the first of two planned trips, first South Island and Stewart Island; situated off the Southern tip of the South Island, one hour on the high speed ferry.
Left Lyttelton as planned departed Christchurch on the No 1 highway to Oamaru. Rained most of the way ,stopped raining as we arrived; we stopped off for some local refreshment before making our way to “The Old Bones Backpackers Lodge” four kms south of Oamaru; a town with a Victorian influence in the stone buildings and all standing as they were from when they were built around the 1900s.
On arrival at the Old Bones, a quick change and off for a very windy beach walk. Situated on the Coastal road the miles and miles of un-spoilt beach and today with the onshore wind made for fantastic views as the waves crashed against the sandy beach. We enjoyed some light refreshment on the walk, sheltering behind some rocks and sand dunes sheltering from the wind.
The evening spent looking over the Pacific Ocean, dinner and playing dominos.
With the sun shining in to our bedroom overlooking the sea and a cup of tea, life doesn’t get much better. After breakfast, toured the main street, coffee etc, before touring the old warehouses all dating back to the Victorian days.
The afternoon we took a drive up through the “Vanished World Fossil Trail” to Daneys Pass for lunch, with spectacular views before returning to the Old Bones BP.
This evening we are off to see the Yellow eyed Penguin Colony at Cape Wanbrow, just a few miles outside Oamaru. Yellow eyed Penguin
Early start from the hostel, following the coastal road down to Dunedin, spent a couple of hours there, before moving on to Balclutha and the Catlins, staying at Surat Bay.
Dunedin Railway Station
With the sun shining we walked the full length of the beach taking about 3.5 hrs. Seen lots of Sea Lions, some too close for Kathy, but a lovely walk. Evening spent playing cards with views over the beach, talking with friends we met.
Leaving just before 10am we had a leisurely breakfast, weather changing, now overcast but still warm. Stopping off to walk McLean Falls a 20 minute walk, with outstanding views of Water Falls.
We drove on to Walkawa, checked out the “Penguin Paradise BBH” along with some strange buildings, including a Jail, Blacksmiths and Museum, before our visit to Curio Bay, one of the world’s finest petrified fossil forests.
This beach is also home to the Yellow-eyed penguin,(one of the rarest penguins in the world and unique to NZ). Stopping off for lunch at Porpoise Bay and walking the sea cliffs.
Weather changing, we drove to Tokanui to fill up with fuel, returning to Penguin Paradise BBH, settled in, I took a short 1 hour walk along the old coach road around the beach crossing the bay on an old stone and shingle path used as a bridle track by gold miners and then horse drawn vehicles before the road in 1900, Can only be undertaken at low tide.
The evening visit to Curio Bay and watched the Yellow-eyed penguin come ashore to nest.
Moving on day, we drove to Bluff and take the ferry to Stewart Island; we really enjoyed our stay here last year so this time for a week. The Island is very quiet and peaceful, with lots of interesting walking tracks. Kiwis inhabit the island. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see any; they are nocturnal and rarely seen during the day.
On this trip I went on a four day tramp to climb Mt Anglem 980m. Day one, water taxi from Oban to Port William, walk to Christmas Village Hut. 17.5k 7 Hrs, next day from Hut track to coll and mile ridge to Mt Anglem; very steep and wet, hail, ,wind 40/50k 11k 6H 30m.
The following morning walked from Christmas Village Hut to Bungaree Hut 11.5 k, 5 Hrs, muddy track good walk, in the evening managed to see some Fiordland Penguins; the rarest of all the NZ Penguin breeds. Last day a long walk out from Bungaree Hut to Port William Hut, no water taxi due to storm and rough sea, walked out Halfmoon Bay 18k 5h 30min.
Kathy was happy to sit on the beach and read and spend time with friends we met last year. She also took a ferry across to Ulva Island, which is famous for its variety of birds seen nowhere else. She saw saddlebacks, tomtits, kakas, and parakeets amongst the trees, together with very tame robins. The NZ robin has a white breast as opposed to our own native redbreast.
Saturday enjoyed a meal out, Blue Cod, the finest fish in the world are caught around this Island. Sunday attended the local Presbyterian Church and made very welcome.
Kathy with a Crayfish given to us Heath the owner of the Bunkers Backpackers on Stuart Island.
Next day back to the mainland and on to Kinloch Lodge - Glenorchy via Queenstown, we stayed here for two days and I managed a day walk, Glenorchy forest trail to 1130m, rock scramble open ridge & Mt Alford 1390m, rain wind 25/30k. 10k 5H. This area is very like Scotland even the rain and sand fly smaller than our midgey.
Our next stop was Wanaka, another lakeside venue surrounded by mountains, a couple of which I climbed last year.
Our last port of call on this trip before heading home was Lake Tekapo. Here for one night in a lovely cabin overlooking the lake, dinner out at the McKenzie restaurant overlooking Lake Tekapo.
On the lovely drive home we stopped at Geraldine, a small town half way between Lake Tekapo and Christchurch. You must stop just for a Pie and a Long Black (coffee), arrived home after sixteen days and one thousand and three hundred miles.
