Passing through Wakefield as we left Golden Bay & Abel Tasman, we stopped for the obligatory NZ pie...
This lovely little village is home to NZ’s oldest school(1843), picturesque St. John’s church (1864) and St. Joseph’s church (1869) and the beautiful former Post Office built in 1909. Then as a bonus to the history, The Bakery at Wakefield was voted one of the best small town bakeries in New Zealand, especially for its pies. (The cakes were good too!)
On through rolling forested hills to Nelson Lakes...another National Park with 16 picturesque lakes. St Arnaud is the gateway to the park and is situated on the shores of Lake Rotoiti, which is where we went. A couple of hours here admiring the alpine landscapes and rugged peaks that surround this lake, with its crystal clear waters, formed by glaciers over thousands of years, was well worth it. A small boat operator took us out on the lake and we had the chance to see Whiskey Falls, one of the many stunning features that this lake and its surroundings has to offer. Not to mention the tame eels under the pier and the friendly ducks. The sandflies, however were also very friendly, so we needed lots of repellant and patience. Still...the scenery more than made up for this small annoyance.
CHECK OUT OUR HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR ADVENTURE TO NELSON LAKES IN THE VIDEO BELOW!
