Dart River/Te Awa Whakatipu

A beautiful sunny day, not too hot, perfect for a drive up the lakeside to Glenorchy at the head of Lake Wakatipu and beyond. But first we had to get through Queenstown. Yikes, we still hadn’t been into Queenstown proper, what a busy place. Glad we didn’t need to stop there for anything, though we did need to fill up the gas tank. Whoops! No gas stations between Queenstown and Glenorchy. Fortunately, we made it to Glenorchy and my credit card actually worked at the little petrol station there. Didn’t have any cash at that point.

On the way up the lovely, winding road, we stopped at Bob’s Cove. There are multiple walks there, from a short 20 minute walk to several hours. We walked a short distance on a shady path lined with ferns and trees. We stopped at a great little stony beach where others were enjoying the sun, kayaking, and swimming. The water was crystal clear. I waded in up to my knees and was wishing I’d brought my swimsuit.

We continued to Glenorchy and coming around a bend we suddenly saw some snow covered, knife edged mountains and a glacier far off in the distance. Amazingly beautiful!

We took the requisite photos of the red Glenorchy shed. Inside the shed, we learned that it was officially a railroad station! Back in the day, when the steamboats were the only way in and out of that region, there was a short track from the end of the wharf to the shed. Steamships carried people and goods until the road opened in 1962.

A stop at Mrs. Wooly’s yielded no pies. All sold out. Instead we had a delicious, and likely far healthier, roasted veggie salad.

Car and bodies fueled up, we continued beyond Glenorchy to see the braided, glistening, glacial rivers that flow into the head of Lake Wakatipu. And also in search of the bridge from the NZ mystery series “One Lane Bridge.” We found it at the Isengard Lookout over the Dart River. But it wasn’t as scary high as the bridge in the show, film magic with scenes filmed elsewhere and cut in. Still, it was a beautiful spot. Lord of the Ring fans would recognize this location as well.

On the drive back we stopped at multiple “scenic view of glacier” points people had left on Google maps. Yep, they all great views of the glacier and lake. A great day out. Followed by packing up for the drive to Moeraki the next day.Read more