Walks Around and About some South Island Lakes

Lake Tekapo

There is something very relaxing about walking around lakes.  Or looking down on lakes from nearby hills.  We did both on our travels; some were just short wanders, others were longer hikes.  One of the most stunning was Lake Tekapo, especially as when we were there it was edged by deep drifts of pink and purple lupins.  Some consider lupins a weed on a par with broom and briar but, judging by the number of people taking photographs at the roadsides, others found them as stunning as we did.  A local woman, Connie Scott, planted £100 worth of seeds along the roadsides in 1949—just wanting to make the area more beautiful.  She is buried in Burkes Pass cemetery, remembered on her tombstone as the 'lupin lady'.

            The NZMCA Park where we stayed was hidden away in a clearing amongst pine trees on the shore of Lake Tekapo.  We took a walking track from there around the lakeside into Lake Tekapo township, passing the famous church of the Good Shepherd.  Built in 1935, this church has become one of the most photographed buildings in New Zealand because of its pleasing structure—and the amazing backdrop of turquoise waters and dramatic mountains.  The church was built in recognition of the pioneers of the Mackenzie Country.  Nearby is a bronze statue of a  collie dog, memorial to the working dogs that assisted the pioneering leaseholders and farmers.

Walking around the lake to the summit of Mt John

The Observatory

            We continued beside the lake, then up to the summit of Mount John.  This is home to the Mount John Observatory, one of best places in the world to observe the night sky.  The Observatory houses New Zealand's largest telescope and there are tours for those who want to view the evening or night skies.  In the daytime there are breath taking views of Lake Tekapo, Lake Alexandrina and Lake McGregor.  We wandered from the township along the lakeshore until we found the track that lead uphill (after a couple of false starts).  The track contoured around the hillside before going steeply uphill.  The top of the hill was a good place to stop—and admire the view down to the turquoise-blue, glacier-fed waters of Lake Tekapo and the snow-capped mountains beyond—because there was another steep, up-hill section before reaching the summit.  From here the views were even better.  We could see down to the Lake Tekapo township and across to the far shores of the lake where Tangaroa was parked.  The town looked like a desert oasis with the brown Mackenzie country stretching away in the distance.  In the other direction we could see the nearby Lake Alexandrina and Lake McGregor while, from this height, Lake Tekapo itself now reflected the snowy mountains in its still waters. 

            After admiring the stupendous views, we had a coffee at the aptly-named Astro Cafe, then took another track down, through exotic forest, to the lakeside.  Here we soaked our aching legs in the hottest of the Tekapo Springs' hot pools.  A nice feature was that each of the pools was shaped like one of the district's lakes.  Since we had been walking for over three hours we felt like we deserved a soak.  We don't need much of an excuse to luxuriate in a hot pool—and these were in such a lovely position beside Lake Tekapo.

Hot Pools with great views

            It is less than an hour's drive from Lake Tekapo to Lake Opuha, north of Fairlie.  This man-made lake is tucked away in the Fairlie Basin and there are several places where freedom camping is allowed.  We found a pleasant site, looking across the waters of the lake to the distant mountains.  The lake was constructed as an irrigation reservoir and there is also an electricity generating plant at the outlet of the dam.  We walked around the side of the lake to the dam one afternoon.  It was a peaceful stroll.  Although the lake is popular with those who enjoy water sports, it was early summer and few people were about.

            Next stop was the lakeside at Lake Pukaki where there is a large area for freedom camping.  This lake is the largest in the area, and has Aoraki/Mount Cook towering above the other mountains of the Southern Alps ranged beyond its headwaters.  Like the other lakes in the region, Lake Tekapo has a milky, turquoise-blue colour due to fine rock particles ground up by the glaciers and suspended in the water.  There is a track beside the lake that is part of the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail, though we just meandered a few kilometres and back again on our bikes.  It was almost Christmas so we pulled out a little wildling pine to make Tangaroa a little more festive.

