St Bathans

On our travels 6 years ago, whilst we were cycling the Otago Rail Trail, we missed visiting the historic tiny village of St Bathans which we have since regretted so that was on the To Do list this time around. So that is where we headed after staying the night at the lovely tranquil POP just out of Alexandra only stopping for petrol and beer. We passed through the little villages of Omakau and Lauder, which are on the cycle trail, before turning off at Becks.

St Bathans is a tiny wee historic settlement famous  from the gold mining days. 

Novel extraction techniques here.

The spectacular Blue Lake with it's turquoise hue and striking, almost vertical white cliffs is a breathtaking sight. Being 75 metres deep it was man-made as part of the gold excavations and sluicing which started around 1887 and had the deepest hydraulic lift operating in the world.

A hopeful poster!

A popular and only pub!

Bank holiday me thinks!

There are just a few historic buildings remaining, amongst them being the Post Office, bank, an old cottage and, most notably, the Vulcan Pub which is still kept busy with sightseers. According to Jude, the friendly bar lady, there are only 12 residents in the village but there are a handful of holiday cottages with some more being built. The Vulcan Hotel is known for being haunted by a ghost named Rose. Rose being a prostitute whose malignant spirit still pervades the hotel, particularly Guest Room 1.
We didn't get any ghostly feelings in the bar (and believe me when I say if there was one there I would feel it!) but perhaps she does just keep herself to Room 1.
We enjoyed our lunchtime beer accompanied by good chips and the best muffin we have had for a long time, this being baked by Jude herself.

Still recovering from all the golf we have played in the last 3-4 days we then drove back down the road a little way to the by-donation DOC campsite at the Domain where we found ourselves a good spot where I could hang my handwashing discreetly on the fence. The Domain is a huge area with plenty of places to settle in so we were surprised when a couple in a car set up their tent really close to us right on the edge of the vehicle track. But no worries! There were probably about 10 vehicles or tents sparsely spread through the Domain overnight. We both slept pretty well.

The long walk it is then!

Sunday we drove back up the lake where we parked and did the 1.5 hour walk around it rather than the 50 minute loop track which just takes you down one side of the lake which, in hindsight, I would have preferred as it was SO hot with no breeze and virtually no shade. Despite drinking lots of water I had to keep putting my head down low to stop myself fainting. 

View from the other side. 

Debussy at the far end. 

I felt a bit better once we were on the homeward stretch and could appreciate the impressive views that made it worth doing. The track was quite rough in places and not that obvious so we had to keep on the lookout for the orange markers. 

No sliders around here I hope!

There had been some slips and one steep section on shingle required us to not put a foot wrong.

It wasn't until we returned to the accessible swimming end of the lake that the badly needed breeze gave flight but we were very hot and appreciated being able to go for a swim in the refreshing beautiful lake with a few others. 

It's nice once you're in!

The water felt so nice! The lake deepens really quickly so with just a few steps you are in over your head.

Feeling revitalised by the swim we were soon on the road back to Omakau.