A WONDERFUL WEEKEND OUR INTREPID TRAVELLER MARK GARRISON STICKS CLOSER TO HOME FOR THIS MONTH’S FEATURE, TRYING OUT SOME OF THE ’S MOST PICTURESQUE SPOTS.

Kiwis are absolutely blessed to have countless options for fantastic short getaways within our own country. If you have a long weekend coming up and feel unsure about where to go, I strongly suggest wandering through the Waipara region of the South Island. If you feel energetic you can extend your trip to include a jaunt up to relaxing and on towards remarkable Arthur’s Pass. Finally, you can make a beeline down to Akaroa before your long weekend is done. In just three short days you will get to enjoy some of the absolute best scenery, food, wine and wilderness that NZ has to offer. Our trip begins with a flight into . Discounted fares are often available so make sure you constantly check in with Air NZ and Jetstar, as great deals pop up frequently. Jump into your rental car and head directly out of town. Pick up State Highway 1 and head towards Amberley. If you are in town on a Saturday, check out the Waipara Valley Farmers Market. It is a lovely spot to pick up some fresh produce, baked treats, meats and other goods from local artisan producers. Wine lovers, however, will flock to Amberley because it is located in the heart of the Waipara Valley wine region with a number of world class wineries located in close proximity to each other. However, it would be a shame to overlook the excellent beer produced at the Brew Moon Café and Brewery (150 Ashworth’s Road, Amberley), as their entire range of beers are vibrant and terrific. The brewery was established in 2002 by Kieran McCauley and Belinda Gould who have created a terrific range of beers which are brewed on site and now sold throughout the country. Our favourite of the beers we sampled (and later bought full bottles of), was Olé Molé. This beer had a definite zing, and is inspired by a classic Mexican molé sauce. Flavoured with chocolate, chillies and a variety of other spices, the beer is rich and slightly spicy on the palate. With all the different beers available for tasting, don’t be too hasty in your dash to the local wineries as to miss out on visiting Brew Moon. The Waipara Valley is home to some fabulous wineries, so hopefully you have arranged for a designated driver to accompany you. On our trip we visited Black Estate, Greystone Wines, Waipara Springs and Pegasus Bay. Black Estate is located in a stark, elegant, and yes, black building overlooking the bountiful vineyards sloping down the hill. There is a well-regarded restaurant here and a strong selection of wines, but the tasting area can get crowded at peak times. Waipara Springs also has a nice, though more casual, restaurant and a lovely tasting room. It was our visit to Pegasus Bay (263 Stockgrove Rd, Waipara) however, which was particularly memorable. The restaurant has been named as NZ’s Best Winery Restaurant for five consecutive years, and it is easy to see why. Our meal here was impeccable. From the perfectly-prepared whitebait to the eel and mascarpone frittata and on to the impossibly perfect chargrilled 360g Angus steak, our meal was out-of-this-world. The grounds of the winery are stunning too and provide a perfect respite after a heavy session of grazing and wine tasting. A word of warning—this restaurant is exceedingly popular so definitely book ahead. If you are a wine aficionado make sure you don’t leave without trying the Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked Riesling. It is a simply superb wine, as is their Merlot Cabernet 2009 which proved an g excellent accompaniment for our lunch. Fully satiated and ready to head on, we continued towards the lovely town of Hanmer Springs. Located 130km northwest of

