Hiking adventures in New Zealand
Hiking adventures in New Zealand
We made the most of great weather over the New Year, and headed into the Cobb to traverse the Lockett Range and Mt Cobb tops of the Peel Range. As usual, the Kahurangi National Park didn't disappoint, and we enjoyed a superb few days exploring the glaciated lansdscape. It was one of those trips that makes you realise how many other many other possibilities there are up there, and makes you want to go back again and again.
We began with a...
Mount Owen is the highest point in the Kahurangi National Park, standing at 1875m and overlooking a beautiful, glaciated, limestone karst landscape. There are several ways to walk to Mount Owen. Yesterday I took the easiest and most popular track from the Courthouse Flat DoC campsite up to Granity Pass hut, to the tarns past Sentinel Hill. DoC reccommend 6 hours to walk the 8.3Kms to Granity Pass hut, and I made it in nearly 4 hours. It took another leisurely...
The spectacular rocky mass of Mount Owen is the highest point in the Kahurangi National Park, standing at 1875m. It looms over a beautiful glaciated limestone karst landscape, famous for it's incredible rock formations and huge underground cave networks. There are several ways to walk to Mount Owen, and I took the easiest and most popular track from the Courthouse Flat DoC campsite. DoC reccommend 6 hours to walk the 8.3Kms to Granity Pass hut, and I...
The Lake Peel track, followed by a hike up to Mount Peel summit (1654m) in the Kahurangi National Park makes for a great day out. It boasts a great track, some lovely forest, a nice climb, two bodies of water and beautiful walking across the tops. Then of course, it has incredible mountain views as far as you can see in every direction. The Lake Peel track is part of a network of hikes you can access from the far end of the Cobb resevoir in the...
The Hooker Valley Track is a stunning shorter walk in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in Canterbury, and you'll get some of the best views in New Zealand for very little effort. Don't miss the chance to see the spectacular alpine scenery including glaciers, mountain rivers and glacial lakes. On a good weather day you are treated to uninterrupted views of New Zealand's highest mountain Aoraki/Mount Cook (3,724m). Be warned though, this is one of the most...
The Kepler track in Fiordland National Park in Southland, is one of New Zealand's most accessible 'Great Walks'. It begins near the small town of Te Anau, and boasts beautiful forests, unique wetlands, waterfalls and alpine mountain scenery. It is a 60Km loop track (although we found out the mileage varies depending upon which brochure you read) and you'll climb to 1400m at the highest point.
DoC classify it as a 'moderate/easy' 3-4 day tramping track. We walked...