            A side trip to Aoraki/Mount Cook was a must.  This World Heritage Site covers more than 70,000 hectares and includes New Zealand's tallest mountain and largest glacier.  There are several walks here ranging between ten minutes and an hour.  Where else in the country can you go for a stroll and see icebergs? 

            From Tangaroa's lakeside spot we walked the Pukaki Kettle Hole Track, which started just across the road.  This short walk took us high up the hillside overlooking Lake Pukaki and in amongst moraine hummocks.  The kettle hole itself was formed by melting glacial ice long ago.  From the hill beside the Kettle Hole Lake we had 360 degree views and those looking towards Mount Cook were amazing, even though the day was rather dull.  Sometimes clouds make dramatic scenery all the more atmospheric.

            We couldn't fault the weather when we went to Glenorchy though—the sky was blue and not a cloud to be seen.  As we drove beside Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown, there was a different and jaw-dropping view around each bend in the road.  Serious trampers base themselves at Glenorchy or Kinloch to walk multi-day tramps, but we were happy to do two shorter walks.  We started in Glenorchy itself where the Lagoon Walkway looped through wetlands beside the lake.  The track began near the wharf, meandering beside Lagoon Creek amidst willows, flowers and flax.  The views of Mt Earnslaw soon become reflected in areas of water as the track lead onto boardwalks.  The first part of the Lagoon Walkway was built in 1997 but was doubled in size with an extension in 2012.  Walkers can do the original loop, the longer circuit or a figure of eight.

On the boardwalk

            The boardwalk passed between mirror-like pools, and in some places there were side tracks, with seats for contemplation of the snow-capped peaks.  Bird life was prolific with plenty of black swans, paradise ducks and Canada geese.  The final part of the walk followed the flood bank back to town.  The walk had only taken about an hour, so we decided to tackle the Invincible Mine Track which was just north of Glenorchy, in the Rees Valley.

            Shepherds working for William Rees in 1861 were the first Europeans to arrive at the head of Lake Wakatipu.  Shortly after this, gold miners began to appear when gold was found at the nearby Richardson Range.  Although there is little trace now of the thriving settlements that once called the Rees Valley home, there were some remnants of the mine to left for us to discover.

            The track began on the terraces of the Rees River and took us up through beech forest, following the route the miners made in 1880.  After about half an hour's walking we came across the remains of a cookhouse hut, with rusty billies scattered around.  It was hard to believe that they had been there for a hundred years or more!  The higher the track went, the more sensational the views became.  In one direction we could look back towards Glenorchy and Kinloch, the other way had panoramas into Mt Aspiring National Park. 

Lunch spot

            The mine site itself was reached after a further half hour.  We were fascinated by the relics and spent quite a while exploring.  First we examined the remains of a water wheel and, a little further on, the entrance to the mine.  There was also a unique set of seven berdans, which are the large cast iron bowls used for grinding ore. We ate our lunch gazing down the Rees Valley towards Mt Earnslaw with only hawks for company.  It was one of those sights, and experiences, which are truly unforgettable.

            Before heading back to the bus we went to Paradise.  How could we not?  There is not much there except for the sign and some horse paddocks.  I had imagined that the early settlers were very happy with their environment, but the DOC ranger at the start of the Rees Dart track disillusioned me—Paradise is named after the ducks that inhabit the valley.

            The next mountain we climbed was the Rocky Mountain, in the Diamond Lake Conservation Area, close to Lake Wanaka.  It was a hot day and there was a 400-metre climb to the summit.  I spent the way up veering between thinking, 'wow, these views are amazing!' and 'why did I think this was a good idea!'  Reaching the summit underlined the wow factor though—and despite the struggle it definitely was a good idea.

At the start of the track

View on the way up

            There are several walks in the Diamond lake Conservation Area.  The first is a 45- minute circuit of the lake; the second is a one-hour return to the Diamond Lake lookout; continuing further is the Lake Wanaka Lookout, two hours return; and finally the Rocky Mountain Summit (which we walked) a three-hour, seven-kilometre loop.

