Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu via the Crown Range road

Yesterday M & I took ourselves off in Wyn's Toyota jeep type vehicle. I drove over the Cardrona Valley road to Queenstown, something we have not been able to do before as the campervan hire insurance banned us from that road. It used to be gravel but is now Tarmac all the way and fine for campers, although I wouldn't really like to take a big one back the way from Queenstown, there are some serious hairpin bends, some of the tightest I have ever driven......and that's saying something, after driving on La Palma! We set off from Wanaka in beautiful sun, but as we approached the top we were in cloud and had to use lights for a few miles, it was a lot colder over there and I only had a t shirt on! We then drove up the lake and got wonderful views of the high mountains. Spectacular! We went on through Glenorchy and round the head of the lake to one of our favourite places in NZ, Kinloch. There is just a small lodge and motel there and a DOC campsite where we have spent many happy hours. The food at the lodge is excellent, so worth the trip if you are in that area. We had a walk round and saw a great change in the course of the Dart river where it emerges into the lake, our camping spot has gone! Then it was time to do the return trip, fortunately by this time the cloud had been burnt off and we had great views from the pass. A round trip of about 280km.