Friday started with freezing conditions including frozen pipes which left us with no running water. Looking outside of our little log cabin in the morning, all the hills were white with frost, the air was biting and the views over the lake to the distant mountains were spectacular. We bundled into our car and headed south from Manapouri to begin driving the Southern Scenic Route. The route follows the most southerly coastline from Manapouri all the way round to the city of Dunedin on the opposite side of the island via the Catlins Coast.
After stopping to see the stone Clifden suspension bridge we passed through several small and remote townships before bumping into another huge flock of sheep being herded down the main highway. Ash being an expert by now successfully squeezed the car through the flock! We began driving along the first section of the Catlins Coast in the early afternoon between the rather drab town of Invercargill and a tiny township called Papatowai.
We took lunch down onto the beach at Waipapa Point where we watched sealions frolicking in stormy seas. We stopped at Slope Point, the most southerly point in New Zealand (next stop south... Antarctica!) then continued onto Curio Bay where we walked amongst the remains of an ancient petrified forest.
Next stop was Porpoise Bay where we walked out onto the headland and watched the huge Tasman Sea crash against the coastline. The spray soaked us even 50m up on the cliff! Our last stop for the day was to walk a short undulating track through temperate rainforest to the Maclean Falls in the Chasland Scenic Reserve.
That evening we randomly found some remote accommodation perched on a hilltop. It turned out to be a real treat. For $50 (20 pounds) we had a whole country cottage complete with views over the countryside and coast all to ourselves
(no-one else turned up). We were wrapped and made ourselves right at home with music and cooking ourselves a roast dinner before curling up on the comfy sofa in front of the TV!
The following morning, Saturday, we begrudgingly left our homely cottage in the rain (again) and drove the final half of the Catlins Coast to Owaka.
Along the way we visited Puriwaki Falls and Jack's Bay to see an impressive inland blowhole, Cannibal Bay and Roaring Bay. We drove many kms along unsealed, muddy and gravelly roads which we are sure we should have only done in a 4x4!
We finished off at the dramatic Nugget Point where we walked out to the lighthouse perched on top of a cliff headland with great views across the coast. From here we drove straight to Dunedin, a city with heavy Scottish influence and old architecture (it's main attraction). We had a little wander around the city, found some accommodation in an old manor house which as per usual we had pretty much to ourselves. In the evening we did something very normal and went to the cinema to see the new Batman movie.
Friday started with freezing conditions including frozen pipes which left us with no running water. Looking outside of our little log cabin in the morning, all the hills were white with frost, the air was biting and the views over the lake to the distant mountains were spectacular. We bundled into our car and headed south from Manapouri to begin driving the Southern Scenic Route. The route follows the most southerly coastline from Manapouri all the way round to the city of Dunedin on the opposite side of the island via the Catlins Coast.
After stopping to see the stone Clifden suspension bridge we passed through several small and remote townships before bumping into another huge flock of sheep being herded down the main highway. Ash being an expert by now successfully squeezed the car through the flock! We began driving along the first section of the Catlins Coast in the early afternoon between the rather drab town of Invercargill and a tiny township called Papatowai. 
We took lunch down onto the beach at Waipapa Point where we watched sealions frolicking in stormy seas. We stopped at Slope Point, the most southerly point in New Zealand (next stop south... Antarctica!) then continued onto Curio Bay where we walked amongst the remains of an ancient petrified forest.
Next stop was Porpoise Bay where we walked out onto the headland and watched the huge Tasman Sea crash against the coastline. The spray soaked us even 50m up on the cliff! Our last stop for the day was to walk a short undulating track through temperate rainforest to the Maclean Falls in the Chasland Scenic Reserve. 
That evening we randomly found some remote accommodation perched on a hilltop. It turned out to be a real treat. For $50 (20 pounds) we had a whole country cottage complete with views over the countryside and coast all to ourselves
(no-one else turned up). We were wrapped and made ourselves right at home with music and cooking ourselves a roast dinner before curling up on the comfy sofa in front of the TV! 
The following morning, Saturday, we begrudgingly left our homely cottage in the rain (again) and drove the final half of the Catlins Coast to Owaka. 
Along the way we visited Puriwaki Falls and Jack's Bay to see an impressive inland blowhole, Cannibal Bay and Roaring Bay. We drove many kms along unsealed, muddy and gravelly roads which we are sure we should have only done in a 4x4! 
We finished off at the dramatic Nugget Point where we walked out to the lighthouse perched on top of a cliff headland with great views across the coast. From here we drove straight to Dunedin, a city with heavy Scottish influence and old architecture (it's main attraction). We had a little wander around the city, found some accommodation in an old manor house which as per usual we had pretty much to ourselves. In the evening we did something very normal and went to the cinema to see the new Batman movie.
