Castles and churches

On 12 October 1898, William Larnach MP stepped into a committee room at the New Zealand Parliament, locked the door, put a pistol to his head and pulled the trigger... and so ended the brilliant and turbulent life of a man who was once a banker, landowner and Minister. Drawn to Dunedin in the 1860s by the gold rush, he prospered and built Larnach Castle for his first wife, Eliza. When he died, aged 65, he left behind a young widow, six children from three marriages, controversy over murky business dealings, and scandalous whispers that his third wife was having an affair with his youngest son.

The beautiful castle that Larnach built was left to crumble and decay until the Barker family purchased it for a song in 1967 and spent the next few decades painstakingly restoring and furnishing it, and breathing new life into the grounds. It is now open to the public and judging from the tour groups, a major attraction.

The steps leading up to the formidable main entrance

Larnach Castle exterior

We are amazed when we visit the castle. Ross drives the 40 minutes from our lodgings through Dunedin and along the lower road that hugs the Otago Peninsula. As we pass the Dunedin harbour front we spot the point of origin for all those timber trucks we saw yesterday. Stacked high in mighty piles are tons of logs, probably from plantations, and lorry after lorry is loaded up before hurrying to the port. Wood is also something that the castle features in abundance. The solid timbers, beautiful workmanship, and amount of effort and expense that must have gone into its restoration are breathtaking.

Two hundred workmen laboured for three years to build the castle 

and craftsmen took another 12 years to complete the ornate interiors

Fine furniture and decor in the Ladies' Drawing Room

We had woken up to very heavy skies and as we drive up the steep hill to Larnach Castle, we are swallowed up in mist and a dense humidity that chills to the bone. Sadly it also means that the beautiful 360 degree views over the Otago harbour promised from the top of the castle tower are not to be. Instead we only manage fleeting glimpses of blue water and distant hills as the mist shifts.

A very blustery and cold tower top with not much of a view alas

We abandon the relative warmth of the house for the gardens. It is cold! But the different garden designs and all the textures and colours make it infinitely worthwhile.

Ross leading me up the garden path

Colours!

More beautiful colours

An outdoor room

A tantalising glimpse of Otago Harbour through the trees 

After tramping around the grounds for a while, the warmth of the ballroom cafe and a piping hot lunch is very welcome. As we drive back to Dunedin, this time along the high road to avoid road works, the clouds finally part and we catch some stunning views of the Pacific side of the Peninsula.

On the road to Dunedin

When we reach Dunedin, the sun is out and it is much warmer. Having wisened up about parking since yesterday, we leave the car on the flat this time! Our afternoon is spent visiting a couple of iconic churches in the City, including St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, built in the 1860s, and the First Presbyterian Church of Otago - marking the beginning of Dunedin as a Free Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) settlement in 1848. 

St Paul's Cathedral

Rose window - St Paul's Cathedral

First Presbyterian Church of Otago

First Church interior

Mission accomplished, Ross manages to walk into two churches without being struck by lightning(!) We don't want to risk walking into a third so we decide to call it a day and head back to our accommodation at Sawyers Bay. After the busy-ness of the last few days, we have a restful afternoon and read, nap, and listen to the birds. The wind picks up outside and starts to howl as the light fades into evening and we watch the final episode of "Chernobyl", perfectly timed to conclude our stay in Dunedin.