70 Christchurch, Hanmer Springs is most famous for the large hot Road. This route runs past Lake Brunner, the largest lake in the spring resort located right in the centre of town. However, the North-western South Island, home to some fantastic Brown Trout town also attracts outdoor adventurers as it offers excellent fishing, and ends up joining State Highway 73. From this junction, hiking, biking, and skiing at Hanmer Springs Ski Area as well as all the way into Arthur’s Pass Village, you will be treated to superb Mount Lyford. The pools offer a wonderfully soothing experience, scenery, culminating in a trip over the spectacular Otira Viaduct. although we did find the admission prices ($20 for a single adult Arthur’s Pass Village is a charming hamlet, particularly in the snow. entry), on the slightly high side. There are a variety of spa options The highway can be treacherous in poor weather, however, so as well but these are also fairly pricey. There is a nice variety of do heed all road warnings. The village is the starting point for pools and water temperatures to choose from but they can and many of the hiking trails which extend throughout the valley. We do get busy, particularly on weekends, so don’t be surprised to made an early-morning walk up to the Devil’s Punchbowl waterfall find a lengthy queue before the pools even open. (one hour return), which was well worth it as the waterfall is truly We took advantage of the many hiking opportunities located beautiful. We also hiked along Bridal Veil walk which winds its close to the town and hiked the pretty Waterfall Track. This trail way through lush forest and offers walkers some terrific views of climbs steadily through a mountain beech forest and ends at the town. We finally ended our tramp by venturing up the Bealey the 41m high Dog Stream waterfall, which is an exceedingly Valley Track. There are, of course, many other hikes of much picturesque sight. The trail takes about 2.5 hours to complete and greater length in the area and the village is a magnet for hiking is rated as a moderate hike. You can find the trailhead at the car enthusiasts from all over the world. park at the end of McIntyre Road. We also enjoyed a short hike There are several choices in the village in terms of up Conical Hill (one hour return), which offers great views of the accommodation and we chose to stay at the Mountain House valley and the town. (84 West Coast Rd), another YHA hostel. Again, the rooms were There are a variety of dining options, and we opted to fill-up on impeccably clean as were all of the shared facilities. some terrific baked goods from the Hanmer Springs Bakery (16 Finally we were on our way to the beautiful town of Akaroa. The Conical Hill Rd) and later enjoyed a delicious lunch at Chantellinis drive from Arthur’s Pass towards Christchurch runs through some (11 Jollies Pass Rd). of the most spectacular scenery the South Island has to offer. The Visitors to Hanmer Springs are spoiled for accommodation actual distance is only 154 km but plan on taking your time as choices, and you can opt for the luxury of the Heritage Hanmer you will want to be sure to stop for regular photo opportunities. Springs, built in 1932 or any of a large number of motels and bed A perfect place to stop and take a break is Castle Hill where there and breakfast accommodations. Being on somewhat of a budget are huge free-standing boulders littering the hill rising just off the we decided to opt for the YHA-affiliated Kakapo Lodge (14 Amuri highway. This is nirvana for keen rock climbers. Avenue). The rooms were excellent value ($66 for non-members The charming tourist town of Akaroa is situated on the Banks and $60 for YHA members) and were clean and quiet. Peninsula, 84km from Christchurch. The town is located on an Heading off on State Highway 7 we headed towards Greymouth. impossibly beautiful harbour which on a fine day is cobalt blue. Passing through Reefton, we were reminded how many historic As you drive down through the steep hills towards the town small towns dot the South Island. Reefton is known as ‘The Town of there are a number of viewpoints from which you can admire the Light’ because in 1888 it became the first town in NZ, and indeed view. Akaroa is famous as the only French settlement in NZ. The the first town in the southern hemisphere to receive electric lights. town was settled in 1838 by Captain Jean-Francois Langlois, a The town has relied heavily on gold-mining operations, and at its French whaler. He believed the site would be the perfect station height the town has several thousand inhabitants but is now much for French whaling ships and he encouraged groups of French smaller. This is expected to change with the opening of a new settlers to make the voyage. After the Treaty of Waitangi the gold mining operation. settlers chose to remain and the town has retained its strong What makes Reefton interesting is the abundance of historic French heritage to this day. It is now a major tourist draw and the buildings located throughout the town. We enjoyed a coffee at quaint town is often packed with tourists. The town is overflowing the Broadway Tea Rooms (28 Broadway), which proudly proclaims with shops, restaurants and accommodation choices for visitors. it has been a teahouse for over 130 years, opening in 1874 to In just three short but wonderfully fulfilling days we were treated serve the miners in the area. Reefton is an ideal place for any to the most relaxing trip we had experienced in ages. We ate history or architecture buff to stop and explore and there are great food, drank superb wine and were overwhelmed by jaw- g Heritage & Gold Mine Tours available ($25). dropping scenery. The next time you have a few days off and have Continuing on way towards Arthur’s Pass we decided to detour nothing planned, pack those bags and head immediately to this Greymouth for this trip and instead travelled up Arnold Valley stunning area. You will have a terrific time!~

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