Autumn Colour in the Mackenzie District

Sunday 3 May

Yahoo suggested the overnight low would be 4*C but we didn’t quite believe that so we had emptied our water pipes and switched off the water pump overnight - fortunately, as our thermometer recorded -4*C at around 7am and there was a heavy frost all around. The moon was still up in a pastel sky, and everything around was crispy & sparkly.

Finally the sun broached the mountains and trees around the Ruataniwha Freedom Camp and we layered up and hopped on the bikes around 10ish, and set off down to SH8 to find the Historic Iron Bridge and visit Keland Pond and the Wairepo Arm of the Ohau Canal.

Shellie Evans Photography had posted some stunning photos of these spots recently and we were keen to check them out before the autumn leaves all dropped from the trees.

First stop was the old Iron Bridge - built in 1890 this single span bridge crossed the Ohau River but has now been sidelined by the “new” route of SH8 and now sits at the head of a wee lagoon. We found the Historic Iron Bridge after a wee detour to the power station by mistake, then a bumpy rocky ride down a farm track. Back in 1890, it was erected to replace a dangerous wire rope and cage system for crossing the River Ohau, though there was pushback in case the new bridge facilitated the spread of rabbits across the region!

It was a beautiful spot with a few ducks and a gloriously teal coloured lagoon - we paid tribute to Toby from Leopards Go Wild by each dropping a large splashy stone from the top of the bridge into the waters below! We also checked out the Ruataniwha spillway and just as we were leaving, a farmer came through with about half a dozen dogs running in convoy - so cool!

Cycling on we passed High Country Salmon and pulled off the road to follow the shoreline of the Wairepo Arm of the Ohau Canal. It was very pretty and gently autumnal, but I think we have missed peak colour for this area.

We crossed the road and cycled around 2/3 of the Keland Pond, and Louis put the drone up to capture some of the beauty. The pond was more of a lake, hosting ducks, geese and a pair of black swans, and again, the autumn colour was a little muted but the reflections in the lake made it all look stunning.

Just can't stop looking at these amazing reflections - I must have taken a few hundred photos!

I spotted a pair of black swans swimming serenely on Keland Pond - until they got a fright when Cheeky & Gipsy showed up and gave them a start! We met the gorgeous dogs and their mum round the far side of the waters - they were having a lovely run around the pond, not chasing anything, but the wildlife was not too happy!

I was trying to capture a selfie with Louis cycling up behind me, but got photobombed by a bumble bee who then landed on my shoulder!

From here we cycled back past the base of Lake Ruataniwha and up the side of the lake, to Banjo for lunch (yummy nachos) and a siesta then decided to wander down to the lakeside path by Ruataniwha - bumping into our neighbours in the Australis caravan so we walked and talked (with Ava the dog keeping an eye on us) and did a loop over to the hydropower dam and back. The rowan glowed deep orangy red in the late afternoon sunlight, and we walked out along the peninsula into the middle of the lake to view even more gorgeous autumnal reflections, and to look back up at Banjo & their Australis sitting in splendour on the top of the cliff.

We went along to the base of the Ohau A Dam that we had cycled over the day before, then looped back to the camp. Gavin and Kay were lovely and we had good chats, sharing favourite destinations and camp grounds - and Ava was adorable and very smoochy.

Watched the changing colours of the sky as the sun dropped. Light dinner in Banjo then time for Taskmaster S21, E4… loving this season, or should I say “series”?!