ODE TO THE
NEW ZEALAND WILDERNESS
Photos by Pete.
Words by William Wordsworth (as created by ChatGPT).
I wandered lonely as a cloud,
Through New Zealand’s pristine shroud,
By Gillespie Pass, so wild and free,
Where nature’s beauty beckoned me.
With sturdy boots and backpack strapped,
Through rugged paths, my spirit lapped,
A hiker’s heart, with every beat,
Eager to tread where few could meet.
Mt Cook, majestic, stood in view,
Its snowy peaks, a stunning hue,
A sentinel of grandeur rare,
Cloaked in nature’s tender care.
And onward, through Siberia’s vale,
A hidden gem, a secret trail,
The verdant valley, emerald green,
A paradise where dreams convene.
The glacier’s ice, so pure and bright,
A testament to nature’s might,
A frozen river, ageless flow,
A wonder only few may know.
The rushing rivers, crystal clear,
Whispered secrets to my eager ear,
Their melody, a soothing balm,
Nature’s symphony, a calming psalm.
I scaled the heights, with every stride,
The world below, a distant tide,
The air grew thin, the wind caressed,
As I embraced the mountain’s crest.
In solitude, I found my peace,
As nature’s wonders did not cease,
The wild expanse, untamed and vast,
Enveloped me in memories cast.
Oh, Ye, could you witness this,
The land of dreams, untouched abyss,
Where Gillespie Pass, Mt Cook, and more,
Ignite the soul, forevermore.
For in these hallowed, sacred lands,
I found my heart, my soul expands,
New Zealand’s wilderness, my muse,
A haven where my spirit renews.
We are pretty sure William Wordsworth would have loved the splendor and ruggedness of the Gillespie Pass. We have combined another incredible area of New Zealand, Mt Cook, with the Gillespie Pass to create the Mt Cook Gillespie Pass Journey (I think we need William to work on a more colourful name for this journey). Would you like to visit Mt Cook and Gillespie Pass with us? It would be Wordsworth your effort!
Mt Cook and Gillespie Pass
Combine two of New Zealand's best (yet oft overlooked) treks into a part of New Zealand rarely visited. We will trek to Mueller Hut for superb views of Mt Cook before a 4 day hike over the Gillespie Pass into the Siberia Valley, before jet boating back to civilization and on to Queenstown. This is such a wonderful nature based trek in New Zealand, one not to be missed.
Tour du Mont Blanc
Some hikes gain a reputation for being one of the best for all the right reasons. The Tour du Mont Blanc is one such trek as you hike from France, into Italy, then into Switzerland before heading back into France, completing the 160 kilometre journey around the Mont Blanc massif. Beautiful!
