Westland Wilderness Trail
New Zealand Cycle Trail
West Coast, South Island
The four day Westland Wilderness Trail runs down the west-coast of the South Island from Greymouth to Ross, through Kumara, Milltown, Lake Kaniere, and Mahinapua. The landscape is a major feature as the trail follows wild beaches, bush tracks through dense rainforest, glacial rivers and lakes, through wetlands, along logging tramways, back-country roads and disused railway lines. To the east the snow capped Southern Alps rises sharply while to the east the rugged Southern Ocean consumes the coast.
Once developed the Westland Wilderness Trail will start at Blaketown in Greymouth and heads south down the West Coast to Paroa some 12 kilometers away. From here the trail heads inland to Kumara along a historic tramway.
The trail continues through Dillmanstown and Goldsborough as riders head through dense rainforest to Milltown in the Arahura Valley, to where you make your way back toward the coast following the Arahura River to Lake Kaniere and along old water races and farmland to Hokitika. The Westland Wilderness Trail has a rich history with much of trail route running along original tracks laid by Maori greenstone gatherers and New Zealand gold miners.
Heading south from Hokitika the last 40km of the Westland Wilderness trail heads to the small country town of Ross. The trail is initially beside the ocean and a wetland reserve before using a disused railway line complete with several impressive wooden bridges from Ruatapu to Ross.
The ride will take between three and four days and is grade one, easy, catering for all levels of riding including families.
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This is a planned trail. Much of it has yet to be constructed (October 2011). Parts can be ridden, and roads used to link parts, but most is NOT yet grade 1.
Posted by Kevin, 14/10/2011 9:53am (4 months ago)
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