Lake Mavora is close to the Eyre Mountains conservation Park – in the valleys in between Lake Wakatipu to the east and lake TeAnau ( Fiordland ) to the west. Access is via a long and dusty gravel road. Scenery is again simply amazing.

We had a 20 km return paddle on our first day here – right up the lake to a conservation hut at the head of the lake ( Carey Hut ) . We put our tramping boots on and had a two hour walk further up the track before backtracking and paddling back down the lake This track leads on to the Greenstone track and the Routeburn. Walkers on the Te Araroa take this route . Was a full days adventure and we both arrived back at the 5th feeling weary but satisfied with our day in paradise.

There is an access road here that links Walter Peak on Lake Wakatipu with Lake Mavora. It is a stunning route through a plateau with the towering mountains all around. We managed to relocate ourselves plus our bikes down to Walter Peak and cycled the 60 Kms back to the 5 th. Weather was again excellent – the views stunning from the start with the distant views of Mount Aspiring and the head of Lake Wakatipu . The route then gently climbs up the Von valley before a grueling climb over about 2 Kms – goes up about 200 metres and then the expansive views of a plateau that was mostly easy cycling with a tail breeze for the majority of the ride.
A great day in the saddle – Barb had a great ride – she is getting stronger.

Walter Peak is a tourist attraction as the old ship Earnslaw brings boat loads of potty Poms and chattering Chinese tourists over every day to see this working sheep station. The big plus – for Barb was COFFEE – yes proper coffee , a real flat white before we hit the road for the cycle back to Mavora.

Walter Peak – lovely old English gardens full of the memorabilia of times past for this now famous old sheep station.

Lunch stop just before the savage climb up Mount Von. Barb thinks we did not have enough breaks but she was a big day on the bike – about 5 hours to get back to our home on wheels.