Length of stay: 3 days
Visited: April 2025
The West Coast Region is where the mountains meet the sea. It’s known for its rugged landscape, coastal scenery, majestic mountains and lush rainforests. It’s also home to two accessible glaciers, Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. But it’s New Zealand’s wettest region and, in some places, receives over 6,000 millimetres of rainfall annually.
Day 1: Lake Matheson
We drove through Mount Aspiring National Park and headed east towards Fox Glacier. It’s been a rainy morning, but thankfully it stopped raining midway through the drive. We could now get a better view of the mountains and lush landscape without the mist and fog. And between all the greenery, we could see glimpses of the ocean here and there. It was becoming noticeably warmer and more humid outside. The rain, dampness and mossy forests were reminiscent of our own West Coast back home in Canada.
We checked into our accommodations, ate a late lunch and took a break. We headed back out later in the afternoon to stretch our legs with a walk around Lake Matheson (4.4km loop, rated easy). The trail loops through an ancient rainforest around the lake and contains a number of lookouts along the way. After crossing a suspension bridge we set off clockwise down the path.
Most of the trail is through the forest. Everything looked enchanting with all the moss, ferns, palms and greenery. But there are several viewpoints and lookouts giving us a glimpse of the lake. The Southern Alps were also clearly visible and featured prominently across the water. One of the notable peaks was Mount Cook, which we visited the week before.
It was very humid and hot outside (20°C felt like 26°C with the humidity) which was quite the contrast from the week before when we were bundled up in all our warm layers. I regretted my choice not to change into shorts.
Once we wrapped up, we headed to a viewpoint of Fox Glacier since it was only a few kilometers away. We figured why not as we weren’t sure what the weather would be like over the next few days. But rain at some point was guaranteed.
Day 2: Franz Josef Glacier
The forecast was calling for 50-75mm of rain today. The rain was expected to start later in the morning and would become progressively worse throughout the afternoon and evening. So we got an early start in the hopes of beating the rains and the crowds. While most of the places we visited in New Zealand since arriving at the end of March have been relatively quiet, things have picked up for the Easter long weekend. And it seemed like everyone was travelling.
From Fox Glacier it’s a 30 minute drive to Franz Josef Glacier. When we were about 10 minutes away, it started to pour. But thankfully it was only a brief shower and subsided just as we rolled into the parking lot. We even saw some sunshine trying to poke out between the clouds.
Starting with the Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk we followed the wide gravel path for a few hundred metres before turning off for the Sentinel Rock Walk (900m roundtrip). The path narrows and winds uphill through the lush forest to a viewing platform overlooking the Franz Josef Glacier and glacial valley. There were a few signs and pictures to show that the glacier has retreated significantly compared to 1907, 1930, 1950 and 1965. Who knows whether it’ll still be visible from this platform in a decade from now. Probably not.
We retraced our steps back to the Franz Josef Glacier Valley Walk (1.7km roundtrip, rated easy) and continued on the trail. The path is flat and leads to another viewing platform of the glacier and glacial valley. While hiking we kept hearing a loud obnoxious buzz from several helicopters. Turns out this is a popular spot for helicopter tours. This viewing platform was also a popular spot for tour groups. We didn’t stay long.
We circled back to the car to drink some water and eat and snack before hiking to Peters Pool (1.1km round trip, rated easy). The trailhead was located a couple hundred metres next to the other two trails we just hiked. The path is gravel, relatively flat and leads through the rainforest to a small kettle lake that was formed by ice melting from the glacial moraine about 200 years ago.
While admiring the views, we ran into a couple of ladies who were fawning over our sweet little M. They were telling us that a cyclone swept through the Northland Region a couple of days ago and that Cape Reinga hit a new record with high winds with gusts of 156km/hr, which is listed as hurricane strength on the Beaufort wind scale. Whangarei recorded more than a month’s worth of rain in a single day. As a result of the wind and rain, there were power outages, flooding and road closures. Good thing we weren’t there.
