Marlborough Sounds

Short stop in Marlborough sounds before catching the ferry across to Wellington. Nicer weather than when we arrived on the South Island in December.

View up Queen Charlotte Sound from Lookout Hill on the Queen Charlotte Track

North West Coast

On our way to Wellington via the northern part of Westland. Had  mainly typical west coast weather.

The beach at Greymouth after the rain lifts

Sunset from Greymouth

Pancake Rocks
Karst scenery at the start of the Inland Pack Route

A mild day on the West Coast

Sunset whilst enjoying the Gneiss climbing at Charleston (wasn't quite so sunny in the morning)

Castle Hill Rocks

Could resist another stop at Castle Hill...

3 star 'Beautiful Edges' though the eponymous edges ran out around here with a little way still to the top

Heading North...

So we 'finally' decided that we're kinda getting tired of living in a van so decided to head north again, aiming for Wellington where Helen has a 6 month job with GH lined up, via a few favourite and some new stops on the way.
Hemi's Crag, high above Lake Ohau in the MacKenzie Basin (near Mount Cook). A steep, gravelly drive up the ski access road (Bongo got a bit hot)

Lake Ohau

Looking towards Mount Cook (look closely and it's just hidden by the clouds at the head of the valley)

Climbing at Hemi's
Lake Pukaki and Mount Cook

Bouldering at the Pukaki Boulder in view of Mount Cook



We met up with Simon again in Twizel and took him off his standard KiwiExperience itinerary for a stop in at Castle Hill and to the Port Hills above Christchurch


Next stop; West Coast (if it isn't too rainy)

Fiordland with Simon

We met up with Simon Hall from the BUMC who has been travelling around NZ for the last few weeks and tried to make the most of the Fiordland weather with a two day tramp.

Not in Wales... walking into the McKeller hut along the Greenstone Valley

Simon and Helen approaching the summit of the excitingly named Point 1531m with the Alais Mountains behind


The Greenstone Valley

Summit of Point 1531m with the Livingstone Mountains behind

Looking across to Lake Marian in the Darrans

Catlins and Southland

We fancied a break from mountaineering so made the most of a short weather window to head to the Catlins area of the south coast.

Aptly named Nugget Point

Deserted beaches and bush

Slope point, the most southerly point of the South Island

Sunrise at Fortrose

Bouldering at Colac Bay

Looking towards Hump Ridge and the southern Fiordland mountains