walking, biking and camping in selwyn SELWYN.NZ Washpen Falls Track contents Selwyn District Map ................................................2 Safety Information ..................................................4 Track Grades ...........................................................5 Short Walks .............................................................6 Darfield Town Walk – A and B ......................................................7 Harts Creek .................................................................................8 Lincoln Historical Walk .................................................................8 Old Coach Road Track ..................................................................8 Walking Tracks ........................................................9 Coopers Lagoon .........................................................................10 Devils Punchbowl ......................................................................10 Helicopter Hill ............................................................................10 Hogs Back Track ........................................................................11 Kirwee Walk ...............................................................................11 Kowai Bush................................................................................11 Kura Ta¯whiti/Castle Hill ..............................................................11 Lake Coleridge Tailrace ..............................................................12 Little River Rail Trail ...................................................................12 Rakaia Gorge .............................................................................13 Washpen Falls ...........................................................................13 Tramping Tracks ....................................................14 Bealey Spur ...............................................................................15 Coach Stream Route to Trig M ....................................................15 Peak Hill ....................................................................................16 Te Araroa – The Long Pathway NZ National Walkway .................16 Temple Basin Track ....................................................................16 Biking Tracks .........................................................18 The Willows ...............................................................................19 McHughs Forest Park .................................................................19 Little River Rail Trail ...................................................................20 Craigieburn Trails .......................................................................20 Campgrounds ........................................................22 Camping in Selwyn ....................................................................23 Campground Locations ..............................................................24 Campgrounds ............................................................................26 1 Selwyn district map Township locations and main arterial routes Hurunui district Grey district Westland district Waimakariri River TO WEST COAST Waimakariri district Arthur’s Pass Oxford Castle Hill Springfield Waddington Sheffield Lake Coleridge Coalgate Whitecliffs Glentunnel Lake Coleridge Hororata Ashburton Rakaia River district TO LAKE TEKAPO AND QUEENSTOWN Explore selwyn Selwyn is a dynamic region of diverse landscapes. The stunning Southern Alps rise up against the skyline, behind rugged ridges and rolling foothills. Stretching from the braided Rakaia River to the Waimakariri, Selwyn’s patchwork plains are home to farms and small towns across the region. Walking and biking trails wind through the district within easy reach of every town. See what awaits you in Selwyn, between the mountains, rivers and the sea. For more tracks and trails in Selwyn visit selwyn.nz 2 Hurunui district SELWYN DISTRICT Rangiora Templeton West Melton Prebbleton Waddington Kirwee Lincoln Tai Tapu Rolleston Darfield Springston Coalgate Hororata Dunsandel Lake Ellesmere Doyleston (Te Waihora) Leeston Follow us: Selwyn NZ Southbridge Rakaia River @selwyn.nz Rakaia Huts Visit: TO DUNEDIN selwyn.nz Experience Selwyn Our activities are as diverse as the landscapes. The hills and mountains offer a wealth of activities, from walking and mountain biking, to skiing, jetboating and horse trekking in the high country. The rivers and lakes offer beautiful spots to fish or walk through native bush and wetlands. Nature lovers can visit award-winning gardens and historical homesteads. Appreciate the night sky full of stars or simply taste what delicious flavours Selwyn has on offer from the Farmer’s Markets or vineyards. For more information about our district visit selwyn.nz 3 safety information Weather · The weather in Selwyn can be unpredictable and change suddenly. Please check local forecasts before setting out. Skills and experience · Refer to the track grades to choose a track that best suits your level of ability and fitness. What you’ll need · Make sure you have enough food, clothing equipment and emergency rations for the worst-case scenario. · Take an appropriate means of communication. Mobile coverage is limited in remote areas. Plan ahead · Be sure to tell family and friends of your plans before you head off. Track status · For Department of Conservation (DOC) tracks, please check doc.govt.nz. · For other tracks, please contact the land owners. Dogs · Dogs are strictly prohibited in Arthur’s Pass National Park, Kura Ta¯ whiti/Castle Hill and Lake Pearson Wildlife Reserve. Most other sites dogs are permitted on a leash but may be restricted by access over private farmland. Check the DOC website for the latest information. · For tracks on private land, please contact the land owner directly as many of these tracks go through working farms and stations. The times indicated to complete each walk and bike track are a guide only. The information in this guide is intended to provide general information only. All reasonable measures have been taken to ensure the information is true and accurate at the time of print. 4 track grades Short Walks · Easy walking for up to an hour · Track is well-formed, with an even surface · There may be steps or slopes · Suitable for people of most abilities and fitness levels · Stream and river crossings are bridged · Walking shoes required Walking Tracks · Easy to moderate walking from a few minutes to a day · Track is mostly well-formed, some sections may be steep, rough or muddy · Suitable for people with low to moderate fitness · Clearly signposted · Stream and river crossings are bridged · Walking shoes or light tramping/hiking boots required Tramping Tracks · Challenging day or multi-day overnight track · Track is mostly unformed with steep, rough or muddy sections · Suitable for moderate to high fitness levels and those with navigational and survival skills · Track has markers, poles or rock cairns · Unbridged streams and river crossings · Sturdy tramping/hiking boots required ICON KEY TRAMPING TRACK ADVANCED 0–0 HOURS 00.00km Department of Conservation doc.govt.nz 5 short walks Easy walking, suitable for people of most abilities and fitness levels. Harts Creek 6 Darfield Town Walk short walks 60 Walkway A and B MINUTES Walkway A. Follow the green posts with red markers to explore the streets of Darfield starting at the Clock Tower, past the shops and through to the War Memorial. The walkway travels along the edge of Darfield Primary School and past the stone gates – the original entrance to St Andrew’s Church. From here, follow the road to the Baptist Church grounds, through Avoca Place Reserve, past Darfield High School and into Devon Crescent. Head diagonally across Daniel Mulholland Reserve, through the walkway and turn right into Stott Drive. Walk over culvert, and turn right at the marker into the walkway through to Piako Place. At the end of this street turn right onto Bangor Road. Pass by Pearson Reserve and go through the Trinity Church grounds to return to the Clock Tower. Walkway B. From the Clock Tower, cross the main street and follow the marker posts through the Railway Reserve Subdivision to the reserve sports grounds. Turn right into Maxwell Street and continue along the sports fields, across Horndon Street and through the walkway to Craigieburn Street. The right-of-way through to Kowhai Drive is planted in rhododendrons and crabapples. Go left along Kowhai Drive into Horndon Street, pass the tennis courts, go along the sports fields, and around the lake. Follow the marker posts through the hedge and onto North Terrace. The final section takes you through the Westview Park development, past the youth park, and back to the Clock Tower. Start: The Darfield Clock Tower (corner of Ross Street and South Terrace). Dogs on leash 7 40 Harts Creek MINUTES 1.46km Enjoy a stroll through native plantings, taking in the sounds of local birdlife as you go. The track follows the flax-lined creek before short walks a boarded walkway winds through the wooded swamp area. Glimpses of Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere can be seen through the trees. The walkway comes to a bird hide, a camouflaged hut set out on the lake for easy viewing of bird and wildlife. Start: Corner of Lower Lake Road and Timber Yard Road, Leeston No dogs 45–90 Lincoln Historical Walk MINUTES Explore what the Lincoln township was like back in the day on this trail. Pick up an information brochure highlighting