The trail continues onward to Douglas Walk (4km loop) and weaves deeper through the rainforest. Along the way there’s a few viewpoints overlooking a different section of the glacial valley. There are a few ups and downs before leveling out. It’s supposed to pass the historic Douglas Bridge, but we’re not entirely sure where it was located.
The trail comes out to the road by the trailhead for Lake Wombat. We contemplated whether to hike this trail too since it’s only a few kilometres, but we weren’t sure how long M would last in the baby carrier. And we didn’t bring any snacks with us. From here it was a 20 minute walk back to the parking lot. There’s a cycling path through the forest that runs parallel to the road, so we decided to walk along that. It was super flat and quite lovely, especially since we didn’t see anyone else on the trail.
By the time we returned to the car park it was lightly sprinkling. So it’s probably a good thing we didn’t hike that other trail. We returned to Fox Glacier, but since our little M was still sleeping, we kept driving towards Gillespies Beach. The road narrows and twists and turns through a dense forest with dramatic fern cliffs on one side. It was incredibly scenic and thankfully not busy as passing another car would have been sketchy. We turned off at the beach where there’s a few trails.
Shortly after stopping the rain subsided. M woke up and we ate some lunch. We then went for a hike along the Gillespies Suction Dredge Walk (1.6km round trip, rated easy). The path itself is uneventful and rather bland. It’s grassy and there are shrubs on either side. There’s not much variety in terms of the terrain. And while we could hear the waves from the ocean, we couldn’t actually see the water. And the midges were out in full force.
The path leads to the remains of an old gold dredge. It was built near the south end of the beach and worked the sands behind the present beach from 1932 to 1945. We had a choice to continue to the Gillespies Lagoon, but we turned around as there was no escaping the midges. This turned out to be a good decision as it started to rain again as we were wrapping up. And the rain was getting heavier.
With that we returned to our motel in Fox Glacier for a longer break. It continued to rain throughout the afternoon, but we decided to venture back out later in the day for a super short hike along the Minnehaha Walk (1.2km loop, easy), which is located right around the corner from where we were staying. The narrow gravel path loops through the rainforest and follows a small stream. Even though it was raining, it was quite pleasant outside. And we were the only ones here.
The trail connects with a cycling path which runs parallel to the road. In retrospect we should have just turned around and walked back the way we came as it’s much nicer by the stream and we couldn’t hear the traffic. We retreated back to the motel. The rain only got heavier. So we were okay to just rest and relax for the rest of the day.
Day 3: Hiking in the Rain in a Rainforest
It rained overnight which was quite soothing to fall asleep to. We woke up and it was still raining. And it wasn’t supposed to let up anytime soon. We checked out shortly after 9am and drove back to Franz Josef Glacier to go on a couple of walks. We started with the Wombat Lake Trail (3.8km roundtrip, rated easy).
Despite the rain the trail was in decent shape. It’s a steady climb through the forest, passing several cascades and streams along the way to Wombat Lake. It’s a kettle lake that was formed by the melting of a huge piece of ice left when the glaciers retreated thousands of years ago.
The rain had picked up and we quickly raced back to the car. We drove through town to fill up on gas and pick up a few last minute groceries. We then headed to the Callery Gorge Walk (5.2km). Thankfully the rain had let up a bit. The first stretch follows along a wide gravel service road where there’s a steady incline onwards and upwards. After coming to a clearing, which provided a nice overlook of the glacial valley below, the trail narrows and becomes much more interesting and scenic. Once we crossed the wooden bridge, the path becomes more rugged with larger rocks and roots. And this time it’s all downhill.
The path comes out to a suspension bridge over the gorge, which you can walk over. But the other side is closed off and there’s a sign to indicate this is where the trail ends. And so we retraced our steps back uphill and to the service road.
After eating a quick lunch in the car we hit the road and continued driving along the West Coast towards Greymouth.
