Glenorchy, New Zealand. The Gateway to Paradise

The Head of Lake Wakatipu

Popularly known as "The Gateway to Paradise", Glenorchy is a tiny settlement at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu, set among the most breathtaking scenery. Even Hollywood can't get enough of the stunning landscapes surrounding this tiny town, and has used them as the backdrops for many movies, including 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe', 'Prince Caspian', 'The Narnia movies', 'X Men Originals', 'Wolverine', and for 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Sir Ian McKellen who played Gandalf in the trilogy said, "This is the Middle-earth I had always pictured."

We stopped off at the Glenorchy Café for lunch,

before exploring the area

There was an exhibition by Dan Kelly,

a local sculptor, in a field behind the café

Dan Kelly works primarily in recycled materials

After admiring the sculptures, we walked out on to the jetty,

to marvel at the view…

…and take photos, of course…

…of glorious scenes…

…whichever way we looked…

…and even though it was summer,

there was still snow on the mountain tops

We were blissfully at one with nature

Thank you, Brian and Avis, for yet another wonderful day in the paradise that is the New Zealand Landscape.

Elizabeth Coughlan