Winter Scenes from Matukituki Valley- Lake Wanaka

OK, no excuses! Well just a couple; I've been taking way too many photos, and I just don't know where the time has gone. Anyway, here's the next blog which is long on photos, short on words. I'm still posting about Wanaka and it's still winter. 

If I don't make it back here before the big day, can I take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support over the past year and I would like to wish you and your family a very Happy Christmas surrounded by love, fun and happiness. May all your dreams come true.

The sun sets over Glendhu Bay as one weary fisherman returns home.

Winter colours at a calm and peaceful Parkins Bay.

Heading up the Matukituki Valley into Mt Aspiring National Park.

The mountains tower over a car heading my way out of the valley. Mt Aspiring is hidden behind the clouds on this particular day, I drove the road twice while we stayed at Glendhu Bay Motor Camp.

Sheep feeding on high energy swede beside the Matukituki River.

A population of Black-fronted Terns/Tarapirohe feed on insects disturbed by sheep in the paddocks. These pretty little terns are only found on the braided rivers of the South Island which is where they also breed. 'Black-fronted' refers to the black head cap which reaches down to the bill unlike the bigger White-fronted tern who has a band of white between the black cap and the bill.

I had a good yarn with the local farmer when he stops to see what I am photographing in his paddock. 

He tells me the farm station he manages reaches over the Harris Mountains in front of us, all the way over to the Shotover River near Queenstown. 

Don't you just love the texture on these mountains?

Did you see the waterfalls tracking down the deep crevasses in the photo above? How about the cattle?

I stopped to take photos of the reflections in a small swamp between the road and the river...

...and added a panoramic shot of it too.

I already have photos of this hut in a paddock just before Mt Aspiring Station but I stop to take more.

It was summer when we came through here last. Now I have a some winter shots to add to the collection.

I stopped at the ford which separates the 'good' gravel road from the 'bad' one. The sign tells the story. The road isn't actually that bad, it's the half a dozen fords that you need to cross on the way.

It's here also that the two branches- East & West- of the Matukituki River meet before continuing on down the valley to Lake Wanaka.

There's been a new addition to the roadside along the West Branch since I was here last. 

Actaeon Archer (from Greek mythology) is located 34kms up the Matukituki Valley- a very long way from civilization- on a large rock beside the 4WD road to Raspberry Flat & the tracks to Rob Roy Glacier & Mt Aspiring. Simon Max Bannister is the artist and the Actaeon Archer belongs to Mt Aspiring Station who have had it installed here for everyone to enjoy.

The day is drawing to a close and the sun has long gone from this narrow section of the valley. It's very cold and snow lies in the shade in many places.

 

I make it to Raspberry Creek carpark just as the sun disappears from there too. Raspberry Creek carpark is also the end of the road, from here there are numerous tramping tracks that head up into the mountains and in particular the Rob Roy Glacier Track which is closed at the moment due to recent storm damage and avalanche risk. We walked the Rob Roy Track the last time we visited, the link to that blog is here.

Sharks Tooth Peak towers over the valley...

...and it's not until you look closely that you see another tiny hut at the base of the mountains. This one looks like it has a few added mod-cons too.

I had a late afternoon cuppa in the carpark, sitting in the ute as it was freezing cold outside and even more so when the sun's shadow raced across the valley behind me and swallowed up the last of the sunshine.

I had the whole valley to myself, not another human in sight. But before too long it was time to head for home, I stopped again at the swamp where the reflections were still crystal clear.

With no other traffic about, it was a quick trip home, straight down the middle of the road where it was smooth and slick.

Arriving back at Glendhu Bay just in time to catch the last of the light on a mountain peak across the other side of Lake Wanaka (I think it's Mt Burke).