            Since it was a clear, sunny day we opted for the Rocky Mountain track which lead from the car park past Diamond Lake, fringed with willow and raupō.  Amazingly, winters were so severe in the 1950s that the lake as often used for ice skating.  The track to the lake lookout went steeply uphill, on wooden steps under rocky schist cliffs.  We took the opportunity to rest at the lookout and pondered why Diamond Lake was so called.  It is more of a teardrop shape but glitters in the sunlight, so maybe that suggested the name.

            Onward and upward again, then the track split.  We took the eastern branch, and then wandered along a side track to the Lake Wanaka lookout.  There were fantastic views from here, looking across Lake Wanaka and its islands to The Peninsula and the peaks beyond.  The track zigzagged steeply in places, and then rounded more and more bluffs, until finally the summit, with its cairn, came into view.  The summit is 775 metres above sea level and there were 360 degree views from this spot.  We had been blown away by the views of Lake Wanaka on the climb up but the view west from the summit, towards the snowy-capped mountains of Mt Aspiring National Park, was equally breathtaking. 

View at the summit

On the way down

            Eventually we continued along the track, down the western loop.  There were steep cliffs beside the track, which hair-pinned down, then passed through some bush-filled gullies.  At times the track was a scramble around rocky cliffs and these sections are apparently very dangerous in winter.  Rock climbers love the cliffs though and have established routes—some fitting names they have chosen are Rock Hudson and Sharon Stone.

            Before moving on from this part of the South Island we drove towards the west coast, freedom camping on the shores of Lake Hawea.  We were planning to stay at a DOC campground further along beside the lake, but the condition of the road made us decide against it.  We weren't sure if freedom camping was allowed here as the signs were ambiguous—but we stayed the night anyway.  From the hillside behind the bus we enjoyed the view—looking down at our tiny white home, dwarfed on all sides by lofty mountains.                  Later we walked along the road beside the lake for quite a while—we kept wondering what the view would be like around the next bend.  Eventually we turned back but before we got far had to quickly scramble up the hill.  A farmer was driving a herd of skittish cattle ahead of his quad bike, ably assisted by three panting dogs.  Then, as darkness fell, we found ourselves alone under the starry sky with the lake an inky and mysterious black.

Tangaroa at the lakeside, Lake Hawea

Information about places mentioned in this post - correct at the time of writing
Walks

• ·         Tekapo Mount John Walkway

www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/canterbury/places/lake-tekapo-area/things-to-do/lake-tekapo-town-tracks

Tramping track, 3 hr loop

Access: from lakeside near Tekapo Springs

• ·         Lake Opuha walk

mackenzienz.com/tours/walking-tracks-fairlie

1 hr return, easy

Access: Trentham Rd, Lake Opuha

• ·         Glenorchy Lagoon Walkway

www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/glenorchy-area/things-to-do/glenorchy-walkway

1-2 hr loop walk, easy

Access: Mull St, Glenorchy

• ·         Invincible Mine Track

www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/glenorchy-area/things-to-do/invincible-gold-mine-track

3 hr return, easy: walking track

Access: Rees Valley Rd, 30 min drive from Glenorchy

• ·         Rocky Mountain Summit Track

www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/diamond-lake-and-hospital-flat/things-to-do/diamond-lake-and-rocky-mountain-walks

7 km, 3 hr return, easy: walking track (but a steep, uphill climb)

Access: Wanaka-Mount Aspiring Rd, 18.5 km from Wanaka

Places to visit

• ·         Tekapo Hot Springs

6, Lakeside Dr, Lake Tekapo

www.tekaposprings.co.nz

Hours: 10.00 am-9.00 pm daily

Entry price: adult $27, senior $22, child $15

• ·         Aoraki/Mount Cook national Park Visitor Centre

1, Larch Grove, Aoraki/Mount Cook

www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/canterbury/places/aoraki-mount-cook-national-park

several easy walks from 10 min  to 2 hours return