Day 87 - Kawarau Bridge to Arrowtown

Tent dismantled, packs filled, and down to the road for a 25k day.

Once we reached Gibbston and a winery area we were able to follow a cycle trail for much of the way to Arrowtown. 

The main feature on the way was the Kawarau suspension bridge, which had bungy jumping in progress. We stayed to watch someone leap from the platform, bouncy a few times and then get lowered into an inflatable boat on the river.

The Arrowtown hills were ablaze with colourful trees. We booked a tent spot at the Holiday Park and wandered to town for a meal. Who should we meet there? Craig Smith - author of the Wonkey Donkey. Great to have a chat with him and get a photo.

The morning pack up.

Karl is standing in the distance.

A white water point in the gorge.

River view from Gibbston to Arrowtown cycle trail.

Suspension bridge.

Vehicle bridge.

Hills above Arrowtown.

Meeting Craig Smith - The Wonkey Donkey author.

Day 86 - Cromwell to Kawarau Bridge camp

Where would you be without your morning pie kai? A bakery sparrow stopped by to clean up the crumbs. We met a couple of the locals Gem and James who had once resided in Rotorua. Offered us a ride but we were going the opposite direction. Besides, the mantra for us is still strong. Hike ALL New Zealand.

On the outskirts of Cromwell we paused to chat with a chap weed-eating his embankment. Various sculptures adorned his front garden. As conversations transpired, he was the artist of the sculptures. He used just 3 tools and a lot of elbow grease! It had been working on pieces the last few years. Check out ‘Wyeth Design’ on Facebook, and you’ll see what I mean.

The Kawarau Gorge had its challenges for walking. Barriers were great to be behind, however there was often not a lot of space, then a great long drop. The gorge looked very unforgiving.

A bridge over the Kawarau River presented itself at the 25k mark. Again not a lot of space to work with. Running across after carefully listening for vehicles was the best way. Up an embankment on the other side we sidled past bee hives and found a flat spot next to a fence and under a large pine tree. Here we pitched for the evening. A feed of pasta and dehydrated potato on the menu and we were content for the night ahead.

Bakery sparrow.

New World produce manager checks out the fruit.

On the trail out of Cromwell.

Creation outside the Motorsport park.

Entering Kawarau Gorge.

A sign to say so…

Pic near the Roaring Meg.

Day 85 - Bendigo to Cromwell

 It’s early morning and I’m standing on a huge rock in my crocs photographing the sunrise hitting the tips of the mountains alongside Lake Dunstan. Its top crevices have pockets of snow. The day is fresh and clear with swans and various ducks, chorusing to the morning.

I got chatting to a cyclist who is from Norway. They are heading through to Omarama today.

The walk to Cromwell has a constant view. The schist rocks with matagouri bushes blotched amongst the landscape. Rabbits bob their way along the hillsides as they are disturbed by our beating sticks on the highway.

I spot an unusual coloured rock on the roadside and pop it in my pocket. I’ll photograph it later and may even message son Mark. He can ask his girlfriend Taya to identify it, as she is a geologist.

We cross the bridge into Cromwell. Karl offering me big money he doesn’t have, if I were to jump off. It’s not happening! 

At the supermarket we catch up with good friend Steve. Back in time, his wife Dianne, worked at Tahuna School  with us in her role as Police Education officer. Steve drives coaches for Leisure Time. He is heading through to Queenstown via Cromwell ready for taking tourists tomorrow. An ideal opportunity to catch up!

Later I photograph the ‘rock’ and hear back from Taya that it is most likely a foliated mica-schist with pink quartz. You learn something every day!

Across Lake Dunstan at sunrise.

Mt Pisa

Autumn changes.

Bridge into Cromwell.

A catch up with Steve.

A stone I found roadside on the way to Cromwell. 

Day 84 - Lindis Hotel to Bendigo

 We passed on through the remnants and ruins of the Historic Lindis Hotel. The use of schist rock for the walls gives a ‘industrial’ look.

At morning tea we discovered what the rustling last night had been. A four legged friend had nibbled through a peanut slab wrapper, and no doubt thought it had struck gold!

Adventure before dementia camper.

A whopping 38k hike achieved. It seems whatever the walk for the day the first 3 kilometres are easy and the final 3 simply drag on for what seems like eternity. It works out this way most days.

Our tent is pitched on the shore of Lake Dunstan. A view across to Mt Pisa range.

