Lupins & Lake Ohau

Monday 8 December

A hazy damp morning as we packed up at Phar Lap, racehorses galloping by intermittently and the custodians setting up for Tuesday’s race meeting. Soon we were out on the road inland first to Pleasant Point for the dump station, then Fairlie for fuel (until we realised we were on the wrong road) and of course, Burkes Pass for coffee - plus a wander up to the old chapel, which is the oldest Union Church in Aotearoa, founded in 1872. The garden was was teaming with English cottage garden flowers, and the foxgloves were absolutely stunning.

Heading on towards Tekapo we paused at the stunning pou at Tewera - designed by Ngāi Tahu artist Ross Hemera, this monument reaches over 14m into the skies, standing tall against the Mackenzie landscape and the Southern Alps backdrop beyond.

As we drove along there were lupins, lupins, lupins at all the streams, culverts, lakes, ponds, along the verges and sometimes taking over whole meadows. Just before hitting Tekapo we stumbled upon one of these paddocks which was a riot of pinks and purples, and filled with tourists capturing the vivid colours. The snow capped mountains behind made the images so special... even if the lupins are noxious weeds and reviled by many Kiwis.

Between Tekapo & Twizel we passed the stunning Lake Pukaki and it was interesting to see that as the glaciers and winter snows melt, the lakes are filling so high that the hydro companies are organising spills into the canals to prevent flooding

The glacial aqua waters in the spillways and canals are so stunning. We paused in Twizel for fresh water, milk & diesel then pressed on past our old favourite NZMCA free POP at Ōhau B. Our final destination was to be Lake Ōhau (which we still can’t pronounce) and we had a choice of three campsites there - all variously recommended by our fellow NZMCA members. We followed the road up to the Lake through a stunning landscape, through the QEII covenanted land, past the first two sites, before hitting the gravel road and opting for the Round Bush DOC camp at the upper end of the lake which had to be accessed via a rather narrow cattlegrid.

We were a bit big for a lakeside pitch but got a fairly level spot with a great view, and baggsied a lakeside spot for our table & chairs (a bit Shirley Valentine) where we had late lunch, afternoon tea & dinner.

Took a walk up the lake a little way and just chilled - enjoying the peace, the birdsong and checking out the flowers - lupins, dog roses, vipers bugloss (which the bees absolutely adore) and flowering beech mistletoe. The native beech mistletoe was in full, glorious flower - it grows on the beech trees but is not parasitic, and is sadly endangered as possum like to eat it.

Dinner in Banjo - Louis had a fabulousd U-Bake lamb & kumara pie for dinner, while I had fish & salad. Went for a wander as the sun set and had a lovely chat with one of the other campers - Shane from Montreal - who was spending a month or so exploring the South Island on a motorcycle (a la John Bishop). Gave him some top tips for our favourite sites to visit & places to stay… and promised him a name check in our blog. ☑️