Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
A CYCLE ON THE WILD SIDE
Officially opened in 2013, the 120km
West Coast Wilderness Trail
(
www.westcoastwildernesstrail.co.nz
)
is one
of around two dozen new
NZ Cycle Trails
(
www.nzcycletrail.com
). Stretching from Greymouth to Hokitika
(with plans to extend it further south to Ross), the gently graded track follows a mix of gold-rush trails, water
races, logging tramways and historic railway lines, as well as forging new routes cross-country. Along the way it
reveals outstanding landscapes of dense rainforest, glacial rivers, lakes and wetlands, with views all the way from
the snow-capped mountains of the Southern Alps to the wild Tasman Sea.
The full shebang is a good four days of riding but, like many of the new cycle trails, it can easily be sliced up
into sections of various lengths, catering to every ability and area of interest. The leg from Milltown to Kumara is
shaping up as an excellent day ride, taking four to six hours and finishing at the resplendent Theatre Royal Hotel
(
Click here
)
.
Bike hire, transport and advice is available from the major setting-off points. In Hokitika, contact
Wilderness
Trail Shuttle
( 021 263 3299, 03-755 5042;
www.wildernesstrailshuttle.co.nz
)
and in Greymouth try the folks
at
West Coast Rail Trail
(
03-768 6649, 0800 946 543;
www.westcoastrailtrail.com
).
TOP OF CHAPTER
Blackball
Around 25km upriver of Greymouth sits the ramshackle town of Blackball - established
in 1866 to service gold diggers; coal mining kicked in between 1890 and 1964. The Na-
tional Federation of Labour (a trade union) was conceived here, born from influential
strikes in 1908 and 1931. This story is retold in historical displays on the main road.
Alongside you will find the hub of the town,
Formerly the Blackball Hilton
( 03-732 4705,
0800 425 225;
www.blackballhilton.co.nz
;
26 Hart St; s/d with continental breakfast $55/110)
, where you can
collect a copy of the helpful 'Historic Blackball' map. This official Historic Place has
memorabilia galore, hot meals, cold beer, heaps of afternoon sun, and a host of rooms
oozing the charm of yesteryear; it was named so after a certain global hotel chain got
antsy when its name was appropriated.
Competing with the Hilton in the fame stakes is the
Blackball Salami Co
(
www.blackballsalami.co.nz
;
11 Hilton St; 8am-4pm Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm Sat)
, manufacturer of tasty
salami and sausages ranging from chorizo to black pudding.
Blackball's other claim to fame is as the southern end of the
Croesus Track
, a two-day his-
toric goldfields route that clambers over a knob to reach Barrytown. Visit DOC's website
for details.
