A Pictorial Trip Across The Southern Alps.

On thursday the !st of May I traveled from Kumara Junction to near
Oxford a distance in total of 550k. We brought back a load of Barley.

As I'm still unable to drive I had a driver to take my place which
left me as a passenger. I had the camera with me and decided to take
a few photos of what must be one of the most contrasting and beautiful
drives in the world.

The photos are basically unedited and I hope you enjoy the trip.



Autum Gold near the Bealy.



Flockhill



Going down to Flockhill.



Lake near Flockhill.



Nearing the central part of the trip.



This is a deceiving steep grade, low gear work.



Nearing the "stones'" Central in the Alps.



The Ruggard Beauty is never tiring to see.



Wide open glacial terrain where once glaciers of ice cap gourged out
a sculptured landscape.



Wilderness Lodge.



Mt White. Sory about the windscreen!



The Stones



The stones.



The Stones are a limestone formation basically in a big "valley"



Farmed and cared for by people that love the wild land.



Down the road a bit another limestone formation across a huge wash!



A quick click out the window!



Contrasted by the cloud the limeston takes on a timeless mask!



On the west side of Arthur's farm land in the lower valley, Turiwati in the background.



A few k's further on to Turiwati.



Arthurs Pass Viaduct



Some Firs growing on the way.



The Start of the Viaduct is in the center background.



The Viaduct. A decent of 16 deg. You have to use your gears to hold you from a
runaway! Also if you use your brakes to much they get to hot and dont function.



Over the side! This was taken as with all the photos on the move from the truck,
Needless to say the truck was in 1st gear and barley moving which is very prudent
when carting big loads over roads like Arthurs.



A beautiful example of the above the bush line alpine vegitation.
This is right at the top of Arthurs Pass Road.



A Wild Mountain at one with the clouds!



Tussock and Stones.



Castle Hill Homestead.



Castle Hill Station.

I never get tired of traveling over this part of the Southern Alps.
The Mood of the Mountains change with the weather.

Today just one day later the trip would be in a alpine land with snow.

I have added some more photos mainly a few of the pass area.

I might add that on the way over we passed a place where a car had
just "gone straight ahead " and just mannaged to stop teetering on the
edge of the road side not quite going over the bank.

On the way home we passed a trusk that was on the west side of the
Viaduct going up hill. I think the motor had stopped and he had gone
backwards jack knifing the trailer and rear of the truck into the bank
because he would not have brakes.

None of the hills were hurt in the taking of these photos

Cheers []

Gaalburn.

awesome pics.
would be beautiful also covered with snow. being a "north" north islander, we dont get that.
but travelled the south island in the winter of 2006 on our honeymoon, and what a magical place. we travelled by car from chch to queenstown, the week after a huge snow dump. we were in awe with the scenery, it was absolutely stunning.

Gaalburn I come from the westcoast but dont get back too oftern, I have driven that road sooo often I could do it in my sleep, but i never get tired of the scenery. I have tramped all through the castlehill basin area and the limestone formations are amazing...you have made me sooo homesick.
I remember the lupins in the Waimak masses if pink, purple and white but I think Doc have sprayed them all land I noticed last time we travelledthey were chopping out the wilding pines..I always thought they added to the area.
Thanks so much for cheering up a freezing cold am

mmmmmmm.... it's a lovely part of the country through there. Thanks for sharing.

We live in the best country in the world these photoes just show it:)thanks for the trip

Beautiful scenery, stunning stuff. Looking forward to the Arthurs pass ones. Hubby and I went through Arthurs Pass 30 years ago while on our honeymoon..........My god that was a lifetime ago, Henry was just a twinkle in the sky then lmao (See he had the "Glow" way back then)

I must have missed something, I thought you travelled across the Southern Alps to get the grain, barley Must be on my mind as I need to get some soon for the pigs.

It's an awesome drive, that's for sure. Otira gorge is one of the most stunning I've seen, and I spend a few years in BC, Canada, so I've seen a few gorges.

The lupins are still there in the summer, gorgeous as ever.

This is why I love living in New Zealand!