L
Such a gorgeous set of photos, Linda! I’ve heard before that parts of NZ look a lot like B.C. and your pictures definitely show similarities. Even though there was a lot of rain and mist it seems as though you really enjoyed your time at the glaciers. Sad to hear that they’re also receding just as ours are here.
Thanks Lynette. We found the landscape and weather to be very similar to the west coast in BC minus the tall trees. We enjoyed hiking through the mossy forests, even with a bit of rain. It seems like glaciers everywhere are in rapid retreat as the climate gets warmer. The ones we visited in NZ likely won’t be as easily accessible in the next decade or so.
The cycling path looks so inviting. Walking there would be magical, seeing those green mossy trees. It sounds like your adventure will be accompanied by rain always, but thankfully, you managed to enjoy the view with it. The reflection photos are gorgeous. M would treasure this experience when she grows up, especially since it is journaled online descriptively. Stay blessed, Linda.
Thanks for your lovely comment Hazel. Normally we try to avoid hiking on a multi-use or cycling trail, but it seemed like a much better option than just hiking along the side of the road. And it was. This was one of our favourite sections and it was nice that it was relatively flat. And thankfully the timing of the rain worked well. While our little M may not remember anything from this trip, but I believe it’ll help instill a love and appreciation of nature and travel.
Oh my, 6,000 mm of rain per year! No wonder it’s so green there. The reflection in the water is picture-perfect and I’m glad you could see (and hike) so much despite the frequent rain. The landscape is beautiful, and I can understand why it can be a lovely day out in nature, even on a rainy day.
Thanks Corna! I guess they don’t call it the rainforest for nothing! Despite all the rain, the trails were in exceptional shape and we didn’t have to wade through or jump around puddles. Most of them had a trench on either side to keep the water from pooling on the actual trail.
Great photos! On our one trip to New Zealand I wish we’d had time to visit South Island (but our holiday time didn’t allow for that and the train journey to Perth we wanted to take). Those palm trees (or are they large ferns?) look almost prehistoric.
Thanks! Sorry to hear that you didn’t have enough time to visit the South Island. Heck, we were here for five weeks and that still didn’t feel like enough time to explore NZ!!
Your three days of hiking and sightseeing were so beautiful – mountains, a glacier (!) and rain in the rainforest. Love that you braved the brain and lucked out in some circumstances to take in all the enchanting views.
You’ll need to get used to more people fawning over baby M becoming part of your outings. And soon enough, M will likely be stopping by to fawn over dogs you encounter along the hikes!
The climate change is real and scary to think about 156km/h wind gusts! Good thing you avoided that!
Thankfully for once the weather network actually predicted the timing of the rain pretty accurately and we were able to hike some of the longer trails before the worst of the rain. Despite the weather, we still enjoyed our time on the West (more like Wet) Coast. And it could have been worse – we could have been dealing with hurricane strength wind and flooding up in the Northland!
Oh, M is already there in terms of getting excited whenever we see a dog. She doesn’t really pet them yet (still a bit too shy), but it’s only a matter of time!
Happy Halloween and have fun trick or treating!
Glad the weather worked out for your travels!
Happy Halloween to you three as well. I’m so glad it’s on a Friday this year!
I know! It’s always nice when Halloween lands on a Friday or Saturday. And thankfully it wasn’t raining (or snowing)!
More amazing scenery. No wonder they filmed Lord of the Rings in New Zealand! I’m sure everyone loved baby M.
Oh I know! After visiting NZ I can totally see why the entire LOTR trilogy was filmed there. The landscape is so varied and it’s all incredibly scenic. It’s as pretty as a picture.
Wow! The woods look like temperate rainforests – almost like Vancouver Island? So cool.
We had the same thought. The mossy forests reminded us of our time on Vancouver Island, except the trees aren’t nearly as tall. This makes me want to go back to the West Coast of Canada now!
