Driving to Grasmere
Between Franz and Fox is the Cook Saddle, a bit of a winding road, worth taking slowly to enjoy the views between the rimu trees.
The settlements south of here are small, but the people are hardy, and friendly. They work extremely hard, probably on farms handed down by their grandparents at least.
A little before Lake Paringa there’s a salmon farm on the edge of the Paringa River – a handy spot for a cup of tea and you can feed the salmon too.
Lake Paringa itself has some of the biggest mosquitoes on the coast – you may like to buy some bug spray at the glaciers – we recommend Off!
Just after Lake Moeraki you may like to pull off at the top of the cliff to look down over Knight’s Point. Soon after this you’ll be heading inland again.
The large silver corrugated iron building on your right entering Haast is the Dept of Conservation HQ for this area – they can tell you about some of the little walks on offer as you go through the Haast Pass.
The scenery up river is wild and dramatic – hard to imagine bringing cattle through the bush here in the 1860s during the gold rush, or the fact that the road was only finished in the 1960s, and not completely sealed until about five years ago. This is very much a landscape still under construction – look at the size of the boulders coming down the rivers, around the Gates of Haast bridge and by Fantail Falls.
Makarora marks the end of the Haast Pass, and has a small café for snacks or a late lunch. From here you’ll travel along the north eastern side of Lake Wanaka, before going over a narrow piece of road called the Neck to Lake Hawea. This used to be a dangerous stretch but is now all sealed, but still worth taking care.
You’ll travel down the south western side of Hawea to the township at the southern end, where there is a small hydro dam. Stay on State Highway 6 to Albert Town, where you’ll turn right towards Wanaka, or left for Queenstown, another hour away.
State Highway 73 · Cass · Canterbury · Private Bag 55009 · Christchurch · New Zealand
Telephone +64 3 318 8407 · Fax +64 3 318 8263 · E-Mail Retreat@Grasmere.co.nz
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