crellston

I never did get around to posting a report of our Campervan trip around the north and south islands last year so here is an attempt to rectify that.

I have been even more remiss updating our blog but here is a link to those entries we have posted so far with more details and lots of photos:

https://accidentalnomads.com/category/new-zealand/

More to follow..

Our first trip was in July/Aug 2008, this last one Aug/Sept. Both trips in winter but we love it at that time of year. The main difference we noticed between the two visits was that it was a busier the second time around, most notably with Chinese tourists. Even so we had most of the DOC sites to ourselves and the commercial camps were mostly less than half full.

The weather was kind to us most of the time. One or two wet patches, some snow at times but plenty of blue skies. Naturally it was pretty cold at nights in the van but we prepared by visiting the sales at Katmandu and Bivouac to stock up on Icebreaker Merino - a bargain compared to the UK!!

I hunted around for deals on a Campervan and ended up with the ubiquitous Maui, choosing a two berth self contained van which was reasonable spacious and manoeuvrable.. I got what I considered to be a good deal with discounts for long term rental and winter with a few extras thrown in. What did bump up the cost was the fully comp. insurance - in retrospect I should have searched for a stand alone policy.

We used a combination of DOC sites, Commercial sites (mostly Top 10, using their membership card the discounts more than covered the cost) and Freedom Camping. We really noticed the reduction in the number of permitted freedom camping sites this time around - a shame but entirely understandable.

Wifi is important to us so we tended to buy cards to access Top 10 wifi when on their sites. Not sure whether buying a sim for the iPad would have been cheaper/ better.

We visited some old favourites as well as some completely new places. Hard to choose highlights as there were so many but Abel Tasman sticks out as one that we missed first time around - what an amazing place!

New Zealand in winter is not for everyone, nor indeed is two months in Campervan but even having done it twice, we would do it again in a heartbeat!

crellston

Forgot to add our camping stops were:
Arrive Christchurch - Breakfree on Cashel
Akaroa Top 10
DOC Waika Gorge
Freedom Camp Lake Tepako/Tepako Top 10
Freedom camp by beach outside of Omaru
Dunedin Top 10
Balclutha freedom camp
Lake Pounawea - Private Campsite
Riverton - Freedom Camp @ Golf Club
Te Anau Top 10
Cascade Creek DOC site
Queenstown - Freedom Camp lakeside
Cromwell Top 10
Mount Cook DOC site & Kiwi
DOC Lake Paringa
DOC Lake Mattheson
Greymouth Top 10
DOC Deer Valley
Kaikora Top 10
Abel Tasman - Bethany Camp Kaiteri
Freedom camp Takaka
Freedom camp Pahara
Blenheim Top 10
Wellington Top 10
Martinborough Top10
Napier Freecamp
Taupo Freecamp/De Brett's
DOC Lake Oreka
Free Camp Papamoa
Hot Waterbay - Top 10
Mercury Bay Winery
Coromandel Town Free-camp
Orewa Top 10
DOC Uretiti
Whanganei Top 10
Auckland - Ibis airport hotel

Melnq8

<<New Zealand in winter is not for everyone>>

It's definitely for me! Shall check out your blog.

sartoric

I love following your blog Crellston, but you're a braver man than me Gunga din. Not only winter, but in a campervan ! Brrr, I had to buy a parka on the South Island in February.

thursdaysd

Signing on.

crellston

Brave? No! After sitting inside a few bars by the fire, in my merino thermals and fleece, sipping a SuavBlanc watching the kiwi guys standing outside in the cold and wind downing ice cold beers dressed in their shorts, I felt like a complete wimp!

Melnq8

We've found that the hardest thing about traveling in winter on the South Island is keeping our red wine warm enough to drink.

Melnq8

Those sunrise/sunset photos are incredible crellston.

Diamantina

Thank you for sharing. Lovely photos and it looks like you enjoyed fine weather, which is remarkable because last winter was especially fierce in the south. Otherwise, I agree, winter is a great time for visiting the South Island, mostly clear days with little wind and long, gorgeous nights perfect for stargazing. It's colder, but as you noted, Crellston, thermals and fleece ease the chill. The NZ weather site, Metservice, in addition to predicting temperature, rainfall and winds, lists how many clothing and windproof layers are needed.

What a shock to arrive in Dunedin on a Friday night! It's not always like that. I'm glad you enjoyed the Farmers Market and enjoyed a venison and Bluff oyster pie from Who Ate All the Pies (my husband loves their pies). A winter delicacy to be sure, as Bluff oyster season runs from March to August.

I noticed on your link, "Oamaru To Dunedin- Punk, Penguins and Pies," you've inserted a photo of Pied Shags with a caption that says "Elusive Penguins." Could you have uploaded the wrong photo?

Melnq8

I thought those penguins looked suspicious too

Diamantina

You wrote, "The main difference we noticed between the two visits was that it was busier the second time around, most notably with Chinese tourists."

I've noticed a greater number of winter visitors this year as compared to last year, especially those traveling in motor homes and campervans. Today, we're experiencing heavy snowfall in the south with hazardous road conditions, and some road closures. I wouldn't want to be traveling a campervan!

Diamantina

Sorry, instead of "Pied Shags", I meant to write "Spotted Shags". They look like this:
http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/spotted-shag
Beautiful birds.

crellston

Oops! The Penguins were even more elusive than I thought! Thanks for pointing that out. I will now have to search and find the right photo. Next time we visit I will make a point of looking out for Spotted Shags.

Mel - good point re keeping the red wine warm enough to drink -we gave up and hence the Sauvignon blanc!

Diamantina - I think we may have just missed the worst of your winter. The heater in our camper failed on our first night in Akaroa. I recall taking it to a garage and the guy who fixed it told us how lucky we were that it hadn't happened a week or so previously - sun zero temps and the scenic road was booked for a couple,of days.

I had almost forgotten about those pies - until now!