Karl stands in the doorway of the Lindis Historic Hotel.

Remnants…

Ruins…

So this is the evidence of the rustling in the night. Something else likes peanut slabs.

Following the Old Faithful Rd back to meet SH8.

Phillip’s Rd. A back road for peaceful walking time.

The dust in the distance is from a truck that passed by.

Paddock scene.

Metal sculptures in a paddock.

Tonight’s spot.

Day 83 - Stream Camp to Lindis Historic Hotel

Never mind the previous nights screaming child. Last nights moaning, bellowing and roaring of a stag within 100metres, made your eyes pop open and consider your options. The ‘moaning back’ idea was quickly ruled out. Lying still and listening intently resumed. The stag moved away. It most likely got a whiff of our scent. Fun fact for the day: deer have highly developed noses and can smell things on the wind from almost a kilometre away. We must be smelly.

We broke camp by mid morning and made quick progress up the valley. 

Into the clouds we walked. The Lindis Pass had a steady stream of vehicles winding across it. Many were motorhomes, cars with caravans, or SUV’s carting bicycles. We took a break at Lindis Pass summit (971 metres ASL) and in that time, the blue sky emerged.

On the other side of the pass, the road was steeper still. We had lunch at a parking bay. Our recipe in a cup consisted of cold water, mixed in milk powder, Weetbix biscuits 5+, and a scattering of raisins. Satisfaction!

To get to our campsite for the night we were determined to cross the Lindis River. This saved us 16k extra detour walk. The Old Faithful Rd used to have a bridge years ago. Now there was just twisted iron bars and tired concrete pillars as to what once was.

Wearing our faithful crocs we waded across using our mana sticks as a third leg. All went well and before too long we were at the Historic Hotel campsite area. The remnants of the hotel were walls of schist rock cemented together. No roof or doors remained. The kind of place you could check out any time you liked, but you can never leave. We’d get some photos in the light of tomorrow morning.

A 30k day done.

Tent pitched. Billy on.

Heading towards Lindis Pass. Everywhere is yellow on yellow.

No need for chains on tyres today.

Near the Pass summit. Look how far we’ve come.

Clouds peel back to reveal a beaut day.

A scarred landscape.

Care, rockfalls.

Colourful trees.

How good is your eyesight. Find 4 sheep.

Safely across the Lindis River.

Day 82 - Omarama to streamside camp

Omarama has a Top 10 holiday park that this morning was alive with the buzz of children searching for Easter egg around the grounds. Under the guiding eyes of their mum and dads of course :)

Not the most restful sleep last night. A neighbouring tent of two cycling families had their toddler screaming in the early hours. Sounded like teething pain from the cry. Anyhow, all seemed well this morning.

The weather is overcast and cool. By mid-day the sun is blazing hot as we stride along the roads edge. There is minimal shade for some time until the hills close in and we start entering the Lindis Pass. Willow trees are a blend of green and yellow. They dress the valleys and show where the streams are flowing.

As the light of the day begins to fade, we press on to locate an area beside a free flowing stream. Rosehip bushes are numerous here. Karl gets a reminder of just how pointed the thorns are. His thumb doesn’t appreciate the jab and tip now stuck in it. Ouch!

A steady 26k covered for the day. We have to be self sufficient for the next three days. 

Cool camp. Each toilet had a puzzle - in case you didn’t have your phone!

An overcast start.

Jaggered ‘whitecliffs’.

A rare roadsign.

One farmer at Benmore station reckoned he hadn’t seen it this dry for 50 years.

Streamside camp. SH8.

Day 81 - Twizel to Omarama

 March 30th

The wide roadside berms out of Twizel served us well. Irrigation units create huge circles of green amongst the parched land. (Check them out on Google maps) It is as if alien spaceships have landed.

We were fortunate enough to have an apple tree roadside with huge red crisp fruit. 

The road was straight and laboriously long. We were entertained somewhat by a police officer who managed to pull over at least 4 drivers in the time it took us to walk to their flashing lights. We waved our ‘ah ah argh’ finger at the ticketed drivers as they came past. 

Then emergency vehicles including ambulance, police and fire brigade stormed past over the next couple of hours. It was later when at Omarama that we read the Stuff article. Tragedy, with two different local crashes. One near Hayman Rd where we had camped just the other night.

Makes you think.

Irrigation unit.

Nice wide berms!

Delicious apples.

Tragic accidents.

The autumn trees as if on fire…

The night sky the same!