On our first day in Queenstown, New Zealand, we climbed 500m of Ben Lomond the Mountain which rises behind Queenstown, with the intention of taking the Gondola down again!

View from 500m up Ben Lomomd

The view from the top is of Queesntown, Lake Wakitipu, and of  ‘The Remarkables’ an imposing range of mountains featured in The Lord of the Rings as the slopes of Dimrill Dale, which Aragorn leads he fellowship to Lothlorien after the Mines of Moria.

Having climbed 500m up, we decided to reward ourselves with some delicious cake… and a walk back down!  We did get fit in New Zealand!!

Next time we are there we have promised ourselves a trip on the Gondola.  Not however for the reasons that Peter’s son Damien & his girlfriend use it!  They take a trip up the Gondola with their Mountain Bikes, before riding down a 600m drop on purpose built forested cycle tracks back to town!

Not content with the challenges of Ben Lomond however, Damien also cycles down the Remarkables!!

The Remarkables, Known as ‘The Remarks’ in New Zealand

Their highest peak in the range is Double Cone (2319 metres).  One day when we were there Damien decided to take us, and his bike for a trip up ‘The Remarks’  My photos don’t show the height impressively enough… but here’s some of him taking off, and then half way down the mountain.  A very scary Descent, although I am scared of heights!

Planning the route

Just looking at the picture makes me dizzy!

And he’s off!

Half way down…..

We don’t have any photos of him at the bottom, but he did make it, all in one piece!