A JOURNEY INTO THE OTHERWORLDLY
06 NOVEMBER 2023
There's SNOW?1?!
We had just spent the most incredible month explore one of the most beautiful place in New Zealand, Franz Josef, and it was time to leave and head across to Christchurch. There was no doubt in my mind that we'd be stopping at Castle Hill to explore the incredible geological wonders that sat high up on the hill, with the Southern Alps as a picture-perfect backdrop. We had been past Castle Hill before, when we were heading all the way from Dunedin and across to Franz Josef, but because of a knee injury, I wasn't able to get out of the car, let alone walk around these magnificent beasts!
Whenever we're driving through Arthurs Pass (or any of the passes in the South Island, for that matter), we always check the NZTA Journey Planner website to make sure there are no road closures. Arthurs Pass sits at just over 3000 feet above sea level, so it's pure alpine territory and this means it can snow at any time of the year, leaving the road closed to unsuspecting travellers. The main reason I checked the journey planner on this particular road trip was because there was snow forecast for the day we were heading through. Snow doesn't always mean the road will close, but it's ideal to see how much snow is expected, so you can make plans to head another way to your destination.
Arthurs Pass is an incredible stretch of road, winding through the majestic Southern Alps, between Christchurch and Hokitika and one of the most beautiful drives in New Zealand and most likely the world! We love, love, LOVE driving through here with every opportunity we get - check out our Arthurs Pass blog to see all of the amazing places to explore here!
So off we went, leaving the incredible Franz Josef behind us (boo hoo!) and armed with thermals, gloves and scarves, we hit the road with Castle Hill set on our GPS. I had left all of our gloves, thermals, scarves and beanies out before we packed up the day before, because the forecast was sitting at around 1 degree in Castle Hill, with snow expected to arrive around 2pm. The kids didn't believe me when I said it was going to be cold, because it had been quite mild in Franz Josef, with lots of t-shirt and shorts days, so they left most of the vital clothing in the car, complaining that they didn't need them and didn't want to carry them. Well, I'm sure you can guess how that turned out!!
As soon as the girls saw the first patch of snow, they were straight over to it, making snowballs, sitting in it and having the pure enjoyment that everyone (including adults) seems to get when they see snow! Their fingers soon turned into ice blocks and the realization of how cold it actually would get, was soon settling in. We found the random patches of snow at the start of the loop track and none anywhere else.
Whenever we're driving through Arthurs Pass (or any of the passes in the South Island, for that matter), we always check the NZTA Journey Planner website to make sure there are no road closures. Arthurs Pass sits at just over 3000 feet above sea level, so it's pure alpine territory and this means it can snow at any time of the year, leaving the road closed to unsuspecting travellers. The main reason I checked the journey planner on this particular road trip was because there was snow forecast for the day we were heading through. Snow doesn't always mean the road will close, but it's ideal to see how much snow is expected, so you can make plans to head another way to your destination.
Arthurs Pass is an incredible stretch of road, winding through the majestic Southern Alps, between Christchurch and Hokitika and one of the most beautiful drives in New Zealand and most likely the world! We love, love, LOVE driving through here with every opportunity we get - check out our Arthurs Pass blog to see all of the amazing places to explore here!
So off we went, leaving the incredible Franz Josef behind us (boo hoo!) and armed with thermals, gloves and scarves, we hit the road with Castle Hill set on our GPS. I had left all of our gloves, thermals, scarves and beanies out before we packed up the day before, because the forecast was sitting at around 1 degree in Castle Hill, with snow expected to arrive around 2pm. The kids didn't believe me when I said it was going to be cold, because it had been quite mild in Franz Josef, with lots of t-shirt and shorts days, so they left most of the vital clothing in the car, complaining that they didn't need them and didn't want to carry them. Well, I'm sure you can guess how that turned out!!
As soon as the girls saw the first patch of snow, they were straight over to it, making snowballs, sitting in it and having the pure enjoyment that everyone (including adults) seems to get when they see snow! Their fingers soon turned into ice blocks and the realization of how cold it actually would get, was soon settling in. We found the random patches of snow at the start of the loop track and none anywhere else.
Getting Lost In The Labrynth
The closer you get to the formations, the more impressive it all looks and you can capture the true size of them that you just can't get from the roadside.... and it makes you realise that this would make one HELL OF A hide and seek game! Haha.
Around 30 million years ago (or so we're told), the region was submerged beneath a vast, shallow inland sea that gradually began to fill in. Over time the enduring pressure led to extensive uplift, folding and faulting of the Torlesse and Craigieburn mountain ranges. The limestone rock formations have been naturally shaped by erosion from water, resulting in the creation of unique boulders, caves and outcrops, resulting in a very dramatic and otherworldly landscape.
The formations are made of limestone, which is really common in New Zealand and some of these at Castle Hill are up to 30 metres high!! It's actually crazy to see how tall they really are, when someone is standing next to them. Sienna went to stand next to one of them and she looked like an ant, compared to the height of the formation. Some of the formations are seriously perched precariously on top of each other and it's amazing that they haven't toppled over and rolled down the hill like a meatball. We loved the shape of them all, super unique and gorgeous... just look at them! The formations reminded us of the limestone boulders at Abbey Caves in Northland, just waaaaay bigger!
Around 30 million years ago (or so we're told), the region was submerged beneath a vast, shallow inland sea that gradually began to fill in. Over time the enduring pressure led to extensive uplift, folding and faulting of the Torlesse and Craigieburn mountain ranges. The limestone rock formations have been naturally shaped by erosion from water, resulting in the creation of unique boulders, caves and outcrops, resulting in a very dramatic and otherworldly landscape.
