As well as Labour day on Monday we took Friday off, so a four day weekend – great!! We were leaving Friday morning but hadn’t decided where we were going until the Thursday night. We had been following the weather forecast all week and although it had improved it wasn’t looking great anywhere. We decided to go to Twizel and as it turned out the weather was great! On Saturday night we visited the Hot Tubs at Omarama – a great complex with private Canadian Western Red cedar hot pools surrounded by grasses, rocks and plants looking over a large pond. Each tub has it’s own changing room.  We went at 8.30pm hoping to see the stars when it got dark, it was a bit cloudy but we did see some. We took a drink and were supplied with cold water and glasses in a cooler bag. A very enjoyable evening, check out their web site.

Our camp site for three nights over Labour weekend 23rd to 26th October – Lake Wardell (hardly a lake – a pond) about 8km past Twizel heading towards Tekapo and just before the turn off to Mt Cook. It’s classed as a rest area, there is a lot of space. Mainly used by self contained caravans and campervans, there is no water and only a long drop toilet. It’s a nice sheltered spot surrounded by trees, beside one of the canals.

This is a great area for walking and bilking, lots of tacks and long canal roads with little traffic.The nights were a bit chilly but the days were beautiful despite the forecast.

A quiet peaceful spot, reasonably sheltered from the wind which can be quite strong in this area.

Clay Cliffs – Oamarama

The Clay Cliffs are huge sharp pinnacles and ridges with deep, narrow ravines separating them. The Clay Cliffs are made of layers of gravel and silt, deposited by rivers flowing from glaciers existing 1-2 million years ago. See post coming soon
From the Clay cliffs we decided to see how far the ‘no exit’ road went, we reached a farm gate so that was that. We went back but instead of going back to the main road took another ‘no exit’ road. There was a sign post saying historic place but no details. At the end of the road we found Quailburn Woolshed.

The end of the road Max cooling off at one of two steams running through the site at Quailburn Woolshed. There was a small hut but we couldn’t find any remains of a homestead. See my post coming soon on this historic site.
Mount Cook form the lake Pukaki lookoutPattersons ponds, Tekapo.

Lunch and throwing sticks for Max at Pattersons Ponds.

Mount Cook – memorial to those who lost their lives on the mountain.

Mount Cook from the cafe at the Village, where we had a drink then headed back to Lake Wardell.

Another great trip to more amazing places!!!