Why Wanaka, New Zealand?

Why do you want to spend the summer in Wanaka, New Zealand? That is the question we often heard before we left for our 3 months in Wanaka. Even someone on the plane ride over asked me, “What will you do in Wanaka for 3 whole months?”  

Answer is... I’ll be hiking and viewing some of the most magnificent views in the world! And that's exactly what I did this past Saturday afternoon. 

A wee bit of Lake Wanaka and Wanaka town.

My destination is  Mt. Roy--- right up there in the middle.

After dropping Bob at the Wanaka Golf Course for Men’s Day golfing at 11:30 am, I drove from the course for about 5K to the Mt. Roy trailhead. Bob asked me to pick him up at 5:30, but he took a house key in case I needed  more time to conquer the mountain trek. Someone at the golf course would drive him back to our flat if needed. 

The trailhead parking lot had several cars and a few camper vans. That’s one reason I felt comfortable hiking this strenuous mountainous trail alone. It is popular with locals and tourists.  Roy’s Peak Track is about a 11km (6.8 miles) round trip hike. It’s all-encompassing panorama from the 1,578 meter (5,180 ft) summit includes most of Lake Wanaka, the surrounding peaks and Mount Aspiring. 

I started tramping uphill on the track all alone. I stopped to visit Mr. Scaife’s burial spot. He was the owner of the Glendhue Bay Station (sheep ranch) for over 50 years and wanted to be buried on the mountainside overlooking the lake and bay. I hope that when it’s my time to leave this lovely earth, someone will spread my ashes on a mountain somewhere as beautiful as this spot.

This memorial is facing the bay and lake.

I met Richard (that’s him walking towards my picture of the stone memorial) from Australia at the burial site and we trekked uphill together for a couple of hours while chatting about motorcycling, bicycling, Australia and New Zealand and of course, loving all the views as we turned on the switchbacks. He’s an avid motor-cycler, bicycler and hiker, so we had a lot in common. His wife is a cycler, but not an avid hiker, so she was in their motorhome in the parking lot reading while he was hiking. He and his wife spend their summers caravaning around New Zealand and bicycling in cycling events and/or finding interesting rides near the towns where they camp. The day before, they had ridden their road bikes from downtown Wanaka to the dirt road that goes out to to Mt. Aspiring National Park and back to Wanaka. 

Lake Wanaka's solitude amazes me. I spy one boat.

The clouds came in and the picture quality got better and better.

Ahh... choo!

Fall is in the air. The weed flowers are just about dead and blowing in the wind.

Richard and I bid farewell about an hour from the top. He was interested in going faster than my lungs/heart could manage as the terrain got steeper and steeper. I don’t wear a heart rate monitor, but I can tell when my heart rate goes above 135 beats per minute and that’s not good for my thyroid. Since my resting heart rate is normally a low 42-48, I have to be careful that I don’t get it too high. As soon as my temples start throbbing violently, I know that I’m going over my designated rate so I slow down. I hiked the rest of the trek to the top by myself at a pace good for me (breathless, but not straining) and greeted Richard on his way down from the top. I made it to the summit in 3 1/2hours.

Walking and enjoying the great scenery.... blue on blue... (I think Bobby Vinton sang something like that)

Getting closer! The top of the stile is pointing to my peak.

At the top of Mt. Roy, I met two young German backpacker girls. One of them took my picture. I then took a picture of them. I didn’t want to spend too much time up there since it was windy and cold; typical mountaintop weather. On my way down, I met a young Austrian couple and they asked me to take their picture. I chatted with them briefly. They were spending time traveling/working around New Zealand. 

The views from near the top...

get bluer and better!

A view of part of  Mt. Aspiring Nat. Park appears!

Hmmm... wonder why blue is my favorite color? All the hues of blue.

The hike was hard, but wonderful. The views were incredible----- a great reason to be in Wanaka for 3 months. I made it back to the golf course in plenty of time to pick up Bob. He had a great day too.... several pars, 2 birdies and he made 3 putts over 30 feet! Yahoo for Bob. One OB was a wee downside to his game. 

Watch your step when you get to the top.

Happy hiker at the top of Mt. Roy with more of Lake Wanaka in the background.

Mt. Aspiring National Park. Wow!

We both had a super-duper day in a super-duper part of the world!