After the Motatapu Trail Marathon: Wānaka Lakefront

The Route: Wānaka town centre → lakefront path → Puzzling World → Wānaka town centre Logistics: The lakefront starts a few minutes' walk from the main street. Puzzling World is a short drive or taxi ride from town. If you finished in Arrowtown on Saturday, you will need to get back to Wānaka first, so check the road conditions over the Crown Range and the organiser's information on post-race transport. Marathon Month: March Duration: Day trip

Wānaka town centre ──(short walk)──> Lakefront path ──(short drive)──> Puzzling World
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Wānaka town centre <──(short drive or taxi)─────────────────────────────────┘

The Motatapu Trail Marathon ends in Arrowtown on a Saturday in early March, after a day of gravel, river crossings and a long descent. By Sunday morning the quads have opinions about stairs. Wānaka answers with a lake path that has none.

March in Wānaka: early autumn. Days are usually warm and dry, with cool nights, and the light on the lake is clear. Weather in the mountains can turn quickly, so carry a layer and check the forecast. Autumn colour in the region generally builds through April and May, so do not expect it in early March.

Start on the lakefront. The path runs along the shore of Lake Wānaka, level and sealed for most of its length, with benches, grass to sit on and a view across the water to the mountains. A walk of a kilometre or two in either direction is easy, and it is the right pace for tired legs. The famous lone willow tree stands in the shallows a few minutes along the path, and photographers gather around it at sunrise and sunset. Go for the view, and stay on the path, because the water is cold and the bed is uneven.

For a sit-down break, the cafés on the lakefront and the main street serve breakfast and lunch. Opening hours vary, so check before you go. Many businesses in the town are busy at weekends in the summer season.

Puzzling World is a short drive from the town centre. It is an indoor attraction with a large maze, illusion rooms and a leaning tower, and it is flat and mostly under cover, so it suits a wet or windy afternoon. Check the opening hours, prices and whether the maze has any queue. Do not plan the maze for the last hour before a flight, since some people take longer than they expect.

If you feel strong enough, a short lake cruise from the town's wharf is another seated option. Check the operator's schedule and prices, and whether sailings run in March.

A Slow Afternoon

If the weather is fine, an afternoon on the grass by the lake is as good a recovery as any. Bring a rug and a book, and let the legs do nothing. Wānaka has several bakeries and cafés within a short walk of the water, and takeaway coffee and something sweet make a fair lunch on the shore.

For a longer indoor stop, the Wānaka township has a cinema known for its unusual seating, and check the day's programme and the opening times before you go. Museums in the district are small and the opening hours vary, so check with the local visitor information centre.

Getting Home

Queenstown Airport (ZQN) is about an hour from Wānaka by road over the Crown Range, or a little longer by the Kawarau Gorge route. Wānaka has its own small airport but flights are limited, so check the schedule. Allow generous time, and check the state of the Crown Range road, which can be affected by weather.