It’s more enjoyable to explore under your own steam – by bike, boat or on foot – than whizzing about at high speed. That’s my theory.
I put this to the test on a seven-day tour with Adventure South NZ, a company that supports such journeys. Dubbed The Great Taste Trail & Beyond, the itinerary promised a smorgasbord of cycling, sailing and hiking.
Meeting in Nelson on a sun-drenched morning, our convivial group of 12 was whisked to the seaside suburb of Monaco to be fitted with bikes; after a brief practice pedal round the bay we set our sights on Tapawera.
We were a vision in high vis on the 61km leg through Brightwater on the banks of the Wairoa River, then to Wakefield and Belgrove. After pausing for an al fresco lunch, we headed inland on a forestry track strewn with pine needles.
I chose a low gear for the climb to the hand dug Spooners Tunnel, the longest decommissioned rail tunnel in the Southern Hemisphere. Headlights on, we pedalled cautiously through the cool brick tube, its sides still sooty and dank despite not having seen a train since the 1950s.
Emerging out the other side to birdsong and sunshine, we rode past fields of free-range chooks, paddocks of portly pink pigs, trees festooned with ripening red apples and pungent crops of hops. Soon we reached Tapawera’s Railside Museum, where the brightest stars of history on show were the stoic local women who protested the closure of the railway. In 1955, they made headlines staging a sit-in on the tracks, where they knitted and drank tea. It didn’t work, though. The railway was superseded by the motorcar.
On day two we left Tapawera for Riwaka, 62km away. The corrugated roads rattled our teeth as we rode beside the burbling Baton River. The sky was a vivid blue backdrop through pine branches; a breeze sang in the canopy. Climbing to the top of Baton Saddle via a series of switchback bends, we were rewarded with two joyous kilometres of downhill leading to a sturdy swing bridge, and the recently opened Lublow Oasis. This rustic rest area is the brainchild of local farmers Richard and Fiona; cyclists can avail themselves of tea and coffee, ice creams and snacks paid for via an electronic honesty box. There are also carefully curated treasures and interpretation panels, including details of past Lublow women who sought to boost their household coffers by wading in the chilly river to pan for gold.
Back on our bikes, we continued the ride beside Baton River, its clear waters rushing over glistening rocks, until we rolled into Riwaka where we loaded bikes and bodies into Adventure South’s van and headed for Motueka on the western shores of Tasman Bay.
Up at dawn the next day, we were transported to Abel Tasman National Park for a sans-saddle day. We walked from Mārahau Village to Anchorage via Appletree Bay, a picture postcard come to life. Cobwebs hung with dew were lit by the rising sun and the salty scent of the sea mingled pleasantly with damp earth. It was food for the soul.
Pīwakawaka and tūī flitted in the trees; herons browsed for grub in the low tide bays. A rustling in the undergrowth revealed a plump weka foraging for lunch in leaf litter. The walk served up one spectacular view after another, until eventually we reached the soft tan sand of Anchorage Bay, a perfect spot for a picnic and a swim. Instead of walking back, we sailed to Kaiteriteri aboard a 16m catamaran, making landfall just in time for dinner.
Day four saw us back on our bikes riding 45km from Motueka to Richmond. A breezy 27km bike ride brought us to coastal Māpua where we topped up our tanks with coffee and scones before boarding the ferry to Rabbit Island. We cycled a stunning seaside segment that featured wetlands and boardwalks, beaches and bridges.
At Richmond we piled into the van bound for Anakiwa two hours away, where a waiting boat carried us to heavenly Lochmara Lodge in Queen Charlotte Sound. With a whole day free, I started with a morning kayak across the bay, accompanied by a flotilla of ducks. The lodge runs ecological programmes so my afternoon included a tour of the tuatara rehabilitation centre, the longfin eel sanctuary and the kākāriki breeding aviary.
The underwater observatory was a particular highlight, where resident marine scientist Maia introduced a fascinating cast of sea creatures. From the submarine’s viewing chamber, we marvelled at yellow-eyed mullet, spotties, snapper, crayfish, anemones and a colossal short-tailed ray. Sparkling waters, lush green bush, the views changing subtly with light and tide, I could easily have stayed at Lochmara for a week.
However, there was more adventure to be had. The next day we were deposited at Mistletoe Bay for a 12km walk to Anakiwa. Stopping for lunch at Davies Bay, I was struck by a wave of nostalgia as five years prior I’d slept under a tarp on that same beach while on Outward Bound course. As much as roughing it is character building, I was very grateful to be enjoying a more luxurious experience this time.
Then to Blenhein, to the stunning Hotel d’Urville, in the lovingly restored Art Deco Public Trust building. Our farewell dinner at inhouse restaurant Taika was the perfect place to raise a toast to the team.
Last day blues were inevitable, but smiles were restored when we set off on our final hurrah – The Whale Tail Trail – an ambitious new cycle path that will eventually connect Picton with Kaikōura. Charmed by the Blenheim to Seddon section, we pedalled past vineyards and rural rail lines, the sea on one side, majestic mountain ranges on the other. A train chugged past as we approached Awatere Bridge and we were chuffed when the driver tooted his horn in answer to our waves.
After a hearty lunch in Seddon, the very last leg of the very last day was an optional slog up Molesworth Rd to Taylor’s Dam. Faced with a steep steady climb of several kilometres, the payoff was 10km of exhilarating gravity-fed downhill.
And the verdict? Slow travel is indeed sublime. The only snag: I’ve never known a week to go so fast.
Explore more from AA Directions magazine while you're here:
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