After spending the night on the west shore of Lake Hawea, I made my way around to the opposite end of the lake the next morning for a hike up Breast Hill. Autumn had definitely arrived in the mountains, but I hoped the early morning chill would work to my advantage as most of the descriptions for the track implied that it was quite steep.
The fact that even the Department of Conservation noted that this trail included a steep climb, didn’t quite prepare me for the set of switchbacks that went straight up a gully within a few minutes of starting the walk. I was certainly glad for the cool morning and long shadows as I made my quick assent towards the ridgeline.
It didn’t take too long to reach the the top of the first section, but then the zig-zags gave way to what became in places a scramble up the sheer rock outcrops that formed the ridge. Luckily there were plenty of places to stop and admire the every-changing views out over Lake Hawea.
As I got higher, the peaks in Mount Aspiring National Park became visible, the clear conditions meant that I had a great view of the distinctive Tititea Mount Aspiring in the distance.
I retraced my steps back down to the shore of Lake Hawea and enjoyed a late lunch on the beach looking out at the ridge I had been walking. I contemplated dipping my toes into the lake to cool them down after my hike, but decided to head to my favourite French bakery for afternoon tea instead.
After refueling with a coffee and delicious pain au chocolat, I got back on the road and started to make my way over towards the West Coast. When we first visited New Zealand we had stayed at a beautiful campground near the Blue Pools and so I decided to stop here again before tackling Haast Pass in the morning.
The late afternoon sun refracting on the clear, snow-fed water, meant that the pools truly lived up to their name. The bright blue water seemed almost unnatural, like some kind of sports drink or artificially coloured ice cream. From my vantage point on the swing bridge I was able to watch the fish circling in the deep pools below me. I ventured down to the small beach and even went as far as wading in to my calves, but even in early autumn the water truly was ice cold.
With my feet slightly numb from standing in the river, I took the short track back to the campsite. With only a few other campers, I was able to get another great campsite and spent the evening relaxing and watching the sun set over the valley from the comfort of my campervan well away from the sandflies!