It’s a pretty miserable day here today, so I’m stuck in the office dreaming of places I’d rather be. So why not post some photos of those places!

Here’s one of my favourite places in the world, and, in my opinion, certainly the finest day walk in New Zealand. Only a couple of hours from the main Milford road, Gertrude Saddle is a magnificent viewpoint and an incredible location of granite slabs and tumbling cascades. Well worth the effort to visit.

Looking down on Gertrude Saddle, and out to Milford Sound on the far right.

And while I’m in the Darrans (at least in my imagination) here is another favourite spot of mine. Shot from the slopes of Sabre, this is the Adelaide Basin, and Lake Adelaide, with an approaching front gathering. On the left you see Lake South America below Adelaide Saddle. A bit harder to get to, but an amazing location.

A front rolls in over Lake Adelaide, from the lower slopes of Sabre Peak.

And lastly for today, a shot of my climbing buddy Jack heading up onto Mt Crosscut, silhouetted against mist sitting in the Gertrude Valley, Mt Talbot in the background. This was early on a day circuit traversing Crosscut’s West and Middle peaks, followed by Barrier Peak and Barrier Knob, and a descent via Gertrude Saddle. This image won the overall prize in the 2011 FMC Photo competition.

A climber is silhouetted against morning mist in the Darran Mountains.