Lake Tekapo & Mount Cook

 After a straight forward drive along some unusually straight and long roads (for New Zealand standards) we turned the final corner and all of a sudden Lake Tekapo came into view. Now I know people say that pictures cannot do something justice, well these can't. The colour of the lake was just electric, truly zinging. 

We pulled into to the side of the lake to snapped away. One of the places to see in the small town of Tekapo is the church of the good shepherd, a very small and cute little church with one of the most amazing views over the altar, who needs a stain glass window when you have this view!

We took a short, but very steep walk up the local mountain, Mount St John to take in the views. I hadn't realised but in Tekapo there is one of the main astronomy hubs for New Zealand, with a load of observatories on the top of Mount St John. Sadly the places were fully booked, it was a full moon and it was a bit cloudy, so my star gazing abilities were a tad hampered! Hey ho.

The next day we were up and out early, with the intention of seeing Mount Cook. We had been told that the weather would get worse over the coming week, so to go sooner rather than later. After a few hours drive, we were winding our way down the side of a lake, where once stood the glacier that ran down either side of Mount Cook. We arrived to the base in mist and rain, but decided to brave the weather and crack on anyway. It was a 4 hour round trip walk, to the best view point. It was a great walk, over 3 suspension bridges, rivers and rocky walkways. We reached the top lake and could see the majority of Mount Cook. The remains of the glacier still clearly visible at the bottom.


Whilst walking back, we were pleased to see the weather improving and finally we managed to get a glimpse of the peak of the mountain - what a view! The skies improved even more over the afternoon so could take in the surroundings.


Little fact file about Mount Cook; out of the 27 mountain in NZ (over 3,000m) Mount Cook is the tallest peak in New Zealand and Australasia at 3,755m tall and Sir Edmund Hilary Trained on Mount Cook, in preparation for climbing Everest. History lesson over now. 


That night we drove and stayed at a little motel type village called Twizel. We had been recommended to view Mount Cook at sunset, so that evening we popped back to a view point near to the lake and mountain and watched the sunset over Mount Cook.