Oh 100%! My favourite place in the world is Tofino. That whole PNW coast is magical.
Totally agree! We visited Tofino a few years ago and fell in love with the landscape (and Tacofino). We’d love to hike the West Coast Trail one of these days.
Smart planning to get to Franz Joseph lookout when you did. The forests are so lush and gorgeous, but I wouldn’t want to deal with that much rain! The storm on the North Island sounds pretty bad, good thing you weren’t stil there. Maggie
For once the weather forecast was reliable! But I guess it’s not that hard when chances are pretty high that it’s probably going to rain! And yes, it could have been way worse. We could have been dealing with ferocious wind and flooding up in the Northland!
Incredibly beautiful! 😍 You look
The rainforest looked enchanting with all that moss and greenery, which made for some lovely hiking despite the rainy weather.
Absolutely lovely. We visited New Zealand in 1998…we really have to make it back there as it is such a wonderful country. We had walked on the Franz Joseph Glacier though it seems to have retreated quite a bit since we visited. (Suzanne)
I’m in complete agreement about how New Zealand is such a wonderful and beautiful country. I’d love to go back someday. I imagine it would be neat to return and see how much has changed (or stayed the same) since you visited over 25 years ago.
You are totally right that we should plan a return trip to New Zealand…it probably has changed quite a bit since our visit.
We went earlier this year and I would love to plan a return trip already!!
One of our favourite parts of NZ Linda. We will not see it this trip so thanks for sharing. Wow, a lot of rain, juts like we experienced. Many roads on the South Island were closed due to snow two days ago. Hope that improves before we get there. Love all the hikes you still managed to do. Aren’t the trails in NZ well maintained? Have a great day. Allan
We really enjoyed the West (more like Wet) Coast region too, despite all the rain. And yes! We were impressed by how clean, well signed and well maintained the trails were. It was pretty genius that they dug little trenches beside the trails in the Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers area to prevent water from pooling on the actual trail.
Sorry to hear that you’ve been encountering crummy weather. Here’s hoping the conditions improve and that the roads on the South Island reopen soon! Safe travels.
Oh how wonderful to see glaciers and a rainforest – what varied landscapes. NZ is really stunning 🙂
It really is a beautiful country. And the landscape is all very picturesque regardless of where you are. I could have done with a bit less rain though!
What beautiful pictures! I’ll have to add this to my bucket list!
Thanks for your kind words. New Zealand is such an amazing country. It was far for us to get to, but totally worth it. I hope you’re able to see it for yourself someday, especially if you’re a fan of nature and beautiful scenery.
Spectacular tour! Thank you, Linda. That serene lake image would make a beautiful postcard, and the power of flowing water is evident in the last. Mist and fog are lovely, but I understand how their presence can hamper viewing. I chose sleeping in over rushing out into the fog one morning in Oregon. A bit regretful but I was very tired. 😊
Thanks so much Michele. Everything seemed so calm and peaceful before the rain. And even with the rain, mist and fog, the scenery was still beautiful. It was just a bit tougher to motivate ourselves to go hiking! And, it’s always good to listen to your body, especially when you’re tired.
Sounds heavenly and thank you for that end note. 😊 A wonderful weekend to you.
You as well! We’re busy putting away our fall decor and Halloween decorations. And in a few weeks we can take out our Christmas stuff!
Lovely! Enjoy!
So lush and green! It’s really sad to think that glaciers around the globe are retreating. I feel like these days the question is not whether we can halt this, but rather how fast we are losing them. But on a lighter note, I had a big grin on my face when you said that 26°C is hot. Most people in my city would have put layers of clothes if that happens here!
I know, it’s unfortunate to hear how quickly most glaciers around the world are rapidly retreating, in large part because of climate change. And you’re right, it seems like we’re beyond being able to course correct and it’s only a matter of time. Funny how we had such different reactions to 26C. I guess it’s all relative to what your starting point is. The week before temperatures were in the single digits and we were all bundled up in warmer clothing. So this was quite the change of pace and we were hiking in our t-shirts.
