Aldamere Lodge

Aldamere Lodge belongs to my very good friends William and Johann. It is a guest homestay where William and Johann cater to your every need. An ideal luxury escape in the heart of the West Coast wilderness.

It is located on the shores of the very beautiful Moana Kotuku / Lake Brunner. The Maori name means 'sea of herons' and, indeed, you still see the beautiful and rare kotuku (white heron) there, especially in winter.

Lake Brunner is one of the West Coast's largest lakes and is popular with trout fishers, water skiers and kayakers.

It is also a trampers/hikers paradise as it is surrounded by magnificent hills and mountains covered in native New Zealand forest with many beautiful tracks ranging from lakeside strolls to challenging climbs to the tops above the bush line.

I do a lot of landscape and bird photography there whenever I get the chance and love exploring the floating kahikatea forests at the head of the lake.

In Autumn you might even find the vivid blue mushroom that grows in the beech forests. A starling colour in a forest of deep browns and greens.