“On a Mish” #412 Lakeside Retreat (Part Three). North Mavora Lake. Mavora Lakes Conservation Park. 21.8.2024. Most Kiwis (residents of Aotearoa New Zealand, not the bird!) are fortunate enough to have access to wild places, especially if you live in or visit Te Waipounamu the South Island. While lots of places are dog friendly, many are not. So, for Georgie and me to find serenity we must head east to the Mavora Area for a little lakeside retreat…
After setting up my campsite I got food sorted for myself and my excited companion and I had a moment to remember my hip and back. I am a thousand times better than I was this time last year, but as I looked up the lake at peaks like Cold and Campbell I was reminded of the days when I could climb those very same peaks. Before the negative could sneak into my mind the Mavora area gave me some mountain motivation, and I could see myself getting back to those days in the future.
Once I had all my gear at the location where I wanted to camp, I had to pause for a few moments. Firstly, to give my hip and back a chance to relax, and second to admire the grandeur we had both found. In less than an hour I had gone from looking at the heavily forested slopes of eastern Fiordland, to the yellows, browns and deep blue of the Mavora Lakes. To make things extra special there was still snow clinging to the mountain tops. This is what I dream about when I’m unable to venture out on a mish.
As I enjoyed my dinner the afternoon became evening, and with that it was time to retreat to the warmth of my sleeping bag and hot water bottle / Georgie. The night was perfectly still with barely a flutter of fabric. For one of my 24 hours or less adventures this one was right up there with the best.
Early-ish the next day we were up before dawn checking out the sea of stars that shone above us. As the light of day began to creep in, I started to pack up and began to transport everything back to my car. It was time to leave our little lakeside retreat and head west.
At one point during my back and forths to my car I heard twigs crackling, along with some commotion in the dark forest beside the track. At first, I assumed it was Georgie bashing her way around, but when I saw that she was standing at my feet, I realised it must have been a deer – or Bigfoot.
The rest of the pack down went smoothly, and it wasn’t long before I was on my way back to Te Anau. As I drove back through the empty campsite, I thought that this was a great place for both dog and human to camp at, and it is only a stone’s throw away (70km) from my house. I knew for sure that one day we would both return, the place is perfect for us, and most importantly is dog friendly. I hope that sooner rather than later we will be back for another relaxing night at the Mavora lakeside retreat…