It all looks so beautiful Linda and I’m glad you managed to fit in so many hikes despite the inclement weather. Rain isn’t too bad if it’s warm and there’s no wind. Too bad that your scenic viewpoint was spoilt by large tour groups and helicopters swirling overhead. I’d definitely like to visit the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers myself one day.
Thanks! I’m glad we got to get in a few longer hikes before the rain. You’re absolutely right about how the rain isn’t too terrible so long as it’s not windy and chilly outside. And you have the proper clothing! It’s funny because most of the trails we hiked were pretty peaceful and quiet, but that one spot that leads to the viewpoint of the glacier was insanely crowded. I don’t even know why as I thought there were nicer viewpoints elsewhere in the park. I hope you’re able to make it there someday. NZ and the West Coast region are beautiful.
Some gorgeous scenery!! It’s always sad seeing glaciers melting and all the impacts of climate change. I imagine it was hard packing with all the different climates. Glad you missed the cyclone!
Thanks Lyssy. Agreed, it’s sad and alarming how quickly glaciers from around the world are retreating. It’s the same in Canada too. And yes, despite all the rain we got while visiting the West Coast region, it could have been way worse! I’m so glad we weren’t in the Northland where there was severe flooding and power outages.
I just can’t get over the scenery and how beautiful and dynamic it is! Absolutely incredible place to follow along with you to!
I know! We continued to be amazed at how beautiful and varied the landscape is in NZ as we made our way further along the West Coast. Even with the rain, the scenery was still gorgeous. And I guess they don’t call it the rainforest for nothing!
Oh my, enchanting indeed, and absolutely stunning! Wonderful post and photos.
Thanks! The moss tends to have that affect of making a forest seems so magical and mystical.
So many of your photos are frame-worthy and your experience and description should be in books! 💞💞 I just loved reading this and looking at the photos.
Thanks for your lovely comment Rose. I’ve actually been meaning to get a better camera. Thankfully when the landscape is that pretty, it’s not hard to take a decent picture, even with just a cell phone camera.
Great pictures, brought back memories of my own tramping adventures in NZ. And it rained all the way round Lake Matheson for me! Great cafe though
Thanks Jim! Glad to hear this post brought back fond memories of your time in the West Coast of New Zealand, even if you did get rained on! No wonder this area is so lush!
I really have to put “visit a glacier” on my bucket list.
For sure. Especially given how many of them are melting and retreating at an alarming rate! The Fox and Franz Glaciers are very accessible. And New Zealand as a country is just brilliantly beautiful.
You managed to beat the weather one day but eventually it caught up with you. We took a small plane flight over the glaciers back in ’82. I imagine it has changed a lot. But what won’t have is how beautiful N.Z. is.
There’s no escaping the rain. But at least we got our longer hikes in before the worst of it. We could only see a small portion of the glacier from on foot. I imagine you get a much better perspective of it from up in the air. Agreed, I imagine it’s changed quite a bit since you visited!
This is so pretty and lush and green. Also, 6000 mm is a crazy amount of rain to receive in a year! No wonder you ended up getting rained on.
Rain at some point was guaranteed! No wonder everything is so lush and green. Thankfully we escaped the worst of the weather and completed the longer trails before the rain. So I can’t complain!
Flipping rain eh! But I bet the majestic scenery made up for it. Your photos are stunning!
I know! There’s no escaping the rain, especially on the Wet/West Coast. But thankfully we managed to do some of the longer trails before the worst of the rain. And the scenery was still nonetheless beautiful.
It’s a beautiful region for a road trip, both wild and yet with the safety of civilisation not far away. You have a beautiful photo of Lake Matheson with the perfect reflection of Mount Cook. When I stopped there in the morning, there was a band of clouds cutting the mountain in two.
