Nelson Lakes national park

After I finished the walk to Pelorus bridge I went in search for some bigger mountains. I found them in Nelson lakes national park. When I arrived in the park, there was a strongwind warning which made it unsafe to start the hike that I liked to do. I was also told a bridge had been washed away. The water level seemed pretty high indeed…

A nice picknickspot in Lake Rotoiti

So I went back to Nelson, to wait for better weather. I love Nelson for various reasons: it is a town surrounded by four(!) national parks, a skifield and beaches. It has the highest rate of sunshine hours in NZ. And if you ask me, the best and most comfortable library (in Richmond).  I think I am not the only one who likes Nelson. Some people seem to arrive at the campsite and never leave again…

Campsite Matai valley Nelson

 

I treated myself to a lazy day of reading. And I treated Summer (my car) to a carwash given by children who were raising funds for a bagpipes band. Two days later I drove to Nelson lakes again. The water level had dropped, and the wind had eased so I left for a three day hike.



The road from Nelson to St Arnaud





Shore of Lake Rotoiti. The sun is back :))





I was having lunch at the lakefront and wondering where all the peeping was coming from..
This is who I found under the table



Lake Rotoiti, view from Mnt Robert

Bush line hut

The first night I spend at Bushline hut. There was a nice variety of people staying that night, from New Zealand, Israel, France, Holland, Australia… When I woke up in the morning I was too excited  to go back to sleep. I sneaked out of the hut and packed my backpack outside. At 6:20 am I started walking. The trail climbed up and followed a high ridge. It was warm, and there was no wind at all. It was simply breathtaking. I did not see anyone for the first two hours.

Sunday morning 6:30 am ..

On the way to Angeles hut

Around 11 am I reached Angeles hut and lake Angeles. I took a long break and dipped in the lake (for about 3 seconds;). By coincedence I met a local family that I met before in Wanaka. It was interesting to talk with them. The three kids have been home-schooling since four years, and the parents take them in the meantime to lots of places where they go tramping, climbing and skiing.

Lake Angeles with Angeles hut on the shore

Father and son on an iceberg



I lost control at the market in Nelson on saturday morning, and bought soo many vegetables and fruit. I had to face the consequences: carry them for three days and eat as much as possible



In the afternoon I continued walking to Speargrass hut. It was a long hike, and I got tired from crossing the river again,again and again. Eventually I arrived at the hut around 5 pm. There was no one. I felt very much at peace and enjoyed the silence and landscape.



Speargrass valley



 

Alone but not lonely

Speargrass hut (1050 m)

Later at night two women from New Zealand arrived and I shared the hut with them. The next morning I walked for four hours, back to St Arnaud. It was a beautiful hike through beech forrest. In St Arnaud I picked up a french hitchhiker, Nico. We shared a our hiking stories. He told me about a night at the Kepler track where he camped on the trail. In the middle of the night he heard a big noise, and looked out of his tent (didn’t see much). The next morning, while getting out of his tent, he noticed a huge tree that had fallen down, 50 cm from his tent!! He showed me the picture. I couldn’t believe it!!

As most of you know, I will leave NZ at the 22nd of december. I am heading south now to spend another week in Otago.