The best time to visit the places on the Southern Scenic Route is paradoxically the worst time. In winter, when it’s cold as ice and there’s no one about, you can appreciate the solitary splendour of the beautiful beaches, the rugged headlands, and the silent bush without distractions. Across Foveaux Strait, take a detour to Stewart Island – one of the nation’s neglected gems, great for tramping and for fishing the way it used to be.