East Meets West

Leaving the East to Head West

It was time to pack the caravan again and we were leaving our last house sit for the year and it was a case of East meets West.  We had been located just outside Rangiora towards the east coast of the South Island.  It was time to head back to the West Coast.

We only had a rough idea of when our homeowners were returning.  It’s always a good idea that onward travel plans are flexible to account for flight delays for their arrival home.  There was a Plan A, B, C in place to cover all contingencies.  

They were pretty much bang on time so after our ‘hand over’ and a chat about their trip, we hit the road at around 2.30 pm

Lake Pearson

Lake Pearson was our Plan A and our first stop on our East Meets West journey. We locked it in and headed for the DOC Camp (NZMCA#7685), lakeside at Lake Pearson.  It was 105km from our house sit so we were pleased to arrive there at a reasonable time.

Easy access and suitable for larger vehicles, get early for a lakeside spot

The DOC Camp has an easy entry from SH73 (towards Arthur’s Pass) and has approximately 20 parking spaces.  It is a standard campsite with a long-drop toilet but the best part is that it is right on the lakefront with views towards towering mountains and the Waimakariri Basin.  It is a photographer’s paradise with contrasting colours leaping out.  From the deep blue of the sky, greeny/blue of the lake and the mosaic tapestry of the tussocks on the surrounding mountains.

Lake Pearson has been designated a Wildlife Refuge so no dogs are allowed.  There are also no motorised boats permitted on the lake.

When we arrived there were only a handful of small rental vans but as the day closed in, more and more vehicles arrived and we were soon surrounded by rentals of all shapes and sizes.  I think we were the only privately owned set up there.

Adopting the photo-taking position (no he didn’t fall in the lake!)

We went for a wander down an old disused track which followed the lake so we could get some great shots back towards camp.  The sun was sinking so we set up the deck chairs for a rather lovely wee happy hour for two overlooking the setting sun, casting shadows on the opposite mountains.

We scored the best Happy Hour Spot – lakeside

Arthur’s Pass Village

It was only a half-hour drive to the small township of Arthur’s Pass.

The township was previously called Camping Flat then Bealey Flats. It is a popular base for those who want to explore Arthur’s Pass National Park.

I had a whole list of tracks to chose from to go and explore.  Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans and the weather had turned rather Ferrel.  A biting wind cut through all layers of clothing and the rain had started to fall.  We were situated 740 metres above sea level after all.

We did manage to wander down to the Information Centre and decided to still do the Millennium Walk around the village.

The Millennium Walk is a picturesque short walk around Arthur’s Pass township

This is the easiest of all the walks in Arthur’s Pass Village.  Directly across from Information Centre is the start of the track which is just a short stroll up an easy incline which takes you to a viewing platform amongst native forests.  There is a 50m waterfall above the old stone bridge which starts way up the mountain.

It’s been a long time since I’ve stood at the altar of a church – but just look at that view!

We popped into Arthur’s Pass Chapel to view the waterfall through its back windows.

The rest of the walks will have to wait for the next time we’re passing through, I’ll keep them on the list!

The Mountaineer’s Memorial and the good old fashion long drop out the back of one of the old baches (crib)

Arthur’s Pass Gorge

Early Maori used to bring pounamu across the Southern Alps.  It was crossed for the first time by Europeans in 1864 and was named after the surveyor Arthur Dobson.  Arthur and his brother Edward concluded that this pass was by far the most suitable for a direct crossing from Canterbury.

Otira Viaduct

Otira is a small township 15km north of Arthur’s Pass (it means ‘place of the travellers’).

The Otira Viaduct is to the south of the settlement, between Otira and the Arthur’s Pass summit.  This majestic feat of engineering was completed in 1999.  It’s 440m long and spans a stretch of highly unstable land.  It replaced a narrow, winding and dangerous section of road that was prone to avalanches, slips and closures.

The viaduct sweeps gracefully between the alps

We parked the caravan up in an area off to the side of the main road and made the trudge up the 300m steep road to the viaduct lookout.  This formed part of the original old zigzag road that the viaduct superseded.  Depending on your vehicle, it is possible to drive up to the lookout.  If there are other vehicles parked there, it is a bit tricky to turn around.

The gracefully sweeping viaduct was a fantastic sight.  It seems to snake its way over the top of large scree slopes, steep gorges and a wide braided river.  It serves its purpose well, negating the risk of major rockfalls from above, able to withstand small earthquakes and the flooding of the Otira River.

Scotty recalls having to negotiate the ‘zig-zag’ in everything from Army Unimogs to buses and tour coaches.  This was only while the road was open of course as it was continuously slipping down the scree slopes.  He mentioned that you had to ensure to select the right gear in the gearbox for the job before the long slog up the tight twisting roadway as it clung perilously to the everchanging steep landscape.

Otira Stagecoach Hotel

The Otira Stagecoach Hotel was originally a stop on the Cobb and Co stagecoach from Canterbury to the West Coast.   The hotel was built to meet the growing needs of gold miners and travellers in 1865.  During the building of the Otira Railway Tunnel in the 1920s, the town had a population of about 600 workers and their families.

We figured that it was the ideal spot to stop for some refreshments, just as thousands of travellers before us have done for the past 134 years.

A great coffee stop with some quirky memorabilia

The bar is no longer in use but they do operate a busy cafe.  All sorts of memorabilia pack the hotel and surrounding grounds.  Even the toilets are a visual symphony of history.  We had our coffee while taking in all the photos depicting the different era’s the pub has lived through.

We continued on our journey to our next destination which was to be Barrytown on the West Coast.

Jeez, it was great to be back on the West coast.  It gets under your skin and stays there. 

Click on the link below to view a video of our highlights.