The formations are made of limestone, which is really common in New Zealand and some of these at Castle Hill are up to 30 metres high!! It's actually crazy to see how tall they really are, when someone is standing next to them. Sienna went to stand next to one of them and she looked like an ant, compared to the height of the formation. Some of the formations are seriously perched precariously on top of each other and it's amazing that they haven't toppled over and rolled down the hill like a meatball. We loved the shape of them all, super unique and gorgeous... just look at them! The formations reminded us of the limestone boulders at Abbey Caves in Northland, just waaaaay bigger!
I'll Leave The Climbing To The Profreshs
Although we visited Castle Hill on a busy day, it didn't feel overcrowded because there are a network of tracks around the main loop track, over a large area of land, so we went here, there and everywhere to explore and barely crossed paths with other humans. It's really cool that you can pretty much go anywhere you like and that you're not restricted to one track (unless it's a fenced off area). The track is really easy, mostly a well-worn dirt track, with a few stairs thrown in.
I could have spent a whole day here, from sunrise to sunset, taking photos no doubt of every angle, of every formation, and even though it was a cloudy day when we visited, it was still great for photography. I especially loved the mist and snowy mountains in the background... what a backdrop!
I wasn't able to do any rock climbing with my knee injury, but next time I think it would be a lot of fun if we all had a go at climbing a few, for fun! I'm not talking profresh bouldering... just climbing one that's 1 -2 metres high! There are professionals and enthusiasts that come to do bouldering here and we saw a few packing up their gear as they were leaving.... I'm TERRIBLE with heights, so this is one activity I'm happy to leave to the profreshs!
Fun fact -one of the Narnia movies was filmed here! The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was filmed here. This location provided the filmmakers with the enchanting and otherworldly setting they needed to bring the magical land of Narnia to life on the big screen.
I could have spent a whole day here, from sunrise to sunset, taking photos no doubt of every angle, of every formation, and even though it was a cloudy day when we visited, it was still great for photography. I especially loved the mist and snowy mountains in the background... what a backdrop!
I wasn't able to do any rock climbing with my knee injury, but next time I think it would be a lot of fun if we all had a go at climbing a few, for fun! I'm not talking profresh bouldering... just climbing one that's 1 -2 metres high! There are professionals and enthusiasts that come to do bouldering here and we saw a few packing up their gear as they were leaving.... I'm TERRIBLE with heights, so this is one activity I'm happy to leave to the profreshs!
Fun fact -one of the Narnia movies was filmed here! The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was filmed here. This location provided the filmmakers with the enchanting and otherworldly setting they needed to bring the magical land of Narnia to life on the big screen.
Springfield Is In NEW ZEALAND?!
We had to get back on the road at around 2pm and right on time, the snow came. It was sleeting at Castle Hill but as we got higher in altitude, it was truly snowing and the hills around us were covered in snow! We were gutted that we had to get going and didn't have any more time to stop and play in the snow.
Our last stop before Christchurch was at a little town called Springfield... hello Simpsons!! To promote the Simpsons Movie back in the days, a giant donut was donated to the town! It is on the main road heading through Springfield and on the way to Christchurch, so we stopped and took photos in the rain... because who could pass that opportunity by?!
Our last stop before Christchurch was at a little town called Springfield... hello Simpsons!! To promote the Simpsons Movie back in the days, a giant donut was donated to the town! It is on the main road heading through Springfield and on the way to Christchurch, so we stopped and took photos in the rain... because who could pass that opportunity by?!
Know Before You Go
- There is plenty of parking at Castle Hill, but it can fill up super-fast on busy days!
- There are toilets at the carpark
- The track is a 40-minute loop track, but you don't have to do the track to appreciate it in all its glory!
- It can snow in Arthurs Pass in the middle of summer, so check the NZTA Journey Planner before heading there
- This is a FREE attraction
- The track around Castle Hill is 1.4kms and takes around 20-minutes, but we recommend taking an hour to really explore it all
- Thieves have been targeting cars at Arthurs Pass, as it's tourist hot spot, and they have been breaking into cars and disabling them. Remember to keep any valuables out of sight and lock your vehicle
How To Get To Castle Hill In Arthurs Pass
The Castle Hill Conservation Area is 40-minutes from Arthurs Pass, 1 hour 20 minutes from Christchurch, and 2 hours from Hokitika and Greymouth. Click here for directions on Google Maps.
Conclusion
Castle Hill is incredibly beautiful and we highly recommend making the stop if you're heading through Arthurs Pass. Even on a cloudy day, this is an stunning place to explore and you'll be left in awe at the sheer size and shape of these boulders.
Gallery of Castle Hill
Check out the rest of the awesomeness that didn't make it to the main blog but deserves to be shown.
More to do in New Zealand
WHAT TO DO IN THE CATLINS
OTAGO If you love thundering waterfalls, beautiful rainforest walks and wildlife then you will LOVE exploring the Catlins.
|
MT PARIHAKA LOOKOUT
NORTHLAND The best place to get uninterrupted, panoramic views of Whangarei City and to learn about the history of Parihaka.
|
WARD BEACH
MARLBOROUGH A beautiful South Island beach filled with treasures, crazy rock formations and Caribbean blue water.
|
SEND US A MESSAGE, WE LOVE GETTING MAIL! |
DISCOVER |
FOLLOW USBORING (BUT IMPORTANT LEGAL) STUFF |