Sunday/Monday (24/25) June
After a slow start to the day we made our way to Oamaru and we spent the afternoon wandering around the 'old town' and down on the revamped harbour area. It is certainly a place with lots to offer and we could have easily spent longer.
Time was getting on and we had Kurow as our next destination. Unfortunately we we didn't stick to our own rules and by the time we approached Kurow it was getting close to dark. The 'bible' had us looking for a free camping spot just 3km from Kurow close to the Hakataramea river. After a couple of missed and wrong turns (not easy to rectify with 9m of bus and a car in tow) we finally settled on a spot on Kurow Is. In the morning we decided this was as good a spot as any so we stayed two nights. As for the lost spot, we went for a drive the next day and it was never going to be suitable. More suited to a fisherman with a 4 wheeldrive vehicle. A note to the NZMCA is in order here we think.
We took a drive in the afternoon up to Aviemore, up one side, across the Benmore Dam to Otamata and back to Kurow. Foraging for firewood is always to the fore and we were lucky to find heaps of cones at Fisherman's Bend. Half an hour of exercise and there are enough cones for several days burning.
Tuesday 25 June
We awoke to a very fresh morning, the sun shining but a mean wind blowing off the snow that had fallen on the hills overnight. Undeterred we decided we still wanted to climb to the lookout on the hill above Kurow. So well wrapped up we set off. The walk took about 45 minutes to the top and was a steady climb. The hill broke the cold wind so it was very pleasant till we got to the top. The views from there were well worth the effort.
Our next destination was to be Waimate so we set off through Ikawai, a place where my grandmother had once lived as a young girl. There is not much there these days other than lots of dairy cows. Our camp for the night was another NZMCA camp, right in Waimate and once there we had a quick drive around the township before hunkering down for the night. A strong wind blew for much of the night but hearing about other parts of the country. Brrrrr!
After a slow start to the day we made our way to Oamaru and we spent the afternoon wandering around the 'old town' and down on the revamped harbour area. It is certainly a place with lots to offer and we could have easily spent longer.
Time was getting on and we had Kurow as our next destination. Unfortunately we we didn't stick to our own rules and by the time we approached Kurow it was getting close to dark. The 'bible' had us looking for a free camping spot just 3km from Kurow close to the Hakataramea river. After a couple of missed and wrong turns (not easy to rectify with 9m of bus and a car in tow) we finally settled on a spot on Kurow Is. In the morning we decided this was as good a spot as any so we stayed two nights. As for the lost spot, we went for a drive the next day and it was never going to be suitable. More suited to a fisherman with a 4 wheeldrive vehicle. A note to the NZMCA is in order here we think.
We took a drive in the afternoon up to Aviemore, up one side, across the Benmore Dam to Otamata and back to Kurow. Foraging for firewood is always to the fore and we were lucky to find heaps of cones at Fisherman's Bend. Half an hour of exercise and there are enough cones for several days burning.
Tuesday 25 June
We awoke to a very fresh morning, the sun shining but a mean wind blowing off the snow that had fallen on the hills overnight. Undeterred we decided we still wanted to climb to the lookout on the hill above Kurow. So well wrapped up we set off. The walk took about 45 minutes to the top and was a steady climb. The hill broke the cold wind so it was very pleasant till we got to the top. The views from there were well worth the effort.
Our next destination was to be Waimate so we set off through Ikawai, a place where my grandmother had once lived as a young girl. There is not much there these days other than lots of dairy cows. Our camp for the night was another NZMCA camp, right in Waimate and once there we had a quick drive around the township before hunkering down for the night. A strong wind blew for much of the night but hearing about other parts of the country. Brrrrr!
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