I love how you described it – a touch wild and yet close to civilization. It’s a wonderful combination. The rain was inevitable, but we seemed to have missed the worst of it and managed to do most of the longer trails before the rain. The hike around Lake Matheson was one of our favourites. That must have been such a gorgeous shot with the band of clouds against the mountains.
Oh my goodness!! These walks have just been added to my list!! Stunning pictures – as always. Interesting to find out about the old gold dredge!
Thanks for your kind words. The mossy rainforest looked enchanting. We weren’t even planning to visit Gillespies Beach, but decided to drive there so our little one could continue napping. Thank goodness we did otherwise we would have never even known about the dredge. It was an unexpected surprise. We’ve only even seen one other dredge, it was in much better shape, near Dawson City in the Yukon.
Woooow! That’s so fascinating!! Yukon has been on my bucket list ever since I’m a kid. If Covid wouldn’t have happened, I was planning on doing a WHV in Canada. Life has had other plans, for everyone. One day, though 🙂
The Yukon is one of my favourite trips we’ve ever taken. Absolutely beautiful. It’s one of the few places where there is still so much raw wilderness left. And it’s not overrun with tourists. The pandemic changed a lot of things and ruined a lot of plans. I hope you’re able to make it there someday. It’s such an awesome place. We’re hoping to return in a few years.
True that. I think the rawness of it really appeals to me. And the culture, so different yet not so much. Oh! I look forward to reading about it when the time comes!
There are very few places that remain wild and untouched from humans left in this world. You really do get a sense that you are in the middle of the wilderness. There aren’t many crowds which is also very appealing. We’ve actually been thinking about go backing there at some point.
I feel like it should be the opposite. I feel like the world is overpopulated and we don’t care about our planet. I don’t think many understand that without nature around us, we wouldn’t even survive a day. We should cherrish it instead of overuse its resources. But that’s just my opinion, though xD
I feel the same. It’s really quite sad to see the state of our world and how little disregard there is for the environment and nature in general. It doesn’t have an endless supply of resources. I found NZ to be quite green and clean though. I really like that they have a lot of conservation areas and protected sites too.
Gorgeous scenery, so verdant and lush. No wonder though with that abundance of rain. We would love to see a glacier one of these years. As you say, a decade from now, who knows what’ll be left of them. I could feel your annoyance reading about the obnoxious buzz of helicopters and tour groups frequenting the spot. Not surprised you chose not to hang around that place. Gorgeous photos!
Thanks Leighton! I guess that’s one benefit to all the rain is that everything looks so lush and lively. We couldn’t see much of the glacier from the viewing platforms so makes you wonder how much longer they’ll be visible from on foot. Maybe that’s why the helicopter tours were so popular. There’s nothing worse than tour groups to ruin the experience. Thankfully they all seemed to congregate at this one spot and the rest of the trails were pretty quiet.
A “kettle lake.” I learned a new concept today 🙂 I’d never heard of this before. And the two images with reflections in the lakes are absolutely stunning and one of a kind!
Thanks! We have a bunch of kettle lakes in Canada, largely because much of our landscape, especially in Ontario, was shaped by glaciers.
I do hope to make it to New Zealand some day, your posts will be a great reference when that happens. Looks like Franz Josef is almost out of sight – playing peekaboo, a little. And glad you got the full experience of a rainy rainforest!
Thanks for your lovely comment. New Zealand is such an incredible country. Despite the long flight (or flights), it’s totally worth it if you can stay for a few weeks. Despite the rain, the scenery at Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers was beautiful.
We once drove a camper van around New Zealand many years ago. How are you finding transit between places you visit? Watch out for sheep crossing the roads.
That’s awesome! We contemplated renting a camper van, but ultimately decided against it since we were travelling with our toddler. It seems like a great way to explore the country though. We simply rented a car to get around. Funny that you mention sheep crossings. We saw a few of them and our little one was over the moon!
