A TOURIST RESORT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11247, 15 January 1912, Page 5

A TOURIST RESORT.

CLIMBING WIT. COOK,

A large number of excursionists from Wairarapa have beeu paying a visit to Mount Cook this summer. The weather has beeu tiue and the visitors have enjoyed themselves thoroughly, climbing the surrouudiug snow-clad hills. The route taken is from Timaru by rail to Fairlee and from thence to the hermitage at Mount Cook, the journey covering •listance of about UO miles. Some the trip from Fairlie ou bicycles, while others take advantage of the motor services running backwards and forwards three times a week. The cost is about £5 per head for the return trip. The road is a fairly good oue, there being no bad grades on the way, while the scenery is weird and romantic and to some extent picture--sque. Most'of the land passed through in the MoKenzie country is of a tussocky nature, with little feed for stock. Judging by the abandoned homesteads and fine fruit trees round them, its capabilities for both stock aud agriculture have been sadly neglected for many years. A local resident who has recently made the trip to Mt. Cook states that among the visitors met with arc a number of American couples who are "doing" New Zealand, and it is quite a common sight to see the lady dressed iv knickerbockers (a very convenient dress for Alpine climbing) and smoking a cigarette.