Resting up in Te Anau, gateway to Fiordland National Park

Te Anau is essentially a service town, for all the local farmers and tourist operators in the surrounding area. It’s also an excellent base for visitors keen to explore the Fiordlands. It's the gateway to several of New Zealand's Great Walks, Kepler, Milford and Routeburn.

The lake front at Te Anau

The town is attractive, situated alongside the lake front, with a wide high street offering an array of shops, bars and restaurants. The lakeside itself is awash with motels, backpackers and hotel accommodations. There are wharfs for boat trips (there are sightseeing trips along the lake, water taxis that take you to drop off points for accessing the Great Walks, such as Kepler and Milford, and even a boat that takes you over the lake to spy some glow worms hidden in a cave only accessible by water - check out the Real Journey's website). There are also helicopter and seaplane trips departing from this area offering unforgettable trips over the Fiordland National Park - check out Southern Lakes Helicopters and Wings & Water.

Te Anau is the perfect stop over point for access to Fiordland National Park, the views aren’t too bad either….

The town is home to a couple of useful supermarkets. The bakery offers good sandwiches and tasty slices to tide you over on one of your many excursions into the great outdoors. My favourite coffee spot in town is Sandfly café, it’s usually packed full of locals which is always a good sign. There are tables out on the front lawn under some shady tree branches. The coffee is great, as are the Southland cheese rolls (a south island speciality and essential to try) and the homemade venison pies. Don’t miss out on a tasty treat from the counter for afters., you won't regret it.

On an evening there are several bars and restaurants buzzing with people returning from a great adventure. My favourites are The Fat Duck and The Redcliff. The Black Dog Bar is the most sophisticated spot for a drink, they even serve their own wine and beer, and be sure to check out the cinema next door.

Look out for my guide to the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary and Manapouri coming very soon….

Accommodation

options for places to stay in Te Anau coming shortly….

Cruising in Cromwell, home to the gold rush of wineries

Cromwell sits in the heart of the Central Otago region. It’s an area synomonous with excellent wines and mouth watering stone fruits. The town was established by gold miners and originally named The Junction. In 1992 the Clyde Dam Power Station was completed and the valley in which Cromwell sits was flooded to create the picturesque Lake Dunston. The original old town of Cromwell now sits under this lake. However some of the buildings were removed prior to the lake being created and have been lovingly restored and are now situated within the Historic Precinct.

Any trip to Cromwell begins with a drive around the lake and past the numerous vineyards that climb the valley walls on each side. Names such as Lowburn, Bannockburn, Bendigo are familiar to anyone with a love of New Zealand’s famous Pinot Noir. The Cromwell Valley is lovely with views everywhere you look. A cycle/walking trail follows the lakeside from the township to Pisa Moorings a settlement a few kilometres away which is home to the Heritage Lakeside Resort - a great place to stay if you desire peace and tranquillity. The rooms here are positioned over the water and you are greeted each morning to the quack of the ducks. The resort has it’s own onsite restaurant and bar and the newly opened ‘Bunker’ is ideal for a pre- dinner drink. It’s just a shame it’s so difficult to find but ask the hotel staff for directions and they will happily guide you there. The room is furnished with saddles and woodworking features with a large open fire place dominating. It’s both cosy and curious in equal measures.

Heritage Lakeside Resort near Cromwell, experience and overwater villa

Cromwell itself seems somewhat light weight on first appearances. Take this with a pinch of salt though. Yes the large plastic fruit are somewhat tacky and the sterile town-centre perhaps lacks the atmosphere of nearby Wanaka or Queenstown, but underneath Cromwell packs a vibe. The nearby Swimming and Fitness centre is the envy of other towns. The sports fields are always buzzing with competitors. The stream flowing through the middle of the pedestrian area gurgles away as shoppers browse the local bookstore, deli and bakery. With fruit trees and vines surrounding the township, and it’s setting alongside the lake-front in the heart of a mountainous valley, Cromwell is truly a wonderful place to while away a few days. There are numerous walking trails and even the opportunity to hire an e-bike from the local visitor centre. A day ride will take you through the valley to neighbouring Clyde – it is on my list to do this summer.