It looks stunning there, with so many interesting climates! I love that you can visit glaciers, and as well as hike through a rainforest, this place looks amazing!
It’s beautiful. It was unsettling to see how much the glaciers have retreated though and makes you wonder how long they’ll still be visible from the viewing platforms. To me the start of the show was the rainforests. Everything was so mossy and green. It was very enchanting.
Enchanting is the perfect word for the New Zealand South Island landscapes. Beautiful photos. You did well dodging in and out of the rain. Hope M was still in good cheer. Good to see those glaciers while they last.
I couldn’t agree more about how the term enchanting is so fitting to describe the South Island scenery. The timing of the rain worked out well and we managed to get in most of the longer trails before the worst of it. And our little M was such a trooper!
Stunning photos! Looks like a great trip, I would love all the hiking.
Thanks for your kind words. Despite the rain, we enjoyed the hiking. And I guess it’s to be expected considering it’s the rainforest! But the lush scenery was very lovely.
And ancient rainforest loop trail?!! That is amazing . The photo you took of the mountains reflected in the water is absolutely superb. It’s hard to plan ahead when it comes to weather. I’ve been there many many times, especially when it’s cold the week before and then hot. Thsts neat they have helicopter tours. I’m afraid of helicopters. I’d be afraid I’d be too claustrophobic. Sentinel Rock Walk looks beautiful. I’m grateful you got to view the sights and share them with us as you said they might not be there or as viewable in a few years. Nature is so powerful. I think we underestimate it sometimes. These photos are absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for your lovely comment. The ancient rainforest looked enchanting with all that moss. The mountains in the background were just an added bonus. Don’t think I’d opt for the helicopter tour either. I’d probably be stressed the whole time too.
WoW, I don’t know how I missed this post but considering the winter we’re already having here, and all the snow, your words and photos gave me such a beautiful sense of warmth. What a stunning journey and an incredible place to explore.
Thank you for sharing this … truly wonderful and I Love, Love, Love the Mountains…
Thanks for your lovely comment Willie. The past few weeks have been cold, dark and dreary here in southern Ontario too. And very snowy. I wish I was back in New Zealand where they’re approaching summer! And I can relate to your love of the mountains. There’s something so special about being in the mountains.
Boy this brings back memories. I was there in 2017 to visit my daughter. We rented a car and did a circle tour of Christchurch to Greymouth, down the West Coast, east to Wanaka and back north to Christchurch. Fortunately when my daughter and I visited both Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier the helicopters were not flying due to overly windy conditions.
We were hesitant going to Gillespie’s beach because of that big warning sign of the narrow winding road for the next 12 kilometers. But it wasn’t too bad. The old gold dredge was really fascinating. What really blew me away was not another person or building in sight. Quite different from what I am used to in Southern Ontario.
Naomi and I were going to do the Gillespies Lagoon hike, but the track was closed due to flood damage to the boardwalks. If I remember right, if you go far enough there is some kind of seal colony where the seals sometimes are resting on the beach.
Your photos are so incredible. Thank you for sharing. So glad you were able to visit New Zealand.
Glad to hear this brought back fond memories of your time in New Zealand and that you explored this part of the West Coast as well. We found the drive to Gillespie’s beach not too bad either, but it likely would have been real dodgy if there were other cars on the road or if it were dark. I know what you mean about how it’s such a strange feeling to have the trail to yourself as that’s become increasingly harder to find in southern Ontario. It’s too bad part of the trail to the lagoon was closed when you visited. I’m glad we didn’t continue onward as it started to rain again shortly after we left the gold dredge.
By the way, there is a dredge in excellent condition in the Yukon by Dawson City. The history of that whole area is fascinating. And the town is very charming with all the historic buildings. Highly recommend visiting.
Thank you for sharing this about the dredge near Dawson City. That is an area I really want to visit.
I hope you’re able to make it there someday. It’s one of the coolest places we’ve ever been to.