23/02: Drive to Mount Cook
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
Mount Cook is the highest peak in New Zealand and we saw the top of it when we were at Fox (near Franz Josef). This time we are approaching it from the east coast and will stay at Mount Cook Village.
Nice change in the weather, the sun has come out again and the temperature has risen --- summer's back.
Moeraki Boulders are large spherical boulders on one section of beach. The boulders are buried in the sand cliffs and appear as the cliff is eroded.
We stopped to look at another beach and we saw a flock of sheep grazing in a fenced off area and one sheep outside the fence. Some one must have called them because all of a sudden the sheep started moving quickly toward the farm. The one on the outside of the fence dove for the "hole" and squeezed through.
When the GPS told us to turn off the main highway early, we were happy to follow. The route took us down some back roads and past beautiful sand cliffs.
The altered route also took us past Elephant Rocks located on a private farm near Duntroon. They are a collection of large weathered limestone rocks.
You have to watch where walk as the field is used for sheep grazing.
The route followed a river that was dammed in several spots in order to produce hydro electric power. Here's photos of a couple of the dams.
As we drove north towards Mount Cook we kept coming across large groups of bikers. Turns out they were on the last day of a three day charity bicycle ride that raised over a hundred thousand dollars. We were just happy they were headed south.
A couple of shots of mountains as we approach Mount Cook.
Mount Cook.
Pretty much the view from our motel room.
Nice change in the weather, the sun has come out again and the temperature has risen --- summer's back.
Moeraki Boulders are large spherical boulders on one section of beach. The boulders are buried in the sand cliffs and appear as the cliff is eroded.
We stopped to look at another beach and we saw a flock of sheep grazing in a fenced off area and one sheep outside the fence. Some one must have called them because all of a sudden the sheep started moving quickly toward the farm. The one on the outside of the fence dove for the "hole" and squeezed through.
When the GPS told us to turn off the main highway early, we were happy to follow. The route took us down some back roads and past beautiful sand cliffs.
The altered route also took us past Elephant Rocks located on a private farm near Duntroon. They are a collection of large weathered limestone rocks.
You have to watch where walk as the field is used for sheep grazing.
The route followed a river that was dammed in several spots in order to produce hydro electric power. Here's photos of a couple of the dams.
As we drove north towards Mount Cook we kept coming across large groups of bikers. Turns out they were on the last day of a three day charity bicycle ride that raised over a hundred thousand dollars. We were just happy they were headed south.
A couple of shots of mountains as we approach Mount Cook.
Mount Cook.
Pretty much the view from our motel room.