“On a Mish” #435 A Salute to Canterbury. Christchurch to Cook & Everything In Between. 7.6.2025. Canterbury is almost greedy with how much it has to offer. From the deep blues of Pegasus Bay and the Pacific Ocean to the whites of the glaciers around Aoraki Mt Cook, there are views and variety for all outdoors adventure lovers. It is a place with a mish for anyone, and a place I am proud to say I am from. So every now and then I must take my hat off for the incredible place I grew up and give a salute to Canterbury and all the epic adventures it has to offer…
My adventure north began with a heavy snow warning for much of the South Island. This meant that many roads were closed, and I could not drive via the middle of the island like I usually do. This is no problem as heading north along the east coast is still a very pleasant route. However, as I gained a small amount of altitude I ran headfirst into the storm, and as the day rolled on the snow intensified. At one stage, I was looking at the Pacific Ocean just out of Dunedin and it was snowing! With snow flurries to sea-level it was a slow and steady mish, but eventually I got through the worst of it and made it to Christchurch.
During my stay up in Christchurch I went on one adventure which turned out to be a little bit of a flop. My plan was to see the snow the best way I know how with a night out camping. Plan A was to head to a spot I had plotted near Lake Lyndon, but once there I was in amongst all the other people who were out doing the same as me. The mass of humans drove me away and I had to think of a plan B, which eventually became a night out on the Wilberforce Riverbed.
A slippery drive along a very snowy Lake Lyndon Road took me to the Lake Coleridge area, and then up to the wide-open space of the Wilberforce Riverbed. The weather was still, and it seemed like I was in for a perfect night out. That was until I discovered that I had left my pain medication back in Christchurch. I had no choice but to return to town after a long drive which some might say was unsuccessful. However, thanks to how visually appealing Canterbury is I looked at my day as a scenic drive instead of a failed camping mish.
My Lake Lyndon / Wilberforce outing was my only chance at camping thanks to the wild winter weather. This was no issue as I found plenty of other ways to fill in the time, one being a trip to Saddle Hill in Banks Peninsula with the Whanau. The fact that both the mountains around the Wilberforce and the hills of Banks Peninsula are in Canterbury really shows the variety on offer. From the mountains to the sea and everything in between, I just have to salute this amazing part of Aotearoa.
I wrapped up my trip north and headed back to Te Anau via the highway which weaves its way through the centre of the South Island. The snow was still thick on the ground in Tekapo, and this really reinforced that I would have never made it through this way on my journey north a few weeks before. An impressive amount had not only fallen in this area, but it had also stuck around making the views on the drive very pleasant.
The final icing on the cake was seeing Aoraki Mt Cook standing tall at the top of Lake Pukaki. The place was looking as spectacular as ever, with snow blanketing the peak and its lofty surroundings. I just had to stop like the many other tourists in the area and take in the stunning scene. Nice work Canterbury, you truly are an outstanding place, and I must give a salute to your epicness!
