There are more than 3000 glaciers in the South Island of New Zealand and seeing one up close is usually on the must-see list for visitors. Rob Roy Glacier in the Mt Aspiring National Park is one that tourists can easily see – for free and in safety.
From the township of Wanaka it’s an hour’s drive to Mt Aspiring National Park, through spectacular scenery and lush farmland. The last part of the journey is a gravel track with 11 fords, several cattle grids and some very tight turns, but it’s worth the effort to reach the start of the Rob Roy Glacier walking track.
The five kilometre track starts from the Raspberry Creek car park and meanders across the river flats to the suspension bridge across the Matukituki River.
From there it begins to climb uphill – a gentle incline in some places and steeper elsewhere, following the Rob Roy Stream through shaded beech forests carpeted with ferns and mosses.
It’s exciting to reach the first lookout and see the glacier at last.
After leaving the lookout there are still of couple of kilometres of uphill walking. At the head of Rob Roy Valley the forest gives way to alpine plants which grow above the tree line, and at 1000 metres above sea level the viewing point at the end of the track has uninterrupted vistas of Mt Rob Roy and the glacier.
The track can be very busy in Summer but even with large numbers of visitors the area around the viewing point has an air of quiet reflection. Everyone seems to appreciate the grandeur of the scene before them, and their good fortune in being able to witness this amazing natural spectacle in their own space and time.
wow, I’ve been nowhere near that and now feel very guilty. NEXT TIME!
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You should definitely go one day. The trouble is there are so many places and not enough time.
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Spectacular country and great photos (and a glacier with a Scottish name!). 🙂
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The area is known as Mackenzie Country, named after one of the first settlers James Mackenzie who was a notorious sheep stealer! Maybe there were lots of Scottish settlers.
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Sheep stealer sounds about right! 🙂
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Pingback: Worth The Walk | Home Far Away From Home
WOW – these pics are amazing! Great job 😀
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Thanks. I enjoyed that day so much.
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This is lovely. A place that I have not been. You are showing me some of my own country. Thank you.
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We enjoyed this walk so much and the views were stunning. Your country is gorgeous and we are definitely going to visit again.
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That would be wonderful. There are hundreds of places in New Zealand that I want to visit. Did you manage to see our poor broken city, Christchurch?
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No, we flew into Christchurch, but we thought it best not to stay. It’s such a shame. I wish we had visited before the earthquake. We talked with people who said how terrible it has been and we saw damage even in Akaroa. Very sad.
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I haven’t been to Akaroa since the earthquakes but, yes, I believe there is some damage there too.
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There is some damage there. We couldn’t see the museum because it was closed due to damage and the old cemeteries are badly damaged. The large headstones have just toppled over and are lying around everywhere.
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Sad.
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It was. We wondered if it will ever be repaired, considering the high costs.
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I guess most things will be repaired or replaced eventually. My great grandparents headstone in Christchurch tumbled over. I wanted to repair it properly but because it is in a churchyard we have to wait for the church’s insurance policy to consider the situation. In the meantime the stone has been righted by the church groundsmen and made safe-ish but it would easily fall in another severe earthquake. I think perhaps we have to learn to let go and allow some ruin to be a part of our lives just as it is in Europe and many other older parts of the world.
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I need to go! Great bridge over the water and the colours of the river are amazing. May be a tad cold for swimming though! Not many people can say they have seen an actual glacier, well done. Cath
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Later in the trip we hiked on a glacier…post about that coming soon.
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Look forward to seeing it, how amazing!
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This looks so beautiful, what spectacular countryside!
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It was gorgeous.
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Wow! That is gorgeous. I have never been anywhere near an actual glacier. What a hike. Were you breathless? I would have been, not only at the scene, but in my lungs, too, I think, in spite of all my walking! Lovely!
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Oh yes, there were some steep parts of the track and it was hard work, but so worth the effort to see the glacier. You should consider a trip to New Zealand as well as one to Australia. Maybe you could combine the two and see the best of both.
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Even though this walk is hard going, it’s amazing. We loved it.
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We were so glad you suggested this walk to us Maree. It was a great day with perfect weather. We couldn’t believe the number of people who were doing it with no water and no hats. I would have expired without the big bottle of water that Glen carried.
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I would love this walk. Fabulous photos!
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Thank you. We loved it too, even though it was hard work in some places.
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Wonderful pictures! Made me want to rush into my planned summer holiday this year where I will get a glimpse of this sort of landscape. 😉
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Where are you going? My guess is somewhere mountainous in Europe. Austria or Switzerland??
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