Mt Difficulty Winery in Bannockburn, Central Otago

One of my favourite wineries for tastings, if just for the stand out views alone. The Mt Difficulty cellar door sits in a stunning position atop a long, narrow and winding driveway. Perched high up above it offers majestic views out across it’s vineyards, the Bannockburn Valley, and to indeed it’s namesake Mt Difficulty.

Wine tasting is a couple of dollars - free if you purchase - and you get to choose five wines from quite a substantial list. I opted for choices from their ‘dry whites’ which included delicate Otago Sauvignon Blanc, a complete contrast to its Marlborough compatriot, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.

I should mention that there is also a Pinot Noir menu to opt for at an increased cost of $20. Given that this region is famous for it’s Pinot Noir it’s probably a popular choice.

Just beyond the wine tasting area is an outside deck which opens up to capture those stupendous views. There are several table and chairs to relax in whilst you enjoy your wine of choice.

The onsite restaurant also comes with great reviews and is recommended for enjoying a platter in between tastings.

Point Kean Seal Sanctuary, Kaikoura

Drive or walk along the coastline from Kaikoura township to the very end of the headland. There you will come across a small car park with a few unusual visitors of the ‘New Zealand Fur Seal’ kind. The rocky outcrop at Point Kean expanded much further out to sea following the recent earthquake and the seals are now spread out over a significant distance. However there are still some inquisitive ones that come in closer and will happily lounge about on the raised boardwalk or grassy banks. In the last couple of years I’ve usually only seen sleepy young males around these parts but very occasionally a young pup will join it’s mum and delight it’s audience.

If the tide is right take a walk further around the headland, being careful not to trip on the rocks and slippery seaweed. There are a lot more seals around these parts, hidden from sight. Be warned several will happily flop across the pathway and don’t much care if it was meant for our feet not theirs. I’ve regularly had to clamber up and around some grumpy seal who has been all to happy to bark and snarl at me. It’s still a treat to spend time visiting them though and as long as you are careful and don’t block their route to the sea, the only aggression you’ll experience is their bark. All bark and no bite……but never risk this!

Mountain bike the Little River Rail Trail - epic mountain to lake views

The section of the Rail Trail between Birdlings Flat and Little River township is roughly about 20km return and is, for me, one of the most enjoyable parts of the track. Park up on the road leading down to the small settlement of Birdlings Flat - which is worthy of a trip out on it’s own accord and I will mention it shortly in a future post - and follow the well sign-posted gravel track. The Little River Rail Trail is about 49km in length, starting from Hornby, a suburb of southern Christchurch, out across to the small township of Little River on the Banks Peninsula. It is split into 6 handy sections and, as the name suggests, follows the route of an old railway embankment. The trail is pretty diverse and this part of the track from Birdlings Flat follows the shoreline of Lake Forsyth - or Te Roto O Wairewa to give it the much more interesting Maori name. The lake is home to an abundance of bird life that is easily spottable as you cycle along. On my recent ride I spotted all types of duck, geese, black swans and teals. There were even a few herons nesting.

Top Tip: take some binoculars if you enjoy bird watching as you won’t be disappointed. There are dozens of different types here.

Surrounded by mountains on all sides, the trail traverses through some patches of forest and wetland before ending at Little River itself - a welcome spot to enjoy a well earnt break and perhaps a refreshment of two - the town has some great spots which I’ll talk about in a future blog.

Soak away your cares at Tekapo Springs

Offering magnificent views across Lake Tekapo and the Two Thumb Mountain range beyond, Tekapo Springs are the perfect alpine hot pools. Relaxation is made easy here. There are three pools in a tiered formation with native alpine plants dividing them. It is recommended to start at the bottom pool, which also happens to be the coolest, and work your way up. The hottest pool is also adults only and offers the most spectacular lake views. On a freezing, icy cold winters morning, with snowflakes fluttering in the air, there is probably no better place.

A day spa is also on site offering lots of indulgent treatments. I haven’t yet tried it but I did notice it offered a 60 minutes, hot stone massage. I will most certainly be back to treat myself as it seems too good a way to spend an hour!

There is also a café on site for much needed refreshments after your dip. It also has great views - just for a change…….

Lake Tekapo Village

As much a tourist resort these days as a village, Lake Tekapo has grown significantly over the last few years and yet still possesses much of its previous charm. Ideally situated about half way between Christchurch and Queenstown, Tekapo seems to be the stopping off point of choice. The village is positioned on the banks of the sparkling lake that bears it’s name, surrounded by the Two Thumb Mountain Ranges. The lake water itself needs to be seen to be believed being an incredible blue that shines gloriously in the sunlight.

Tekapo, as mentioned, is undergoing something of a transformation. New accommodation is being built, including a perfectly positioned YHA for the budget conscious traveller. New infrastructure is appearing in the form of a purpose built supermarket and a new ‘Dark Sky’ complex - which I will come to in a later blog. (Tekapo is home to a UNESCO Dark Sky Reserve).

Nothing in my opinion can beat a walk along the lake front wrapped up on a cold winters day, or even a sweltering summers day for that matter! Of course no visit to Tekapo would be complete without checking out the picture perfect Church of the Good Shepherd. This small, stone built church is probably positioned in the most iconic of locations with a glass window to take in the absorbing views across the lake to the mountain ranges. It’s also worth taking a short walk around to the Makenzie Sheep Dog Statue just nearby. A tribute to all the dogs that made settlement and farming in this area possible.

Spotting whales in Kaikoura

Which is better is a tough question. Spotting Kaikoura’s resident sperm whales from the water or air?

Having been fortunate enough to experience both I can categorically say that the answer isn’t easy.

Nothing beats a sighting of a whale close up by boat. Bobbing alongside such a magnificent mammal is truly awe inspiring and even more so when the whale sucks in that last bit of air and arches its back upwards rising to the sky to sink deep into the depths below. The first time you witness this it simply blows you away.

The great thing about being on the water of course is that you also have the opportunity to spot other sea creatures and birds close up. Seals are often seen bobbing in the water and dolphins love nothing more than to frolic on the brow of the boat. There are heaps of rare seabirds in these parts including the largest of them all, the mighty albatross, which are often spotted on the horizon.

From a plane the view is very different as you’d expect and you have the benefit of being able to appreciate the full size and scale of the whale. The flight itself is quite an adventure - taking off from a grass runway in such a small plane whilst watching the pilot at the controls right in front of you.

The views of the Kaikoura Headland are quite spellbinding as are those of the mighty Kaikoura Mountain Range. The great thing about the plane trip is that it’s quick. Once a whale is spotted they can approach it much faster than any boat can which can really benefit a viewing. The whales only breach the surface of the water for a few minutes, taking in deep breathes of air before plunging down again. I was lucky on my trip and we actually saw a whale surface so spent several precious minutes circling just above.

So which is better, the plane or the boat? Hmmmmmmmm