Te Araroa 21/01/26

Day 122, Tekapo to Twizel (2498)

The morning started bright but by the time my bike arrived it had started to drizzle.

Lake Tekapo in the morning 

I got the bike adjusted to fit and cycled into the village with the intention of getting a cup of coffee before starting. Two cafes were open and a coffee stall but there were about ten people queueing at each one, it wasn't that important so I carried on.

Tekapo power station and the start of the canal

The cycle path / trail dropped down to the hydro power station (Tekapo A) where the spillway is a huge canal that takes the water on to Lake Pukaki.

Road beside the canal

The rain got heavier as I cycled along the long road beside the canal and I was very happy not to be walking. I passed Megan and Eve, who I hadn't seen for ages, and Pete and Dean. I'm not sure how far they were planning for today.

Feeding salmon at the farm 

The rain stopped as I went past a salmon farm in the canal, unusual, I have only seen salmon farms in the sea before.

Power station on Lake Pukaki

At the end of the canal the water is piped to another power station and the road drops steeply to Lake Pukaki. I chickened out at 50 kph and applied the brakes.

Hired bike and Lake Pukaki 

I was told that it was an extremely unusual summer in that the lakes are all full and the grass is green, I must have brought the rain with me.

Lake Pukaki spillway 

The vibrant turquoise-blue color which comes from glacial flour, which are super-fine rock particles ground down by glaciers in the Southern Alps and suspended in the water, was not as apparent today with the grey sky but still obvious.

Twizel flats

The cycle / walking track continued around Lake Pukaki and across the spillway, that was spilling a lot of water, before heading across the Twizel Flats to the village.

The end of the flats

Twizel was built as a camp for the hydro scheme workers in the nineteen fifties and was supposed to be demolished when they were completed but it was reprived.

Ministry of Works machines and a section of the feed pipe for Tekapo B

There is a collection of old Ministry of Works machines on the green as you approach.

Scraper

I left the bike at the hire center, collected my pack and walked to the very nice Motel room that I had booked. Again everywhere had no vacancy signs up, holiday season but not holiday weather.

Grader

A resupply trip to the Four Square supermarket, clothes washed in the machine in my room and I'm all set for the next few days.

Te Araroa 20/01/26

Day 121, Camp Stream Hut to Tekapo (2444)

It was cold last night but there was no frost in the morning, a pleasant night in the hut.

Leaving Camp Stream Hut 

A foot spa in the morning 

My feet didn't stay dry for long, I carefully avoided the boggy bits but then had to wade the river before climbing up to a plateau that I walked across for about fifteen kilometers.

Last good views of Mount Cook 

The views were not like yesterday, the mountains were cloudy and further away but I really enjoyed it not too hot or cold and the breeze behind me.

Looking back to the first part of the walk 

It was a lovely, level walk, dry ground and an easy trail to follow, ideal walking.

Amazing 

A few clouds made it interesting 

Golden Speargrass, the sharpest plant I have ever come across 

Good path on the plateau 

Lake Tekapo looking blue again

All good things come to an end though and I descended to the long gravel road to Tekapo.

Fourteen kilometers of gravel was plenty and I was happy to see Tekapo getting closer. I wasn't prepared for the number of campervans and people though, it is obviously a major tourist attraction and peak holiday season.

The long, long gravel road 

I had managed to book an overpriced bed in the hostel, which was full like most of the other even more overpriced accomodations.

Looking back wistfully to the hills 

The view of the lake from the hostel was good despite the parked campers but the village itself is really just a car park with tourist shops and cafes.

I organized a bike to ride the trail to Twizel tomorrow, it will make a change from walking.

Evening light over Lake Tekapo 

And a cloud on the hill

It was a fine night and there were some good pictures of the Aurora Borealis taken here but I had gone to bed and nobody saw anything special with the naked eye anyway.

Picture taken from Tekapo with the comment: 'sadly not this bright to the naked eye'

Te Araroa 19/01/26

Day 120, Royal Hut to Camp Stream Hut (2410)

Clear sky in the morning and the temperature was well below zero, I had a comfortable night but my shoes and socks were frozen and I had to melt them in the stream.

Royal Hut just catching the morning sun 

The temperature soon rose as the sun came up and I headed the wrong way from the hut only realizing that I was following the wrong stream after walking about a kilometer through the tussock grass, a bit of extra exercise.

Up by the now small Bush Stream 

Once on the right track it was a steady climb up by the stream with only a few easy crossings.

Looking back

The path then left the stream and climbed steeply up to the Stag Saddle (1925). There was a choice of route here me, either down the valley or along a high ridge.

Enough said 

The ridge route actually goes higher, 1944

It was a perfect day so it didn't require any thought and I contoured round the scree to the ridge.

Looking towards Mount Cook with the girl who was washed down the river

Amazing view, Lake Tekapo and the mountains around and including Mount Cook. Blue Lake, white mountain and all colours in between, fantastic.

Mount Cook range

And again 

The long easy ridge descent was a beautiful walk with the mountains and lake view in the sunshine, I had to keep stopping to stare.

Lake Tekapo. Yes the colour is real

The path dropped down at the end of the ridge to a track that crossed the Camp Stream and a short climb took me to the hut where there was an empty bed.

Unusual hut pursuit 

Five beds in the hut and four camping outside. We were all here early so spent most of the afternoon chatting and otherwise amusing ourselves in the sunshine.

Camp Stream Hut 

Te Araroa 18/01/26

Day 119, Geraldine to Royal Hut (2395)

It was a damp morning when I got the shuttle up to the trail head, seven people all hoping for a good days walk.

Shuttle to the start 

The rain had stopped by the time we reached Forest Creek and after some discussion about the state of the rivers we all decided to take the Forest Creek route rather than the more dangerous Bush Stream track.

Forest Creek,(the easy one!)

The Forest Creek route follows the river of the same name up the bank and then on the stones and gravel of the river bed.

First crossing 

There were three crossings of the main river, one of which was at the limit of my crossing ability, the other two easier before starting a steep climb up to the Bullock Bow Saddle (1692m)

Survived that one

At the end of the day I met a girl, who's name I have forgotten, who had been swept about thirty meters downstream and lost her pole and everything that was in the pockets of her rucksack.

Good track up to the saddle 

After the initial very steep climb followed by some tussock grass and spiky bushes the route followed an old Land Rover track which climbed steadily, with a few switchbacks, to the saddle.

Looking back

Looking forward 

Down then to meet the Bush Stream track 450 meters below.

Beautiful descent 

A tempting camp spot

A wet and muddy path took me up to the Royal Hut so called because it is rumoured that Prince Charles and Princess Anne were here when they were children.

Can you see the hut?

The hut was full when I got there but there was plenty of space to camp and I joined the other three tents outside.

The route I took went up Forest Creek, the river below the green patch of trees

It was a cold night.