I’ll let you in on a (well known) secret – Queenstown is not cheap, if you want to spend a reasonable amount of time here without spending all your hard earned pennies I’d suggest doing some of the easily accessible walks that give you some amazing views.
From the carpark off Belfast Street the sign states that this walk is 1.5-2.5hours return. In total it took me 3 hours return including a bit of time sitting around at the top and the time it took to walk from town to the car park and back. This walk is graded moderate but I found it pretty hard going at time which made me realise how unfit I really am, although in all seriousness if your armed with a full drink bottle or two and take your time it is definitely do-able.
The track is a loop track with an option to branch off and keep walking to the summit then come back the way you went in and join back up with the loop track. I think I ended up going the easiest way at the fork which was to head to the right rather than the slight left. Although the way I went took longer the gradient of the hill was easier than what I imagine the other way would have been – I say this as it was relatively hard work getting down the hill in places, I wouldn’t have wanted to walk up this side – although I can be lazy after walking an hour straight up hill!
Right where the loop track keeps going and the track to the summit branches off there is the basket of dreams, which is a sculpture that is essentially a huge basket. Go on, jump in the basket, you know you want to. There are some stunning views from this point…
To be honest the views don’t get much better from here so if your tired then just make your way back around the loop track 🙂
Have you ever done this walk? Do you ever do walks like this when on holiday?