Looking down the Cobb Valley

The Cobb Valley track runs alongside the Cobb River, and this is the view in the lower part of the valley, walking out towards the Trilobite Hut carpark. The valley floor is covered in tussock, these knee-height grasses growing in clumps that you can see in the foreground. From a distance, tussock give the landscape a nubbly appearance, kind of like how a polar fleece pills when it’s getting a bit worn out. The name “tussock” refers to the clumping nature of the grass. The stems of a tussock are tightly packed together and this helps the plant to collect and retain water, including water from fog. Because of this ability, they do well in dry environments and are common throughout the South Island’s mountains, painting the mountains a tawny gold.