Tuesday - lakes and mountains

We woke this morning to a magnificent view! Though we were joined by two more camper vans last night, this morning there was total silence as the sun came up over Lake Tekapo. Last night we had decided not to stay up to see the stars; the sky was overcast and we couldn't keep our eyes open. Sadly, the skies cleared about 10.30, by which time we were fast asleep.

 

We started the morning with a bacon and egg buttie, then sorted out the van and drove a short way down the road to the start of the Peninsular Walk.

Looking back we could see the van that had spent the night next to us, and could really appreciate what a wonderful spot we had spent the night in.

The peninsular walk was said to be a 75 minute walk, but we knew from the Frenzy Guide that we could take a short detour and walk along the lake side by some white bluffs.

The views as we started the walk were magnificent. The lake seemed to get bluer the further we walked, and the sun shone. Sadly I had forgotten to put sun block on the back of my neck, an area which had still not recovered from the sun burn received in Sydney harbour. Tomorrow I think I will have to walk with a scarf protecting me!

We followed the path markers until we got close to the shore, then detoured down to the lakeside flats. Around the corner we came across the beginning of the bluffs, soft steep cliffs of a surprising white colour. A few looked like they had been pebble-dashed, the rest as though their faces had been cut with a cheese wire.

Walking along the pebble beach was quite hard work, but well worth it.

The start of the walk went through a section of wild lupins! Past their best now, they must have wonderful when in full bloom. After two weeks spent driving through Newfoundland a few years ago looking for wild lupins at the sides of the road, and discovering Mick now classified all plants as 'lupins' or 'not lupins', it was quite a relief to see so many wild lupins (this is for you Dianne).

After finishing our walk, we drove up to the Mount John observatory. A welcome cup of coffee for Mick, then lunch by our van, before driving on to Lake Pukaki. This was another glacier fed lake, so an astonishing blue in colour. At the visitor centre we bought fresh salmon pieces from a salmon farm on the lake, then continued our drive towards Aoraki/Mount Cook.

We are now camped in the White Horse Hill DOC campsite, just under Mount Sefton. First thing after arriving we walked into the village, enjoyed the excellent visitor centre, got a recommendation for a walk for tomorrow, and then had a beer whilst looking at Mount Cook.

 

 

 

 

 

Walking back to the campsite, then again later while sitting outside eating the salmon bought earlier, we have been hearing the occasional rumble from the glacier on Mount Sefton. On one occasion we even saw a massive fall of ice and snow on the upper regions of the mountain.

Tomorrow we are going to walk the Hooker Valley trail, and possibly the Kea Lookout Point trail afterwards. Meanwhile the heat is gradually decreasing, and the beer and wine are suggesting an early night (again).

 

PS. The spacing and photos on this blog seem to have gone crazy, and I had great problems posting it - hope it is all working now!

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