Westland Wilderness Trail
In the midst of the West Coast of the Southern Alps, along the Great Alpine Fault, lie a series of tracks carved by pioneering gold rush miners. These traverse dense rainforest, glacial rivers and streams, lakes and extensive wetland, from snow capped mountains to wild coastal ocean. Today these old tracks, together with extensive water races, logging tramways and later short length railway lines, form the Westland Wilderness Trail.
Westland has one highway running its coastal length, State Highway 6. The Lonely Planet voted it ‘One of the Top 10 Drives in the World’ in 2007. The Westland Wilderness Trail traverses the same landscape, but mostly off-road. It’s an even better experience!
The 4 day cycle adventure starts at Greymouth, the major commercial centre on the West Coast. You’ll pass through Hokitika which along with Greymouth provides a full range of accommodation, services and adventure tours. The historic villages of Kumara, Milltown, Kaniere, Ruatapu and Ross provide opportunities to meet the locals on a personal level with a good range of existing accommodation at the end of each day.
Over 100km of the Westland Wilderness Trail is off-road on a grade 1 gravel trail, with an ambient 2-3 degree gradient and only a couple of short hundred metre sections where you may prefer to walk.
Further information is available from council@westlanddc.govt.nz
Location http://www.wildfoods.co.nz/index.cfm/1,549,0,0,html
Copyright © Westland District Council 2012