It starts with a tiny stream to be crossed

Nice views looking back at Castle Hill Village and the Torlesse Range

Parts of the track go through forest

That’s Castle Hill (not the village but the rocks) to our left, been there a few times as well

Lots of these on the trees

They’re quite pretty

It’s quite nippy in the shade of the forest, but sunshine is just around the corner

Lovely day, great views, Castle Hill Village

The heighest point of the track, you can also walk to the summit higher up (we didn’t)

Another look back down at Castle Hill and the Torlesse Range

After crossing this stream again we have as good as completed the loop track

After our little hike we decide to return via Lake Coleridge, which leads us to Lake Lyndon and beyond where DOC have once again made things more restrictive, putting up fences and whatnot

This area is actually also one of our landout options (for gliding)

Mt Hutt Range in the distance

Lake Coleridge comes into view

Baaaaaaaa

Normally this part of the lake isn’t even there

Castle Hill car park, Torlesse Range behind it

I don’t know why but Kiwis seem to make everything worse year by year, they’ve cut down some awesome trees that used to be here and for some insane reason it’s now strictly no drones

At least the rocks are all still there

But today we’re not looking at the first part of Castle Rock, but at the other parts beyond that, most of which I had not visited before

Like this part, where those crazy Kiwis for some reason have put a fence around, I have no idea why, it didn’t use to be there but Kiwis love fences

Like this beautiful part which is now fenced off

Looks like a dog’s head to me

Cragieburns to our left

Prebble Hill, and it’s a good day for gliding!

On our way to Castle Hill summit, slowly getting there

Made it

The Craigies, normally I fly along those tops

I’m glad I finally visited this part of Castle Hill, it’s beautiful

Yep, me

More Craigies

And more rocks

Rocks everywhere

Makes me think about Tibet for some reason

Nice cumulus clouds!

Looks like a stranded submarine, climbers were up there just before, I could never do that

What a landscape

There’s hardly any wind today, it’s dead quiet here

Having a little break

Split Apple Rock, well, sort of, the ‘real’ one is in the Abel Tasman National Park of course (thanks Hugo)

That angled part must have been the sea floor at some stage I think

Just imagine how much water and time it must have taken to carve these shapes

Cirrus clouds, tomorrow might be not so nice as today

Yet another rock photo

Congratulations, you’ve made it to the last photo of this series!