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A Queenstown To Glenorchy
Day Trip, Walking And
Shopping For Souvenirs
Dorothy - 9/2/01
After a beautiful drive
Queenstown to Glenorchy
at the head of Lake
Wakatipu you will be ready for some exercise. I suggest that you follow
the Glenorchy Walkway from the wharf around the lagoon and along the
hillside and back to the lake edge. This is fairly level and offers great
views of Mount Earnslaw and other mountains at the head of the lake.
Read this article on Glenorchy
After your walk I suggest you relax at the Glen Roydon Restaurant for a
coffee break or lunch. Since I last wrote about this place the dining
room has been considerably extended, and the skilled Todd brothers have
ensured that the charm of the room is preserved and the addition is not
detectable. The restaurant now caters for large dinners and wedding
receptions.
Shopping for New Zealand-made quality souvenirs
Off the large dining room is another surprise - a souvenir shop run by
Julie Todd. Sometimes we hear complaints that some souvenir shops sell
mass produced souvenirs often made outside New Zealand. Not so at this
shop. Everything on sale is crafted in New Zealand and Julie has scoured
the country to obtain an interesting variety of products from Invercargill
in the south to Kerikeri in Northland.
From Kerikeri come moon potz to hold plants;
from the Coromandel sarongs with Maori designs, paua products, hand painted
glasses and vases, and stylish hats;
from Tauranga shell mosaics;
from New Plymouth carvings with their story on the accompanying card;
from Wanaka handmade knives, bowls with a design that portrays the
mountains around Lake Wanaka and a totally natural haircare range;
from Invercargill shadow boxes, possum fur bears and puppets, coasters and
sun catchers;
from the Glenorchy area paintings by Stuart Brown and Mark Thomas, and
miniature oil landscapes by Annette Thompson.
Julie with a possum fur bear and puppet
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Silver and paua pendants in a koru design photographed on a kete
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The wide range of goods also includes hats, socks, T shirts, scarves,
shawls, possum and wool jerseys, books on the area and fiction for adults
and children, pottery, wooden bowls, stoneware figurines and planters, kiwi
and tuatara shadow boxes, jewellery, bonecarvings, candles, kete (Maori
baskets), fishing gear, and cards of New Zealand, either with photographs
or with surreal designs. If you are concerned about caring for your skin
you can buy skin cream, bug balm and wind balm - all made from only natural
ingredients.
You can email Julie at
glenroydon@xtra.co.nz
or phone/fax (03) 442 9968
Walk at Bob's Cove
After a leisurely browse around Glenorchy, on the drive back we walked the
track at Bob's Cove. It starts from the Glenorchy road fourteen kilometres
(9 miles) from Queenstown. It is an interesting walk with interpretation
panels noting points of interest about the history or the vegetation or
birdlife. The track is fairly level unless you choose to climb the small
hill at Picnic Point.
Read this article on Glenorchy
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The hill at Picnic Point
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A shortish steep climb up the track to the top gives some distant views up
and down the lake. You can choose how far you walk as the track continues
some distance along the shore. If you walk to the furthest point the walk
will take one and a half hours return. We were too early to see the rata
in flower but clematis was in bloom at many points along the track.
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Clematis in bloom
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The track passes through some mature red beech, some of the few left in the
Wakatipu area.
We found this blend of activities gave us a very satisfying day.
For more about Glenorchy go to:
Glenorchy Races
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