{"id":299,"date":"2022-07-31T07:10:59","date_gmt":"2022-07-31T07:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myholidayradar.com\/index.php\/2022\/07\/31\/skylark-cabin-is-the-perfect-place-to-watch-the-stars\/"},"modified":"2022-07-31T07:10:59","modified_gmt":"2022-07-31T07:10:59","slug":"skylark-cabin-is-the-perfect-place-to-watch-the-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myholidayradar.com\/index.php\/2022\/07\/31\/skylark-cabin-is-the-perfect-place-to-watch-the-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"Skylark Cabin is the perfect place to watch the stars"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There is no shortage of incredible stargazing around New Zealand.<\/p>\n

With a population of just about five million, we don\u2019t have a lot of light pollution compared with other countries. The bright lights of cities and towns, with their homes, streetlights, and even the lights on football pitches, make it much harder to see the stars at night. It\u2019s the same with the moon; the best stargazing is during a new moon, where there is no moonlight to dim the stars.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Growing up on the urban east coast of America, my memories of stargazing are maybe seeing a handful of stars at night. Not a lot, that\u2019s for sure. When I moved to New Zealand,<\/a> I remember camping and waking up to see so many stars that they didn\u2019t look real, like someone had painted the sky. When you\u2019ve grown up in cities, and you come out into the wilderness and see the night sky properly for the first time, it\u2019s really powerful.<\/p>\n

You can almost always clearly see the Milky Way here and many other notable constellations that can only be seen in the southern hemisphere, including the Southern Cross to the Magellanic Clouds.<\/p>\n

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The green light in the shot is from my head torch as I moved in front of the camera during the long exposure.<\/em><\/p>\n

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And while there generally is incredible stargazing around New Zealand, the best place by far is in the center of the South Island<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Mackenzie Region is home to the largest dark sky reserve in the Southern Hemisphere. A decade ago, 4,3oo square kilometers were declared protected by the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve<\/a>, which strictly controls light pollution in the area. One of only eight dark sky reserves in the world, it\u2019s also home to one of New Zealand\u2019s most famous astronomical research facilities, the Mt. John Observatory.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll notice in towns like Tekapo that the street lights are dull orange and point downwards; one of the key ways they limit light pollution from blocking out the dark night skies.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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I am wearing the merino wool jumper<\/a> by eco-friendly kiwi brand Allbirds. This area is home to many merino sheep stations.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Nearby Tekapo is one of my favorite small South Island towns \u2013 Twizel. Or if you\u2019re a nerd like me, Gondor. Many of the battle scenes from the Lord of the Rings\u2019<\/em>\u00a0third movie, The Return of the King<\/em>, were filmed here. And just about every horse and human for a hundred miles were extras too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Twizel is one of my favorite places, especially around the back towards the Ben Ohau Ranges. It feels like Middle Earth here, with big epic skies and tussocked mountains. Lots of merino sheep. I find peace in open spaces like the Mackenzie Country, which gives my brain a bit of a breather.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t10 epic South Island hideaways I\u2019m yearning to get back to<\/a>\t<\/div>\n

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When my massage therapist\/friend Liz in Christchurch mentioned that she and her partner had just built a design cabin out near Twizel and offered me to stay, I jumped at the chance. Pre-breakup, my partner and I at the time were on the rocks fighting a lot, and I combined it with a trip to see my friends in Wanaka. It was nice to get away and do some (painful) reflecting and writing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve watched the growth around Twizel with keen interest over the years. When I first moved to the South Island, it was very small, with many baches (holiday homes) in town.<\/p>\n

In recent years, more and more cabins and houses are being built around Twizel on lifestyle blocks. Lifestyle blocks are not something I had ever heard of before moving here. But from my understanding, it\u2019s a block of land bigger than a standard residential plot but smaller than a farm. Generally, you don\u2019t see your neighbor\u2019s houses; but they aren\u2019t that far away, and you probably have to mow your lawn with a riding mower. Google told me the average lifestyle block is four hectares or 10 acres. Either way, I can\u2019t afford one anytime soon.<\/p>\n

Kiwis, I know I can count on you to correct me if I\u2019m wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Why am I yarning about lifestyle blocks? Well, many of the new houses built around the outskirts of Twizel are on lifestyle blocks, including my friend Liz\u2019s new place \u2013 Skylark Cabin<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

S<\/span>taying in such a cool design house here to go off the grid and write was so cool! With a huge round skylight over the bed made for stargazing \u2013 I found myself popping my glasses on repeatedly during the night to gaze at the Milky Way (thanks insomnia). <\/span><\/p>\n

I love staying in thoughtful, creative spaces. And I love to stay in architecturally creative and modern spaces that still feel welcoming and cozy. It\u2019s easy to build a cookie-cutter house here in New Zealand, especially with the current building boom. But to craft a place that reflects the story of the land, the heritage of the area, and features the best of the best, well, now that\u2019s hard.<\/p>\n

Skylark Cabin<\/a> definitely ticked all those boxes and more \u2013 no wonder it\u2019s always booked out! Plan ahead, team!<\/p>\n

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Nestled gently amongst the tussocks against the backdrop of the Ben Ohau ranges, Skylark couldn\u2019t be more picturesque. Built in 2020, Skylark Cabin was thoughtfully designed by award-winning architect Barry Connor. His style allows you to make the most of the mighty landscape of the Mackenzie Basin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

High and dry, this part of New Zealand often gets the most snow. It\u2019s not unusual for the area to be blanketed white come wintertime. Think big open skies, epic sunsets, freezing winters, and piping hot summers. The Mackenzie area is bright, colorful, and extreme in every way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When I stay at a place like the Skylark Cabin, I like not to leave, so I\u2019ll bring all the food I need for a few days. That way, I can make the most of the epic location and modern kitchen. Usually, I stop in the Four Square in Twizel to grab what I need, but here are some spots I find myself returning to again and again.<\/p>\n