Cycling Tour South Island.

New Zealand Graphic, 25 December 1899, Page 5

Cycling Tour South Island.

►CjrMeeißrCTjtJ TSB ™ *”'BB ' I ' S 3 cyclist who wishes to see the »;t[S I M South Island generally lands at jF® I ml Picton, from Wellington. If »;£ct I M pressed for time, some take Xlcg B ffl steamer to Christchurch, and ride -HKiJn Sill to Dunedin, and on to InvercarBill. But by selecting this route, ♦ F as many do, he misses some of the grandest scenery to be found in the colony. It will take but a few day s longer to Christchurch, via Nelson, Reefton, and Greymouth. By so doing he will have an opSyS’ 3 * portunity of viewing the far-famed 1 Pelorus River. Rai Valley, Buller River, and no less remarkable Otira Gorge. The ride to Renwicktown is not remarkable, except for the rich, well-farmed country through which one passes; but

soon after leaving the latter place the Wairau River is crossed. This is a typical New Zealand river, shallow, sparkling, innocent looking, almost insignificant in comparison with the broad bed of boulders over which it gently babbles in time of drought. But he who has seen the Wairau in flood, yellow and swollen, roaring and rushing after heavy rain, or when the snows on the mountains at its source have melted rapidly, has seen a different stream, and one which he will find it difficult to recognise in its peaceful, placid moments. Soon after crossing the Wairau. the Kaituna Valley is entered, where much hard work has reclaimed from the fonest the rich, low lying lands now converted for the most part into thriving farms. In a few hours, riding on a good road. Havelock is reached. There is another way of reaching Havelock, which is very pleasant, and that is via the Grove. The road is very good for the first five miles, but on passing near Cullensville it gets rather vague, skirting the side of the water till it comes on to a good road winding round the side of a hill. The views of the Pelorus Sound, and of Havelock in the distance, and various mountains seen on the way, is, perhaps, preferable to riding via Blenheim. The road from Picton to the Grove, when finished, will give the tourist and cyclist as fine a trip as it is possible to find. The little township of Havelock is prettily situated at the head of the Pelorus Sound, ami was called into existence by a vast saw-milling industry, which is rapidly denuding the valley of its fine timber trees. The seat of this industry has been shifted, however, to a point higher up the Pelorus, and schooners take from 60.000 to 70.000 feet of timber direct to Lyttelton and elsewhere.