Nelson Lakes
Here's the full story...!
I left Christchurch around 9am and drove to Nelson Lakes, via Balmoral Forest, Waterfall Creek, and Maruia Falls.
It was perfect weather, with blue skies and sunshine all the way.
Arrived at Lake Rotorua around 3pm, and ran around Braeburn track to the waterfall, and then the Flower Bush walk and Nature Walk. The lake was beautiful, really still and calm with not many people about as the sun was going down.
I attempted a 4WD track as an interesting shortcut over to Lake Rotorua, which turned out to be a bad idea – made it very slowly nearly over the top, but got stuck on ice and had to do a 9-point turn on a narrow road sided by a steep cliff. That won't be attempted again...however, I made it down alive and continued by the normal road to Lake Rotoiti. I camped near the lakefront, sleeping in the back of the car – nice to have a warm sleeping bag! Woke up in the morning with a freezing nose to frost covering the ground and the car, but beautiful clear skies.
I started up Mt. Roberts Road and cut down to the Lakehead track on the right of the lake. Partly running, but walking on the rockier sections, I visited Whisky Falls on the way round to Coldwater Hut at the head of the lake.
After stopping there and chatting to some random people I met having lunch in the sun, I got a lift in their wee boat to the other side of Coldwater stream!
I then came back via the Lakeside track, an easier track to run, through trees and forest but without so many frosty rocks and fallen trees. There were gorgeous views and beautiful sunshine all day. I found an outdoors lodge used for scouts etc to change and discovered free showers – bonus Shortly after I continued on my way to Nelson, but I'll definitely go back to that area, it was really beautiful.
In Nelson itself, I explored the area with quite a bit of running and mountain-biking. The Maitai Valley was a favourite, and the views from the top of Fringed Hill were excellent (although the climb up there was quite the challenge!)
The overview...
This was a short visit to Nelson Lakes on my way up to Nelson. The area was absoloutely beautiful and I definitely plan on going back there to explore some more! I did a couple of short runs around the area by Lake Rotorua, and saw the sun setting over the lake which was really pretty. At Lake Rotoiti I did the track around the lake which was a nice preview to how scenic the whole area must be. The weather was great and I'm looking forward to going back another time.
I left Christchurch around 9am and drove to Nelson Lakes, via Balmoral Forest, Waterfall Creek, and Maruia Falls.
It was perfect weather, with blue skies and sunshine all the way.
Arrived at Lake Rotorua around 3pm, and ran around Braeburn track to the waterfall, and then the Flower Bush walk and Nature Walk. The lake was beautiful, really still and calm with not many people about as the sun was going down.
I attempted a 4WD track as an interesting shortcut over to Lake Rotorua, which turned out to be a bad idea – made it very slowly nearly over the top, but got stuck on ice and had to do a 9-point turn on a narrow road sided by a steep cliff. That won't be attempted again...however, I made it down alive and continued by the normal road to Lake Rotoiti. I camped near the lakefront, sleeping in the back of the car – nice to have a warm sleeping bag! Woke up in the morning with a freezing nose to frost covering the ground and the car, but beautiful clear skies.
I started up Mt. Roberts Road and cut down to the Lakehead track on the right of the lake. Partly running, but walking on the rockier sections, I visited Whisky Falls on the way round to Coldwater Hut at the head of the lake.
After stopping there and chatting to some random people I met having lunch in the sun, I got a lift in their wee boat to the other side of Coldwater stream!
I then came back via the Lakeside track, an easier track to run, through trees and forest but without so many frosty rocks and fallen trees. There were gorgeous views and beautiful sunshine all day. I found an outdoors lodge used for scouts etc to change and discovered free showers – bonus Shortly after I continued on my way to Nelson, but I'll definitely go back to that area, it was really beautiful.
In Nelson itself, I explored the area with quite a bit of running and mountain-biking. The Maitai Valley was a favourite, and the views from the top of Fringed Hill were excellent (although the climb up there was quite the challenge!)
The overview...
This was a short visit to Nelson Lakes on my way up to Nelson. The area was absoloutely beautiful and I definitely plan on going back there to explore some more! I did a couple of short runs around the area by Lake Rotorua, and saw the sun setting over the lake which was really pretty. At Lake Rotoiti I did the track around the lake which was a nice preview to how scenic the whole area must be. The weather was great and I'm looking forward to going back another time.
posted by Mhairi
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home