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Published: January 26th 2017
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We have finally arrived back down south after our 1
st flight was cancelled due to bad weather (aka it was blowing 50 b’s). It’s good to back in the motorhome and setting off again for more adventures.
After a night in Christchurch to restock we headed off the next morning (Sat 20/1) to walk the Glentunnel Millennium walk (SH77). The walk is across private farmland to an abandoned rail tunnel built in 1874. The track was pretty boggy due to all the rain and fairly overgrown with thistles and blackberries. Only the entrance is visible from here. The tunnel was built by mine owners in order to avoid a 2s 6p per ton toll demanded by the local landowner if the railway crossed his land. The walk ends at the old coal mine closed in 1938 and now blocked. You get to see the old rusting boiler and winch remain only. The walk was ok but little track maintenance has been down here and I suspect most people turn around and don’t complete the walk. The old coal mine was difficult to find due to fallen trees but if you are up for a challenge and need to stretch the
legs give it a go.
Further up the road we take a detour out to Lake Coleridge. The picturesque drive runs basically parallel to the Rakaia river. It was howling out there and freezing! There were some mad divers coming out of the water near the Coleridge inlet. Must have been a dive training course running today. Lake Coleridge is the site of one of NZ’s earliest hydroelectric schemes which was completed in 1914. Today it lacked appeal perhaps because of the weather but I still thought the drive out was stunning.
Last stop for the day is the Rakaia Gorge Camping ground. What and awesome little community campground above the Rakaia river. The weather has turned with rain and howling wind. So it’s a book and a room with a view for us. Sunday and the weather has not improved so we opt to stay put as at least we get a good view. We did manage to escape in the afternoon for a walk down to the river and a wander over both the bridges before the weather closes in again. Monday (23/1) yippee the sun is shining. The check out at camp is whenever you
want to go so that’s a real bonus😊. We head off to walk the Rakaia Gorge track. This is a really great walk that follows high up on the gorge overlooking the river. The river is swift and grey today due to the rain but you can imagine how much prettier it would be when the water is sparkling blue.
Next on our hit list is the Sharplin Falls situated at the Canterbury Foothills near Staveley and Mt Somers. Guess what it’s closed and has been since 2015 because of slips. So a cuppa at Staveley will have to do then onto Peel Forrest. We did the Big Tree and Acland Falls walks here. The Big Tree is a Totara standing 31 metres high with a girth of 8.5metres…….pretty impressive and only a short walk. Acland falls were a bit of a disappointment after the beautiful falls we have seen in Milford. Considering the rain this is for sure a little pathetic. But if you need some steps to exercise on start at the camp end of the track you won’t be disappointed. Starting to feel it as I am still in recovery mode and my fitness has taken
a dive but all in all it’s been a good day and oh so nice to be back out doing things😊. Camped up at Arundel bridge for the night, the roast is on the bbq and the sun is shining😊.
Tues 24/1 Today the sun is shining again but that b#5%*y wind is driving us crazy. A detour off SH79 leads us out to Lake Opuha. Another pretty little Canterbury Lake, that you can free camp if self- contained. The boat ramp is busy here today with everyone making the most of the sunshine and perhaps a slight drop in the wind. A chance to take some photos of the water and beautiful mountains in the background before the wind picks up and the glassy look disappears. Our next and last stop for the next couple of days is Lake Tekapo. The NZMCA camp is fantastic here. Its sheltered by the large pines and sits on the edge of the lake. We finish our day with a walk to town around the waterfront. The wind is still windy …..Ha. Testament is the damaged caravan sitting at the camp that was blown over in the wind whilst being towed over
the pass. Wed 25/1 It was a wild night here but the sun is shining and we are off to walk up Mt John. It takes us about 45 minutes to walk from camp around the waterfront to the start of the track. Then yes it’s all uphill from there. Boy is it worth the climb with absolutely stunning views over Lake Tekapo, Southern Alps and McKenzie Country. At the summit we could hardly stand people were squatting behind rocks to shelter from the blustery wind. Lance reckons it was probably blowing over 60knots. As we braved the loop track at the top we actually struggled to keep our feet on the ground. The café waiter said very dangerous it rips your hats, glasses and clothes off if they are not zipped up (imagine that!!!!). Another lady said the track was closed due to high winds…..well nobody stopped us! Maybe the sign blew away that said the track was closed. This is a must do and if you don’t want to walk you can pay $8 and drive up😊. The little café at the top struggles with the volume of people, but if you can nab a seat its rather
nice spot to grab a bite, drink coffee and just admire the view. I'm a little knackered and stiff by the time we get back to camp so join some other campers for a medicinal glass of red😊. If you are here on a clear night check out the sky it’s amazing.
Thursday 26/1 and a quick sweep out and the housework is done😊. Not sure if it’s a good move to move on from our sheltered spot but things to do and places to see. So we drive out to Lake Alexandrina and Lake McGregor for a nosy. The road out heads behind Mt John and you get good views of the Northern end of Lake Tekapo. Lake McGregor is just a little lake and Alexandrina is much bigger. There are camps at both Lakes you can camp at but none are too appealing in this wind. We stop on the side of the road for a quick lunch before making our way to Lake Pukaki. The Lake is very rough with the high winds but we have a gorgeous room with a view overlooking the stunning blue water.
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