Queenstown to Mavora Lakes

This morning at 10.00 we took the "Earnslaw", a steamboat that took us from Queenstown to Walter Peak Station. 45 minutes later and after a beautiful and smooth journey across the lake we arrived at Walter Peak, a beautiful sheep farm in colonial style and gardens. From here a 90 km long gravel road connects with the highway that goes to Te Anau. We knew we could not make it in one day so we aimed to get to the campsite at the Mavora Lakes, which was still a big ask as most of the 55km were going to be uphill. Our journey via this gravel road proved to be the most challenging adventure we had ever done by bicycle. Before we ventured out on this road we asked advice to numerous people: local cyclists who had cycled it, bikeshop owners and cycle tourists and they all said that the track, although it was gravel, was in good condition and we would be fine, even with the buggy and trolley. Not so!
At the start of the track we had to deal with very rocky terrain that shook the buggy and Ella would not have it. We walked for about one kilometer to see if it would get any better but no such luck and Ella refused to continue in the buggy which was now covered in dust.
We had an idea. We took out the carrier bag, a type of backpack in which Ella is very happy to sit in and we got her in there. She smiled in approval and we continued, Vanessa with a backpack that normally sits on my bicycle, and I put Ella on my back. Every cyclist in the world knows that a backpack is the worst possible means of carrying your stuff when cycling but we did not have much choice. We slowly got on our way, climbing the gravel road alongside spectacular scenery, with Mount Aspiring at the horizon.
All of a sudden, a yellow plane appeared from nowhere and flew right across, one of the few signs of human presence we were going to witness until getting to the main road again. After some 20 km we had to wade through a river and we entered deeper and deeper into a very impressive valley. Not a soul in sight, only cows and even bulls roaming free. Ella was starting to get heavy on my shoulder but most of all my behind. Her weight pushed me hard onto the saddle and it felt as if I had been sitting on a lit candle. We stopped just before a climb of 4 km to have lunch. A Toyota Landcruiser passed us, wishing us good luck. I was wishing for leather buttocks.

The hill, or as they call it here in New Zealand, the saddle, was tremendously tough and we did most of it walking. We were exhausted when we got to the top. The views are incredibly: we are surrounded by mountains,the only sound is the wind blowing across the wide valley and there is no sign of civilization as far as the eye can see...and the horizon seems very far away!

We were so releaved to have finished climbing that saddle that we had high hopes we could do the remaining 30 km and reach the campground in 3 hours. This proved to be a grave miscalculation. We thought the road would now gradually descent to the lakes but once again, we did too much thinking. The ups and downs on this difficult gravel road and a head wind made it very hard to keep going. We frequently had to stop to rest and drink. This might be an easy gravel road when you are on a single mountain bike but with a trolley and buggy it is extremely hard work. The track also has plenty of cattle grids that rocked our very foundations. I am surprised we still got all our teeth. We can´t remember exactly but it might have been with 15 km left when I cracked, I hit rock bottom and could not see how I could continue carrying Ella. I had reached my physical limit. We stopped at a river and after a few minutes of senseless screaming on my behalf, we found energy to do the last 15 km. I cannot explain how I felt, let alone how Vanessa felt but I remember not being able to stop thinking "I do not want to be here".

The conditions of the track got worse as the gravel got thicker. The 4-wheel tracks were no good to us as our trolleys did not fit so their wheels kept slipping away in the thick gravel. We started this morning at 11.00, we still had 10 km to go and it was already 19.00. At 5km per hour and regular stops, time was against us and we were getting desperate and worried.

As I was getting more and more exhausted, I remember having visions. At one point, I thought I saw a fence in the distance but when we got closer, there was nothing there. I also so a car parked, and a man reading a book but both events turned out to be images ocurring in my head and it´s quite eerie.

Vanessa and I agreed we would not stop anymore until reaching the campground.
It took us another 2 hours to complete the remaining 10 km, with another river crossing and the very unpleasant surprise that the campground was another 5 km from the main track. We had to take a side track that continued along the lake and it seemed forever before we got to an open space with a table and toilet. That was it. That was the campsite. Those last 5 km we walked, taking turns to carry Ella. The person who was not carrying Ella cycled ahead to see how far we still had to go. It was hell. It took us 10 hours to cycle 55 km and to get to this "campsite". We lit a fire and had a massive plate of ravioli with pesto. During this whole adventure, Ella remained so strong and behaved so well, she really is an extraordinary little lady. I also had to come to the conclusion that I am the weakest of the three, screaming and shouting like a spoilt little boy when things get rough. I knew Vanessa was strong but today she blew me sideways. While I was complaining, she just kept going.


Our reward was right in front of us: pure wilderness. Nothing but forest and mountains, a beautiful green coloured lake, trout continuously jumping out of the water hunting flies, birds everywhere and a beautiful clear sky. At night the sounds of the animals kept me awake but I loved it. You could here all sorts of animals, I guess mainly birds, right next to the tent looking for food or whatever it is they think they can get out of a tent. Most birds in New Zealand are extremely curious anyway and they will come right up to you. In the morning we had a couple of robins sitting in our tent. When we had breakfast, one was sitting on my shoe! A tomtit joined the fun and sat on my cup of tea. A little wren started investigating our bycicles and I think I even saw a whitehead (do they exist?). Ella loved it and especially enjoyed the robins who just would not leave.
We had to leave though as we had another 30 km via difficult gravel road ahead of us.