Any trip to the Otago area though must involve visits to wineries. Put simply this is a food and wine lovers paradise. I’ve already mentioned the Pinot Noir but the wineries here are creative and have some excellent sparkling’s, roses and chardonnays to sample. Cromwell itself is home to several wineries. The Four Barrels Walking Trail is a must do. It involves a short walk between 4 of the local wineries, Misha’s, Scott Base, Aurum and Wooing Tree. All offer platters or snacks of some type and each, of course, offers impeccable tastings. Misha’s is in the town surrounded by orchards, perch on one of the stools and allow one of the cellar door staff to talk you though the tastings. Nearby the Wooing Tree is set by a small lake within their own vines. They have seating outside under shady canopies and their platters have to be tried. As does a glass of their legendary ‘blondie’ wine – the ideal sunny summer afternoon tipple. Scott Basin sits up above the valley on its own little platform, again the cellar door is rustic with indoor and outdoor seating. The wine tasting is excellent and they are even the wine providers to the Antarctica Scott Base!

After a couple of wine induced days in Cromwell it’s time to discover it’s partner in crime Bannockburn…. Uncovered in another blog coming very soon……

Following the pathway alongside Lake Dunston

Biking the Little River Rail Trail in Canterbury, South Island New Zealand

Hiking and biking are two of my favourite outdoor activities.
They are easy to combine on a weekend and one of the best places is Little
River on the Banks Peninsula. There are some easily accessible Department of
Conservation walks in this area and the Little River Rail Trail is one of the
best mountain bike tracks in the country.

The Trail covers nearly 50km of mainly off-road biking following, as you can probably guess, an old rail line from southern suburbs of Christchurch to Little River township. It can be broken down into easy manageable sections or enjoyed in one go – although if you aren’t a seasoned biker you will probably suffer sore calves if you do attempt this! Beware! It is all nicely flat though, which is a plus,
and takes you through some magnificent countryside so there are plenty of places to stop off at, rest, and enjoy the scenery and serenity.  I have biked the trail a few times and one of my favourite parts is from the small town of Lincoln to Motukarara. This part does include some roadway negotiation, but it is so quiet and you tend to get distracted by all the sheep and horses in the fields, the Pukeko and paradise shell ducks that are abundant around here. Part of the trail traverses alongside the river and a new wetland has recently been developed by some keen locals eager to return the adopted farmland to its former habitat. There are signs telling you all about this initiative and it quite inspiring to witness
at first hand all the hard work and dedication. Over the next few years, as the
plants grow, and birds return it will be a pretty special place for all to
enjoy.

Another recommended an enjoyable part of the track is from
Motukarara to Kaituna Quarry Reserve. Look behind you and you have the splendour of the Southern Alps mountain range in full view on a clear day. Beside you is Lake Ellesmere, an inland saltwater lake cut off from the sea by the Kaitorete Spit. The lake and all it’s wetlands and overflows, including Kaikuna Lagoon are home to literally thousands of birds. Up to 98,000 can be hanging out here at any one time! Often as I cycle along the raised track, I spot grey herons standing tall and proud on fence posts. In the wetlands are families of Australian Black Swans who raise their young in these sheltered waters. In Springtime the ponds at the side of the track are home to mother ducks with their tribe of little ducklings innocently negotiating the reeds and bushes. There are often some unusual birds to be found here that I would in all honestly struggle to name, but if you enjoy wildlife and nature it’s an excellent part of the track to explore and linger.

My third and last recommended section is the part encompassing Birdlings Flat to Little River township itself. Birdlings Flat is a vast stone covered beach that is pounded constantly by the unforgiving and slightly mercilious Pacific Ocean. With its crumbling cliffs at one end and seemingly endless expanse at the other it is both atmospheric, wild and beautiful. Fishermen love it here and there is a constant trail of eager anglers keen to make a catch just off the beach. Little River reached by following the rail trail along the banks of Lake Forsyth from Birdlings Flat along the floor of the rolling hills of Prices Valley is a small settlement which is usually a stop off-point for those travelling further on around the peninsula. It has an excellent café, fuel stop, art gallery and even an American Diner. If you are keen enough to tackle the trail in one fell swoop it has the unique Silo Stay to spend the night – hay silos have been converted into stylish hotel units, there is even a place to hang your bike!

Once you have begun your exploration of the area, providing
you still have enough energy in those legs after your bike ride – which along
this trail has a habit of being longer than you expect it to be as you simply
can’t help gazing ahead of yourself despite your legs screaming at you to stop –
you will be keen to go off road altogether and follow one of the walking tracks
into the bush and countryside. The track I would recommend for a day walk would be the Okuiti Track. It’s quite a climb but once you reach the upper areas you are rewarded with some truly splendid awe-inspiring views.