Nelson and another bike ride

Fifty years ago a homesick little boy went to boarding school at Nelson College.  It was my choice but the tears did not stop for what seemed like months.  Everything I saw and did reminded me of home and for some reason I wanted to be back in the safe haven of my parents home.  This was despite going having been my choice.

So on Thursday I borrowed my mothers car and took road that I had travelled over all that time ago.  We stopped off Pelorus Bridge where we had a coffee and scone.  Fifty years ago it would have been an ice-cream if my parents could afford it.  Otherwise it was just a toilet stop.  Pelorus Bridge has a one-lane bridge which has been there ever since I can remember.  Apart from the new tearooms it is much as I remembered it.  While having a cup of coffee we struck up a conversation with some South African Australians who were tramping on some rather remote trails.  They had a bit of walk to go to the start of their next venture into the bush.  I had thought of giving them a lift but with their packs and the size of our car it was not practical and we would probably have got to Nelson rather late. 

It was day of visiting various places.  Firstly we went through Nelson to Kaiteriteri as Bev had not been there and it had been a place where as a child I had had the happiest of family holidays, which just happened to coincide with the whitebaiting season.  Unfortunately when we got there the crowds had packed the beach and there was not a park to be had within easy walking distance.  We assumed that the crowds were there as it was such a nice day and there had not been many. 

Lunch beckoned so we backtracked to Neudorf Wines (who produce one of the country’s best chardonnays – all there other wines are pretty classy as well).  We had what was a DIY platter with a glass of wine.  The setting is just lovely and it would have been nice to get there earlier and find a nicer place in the shade to while away an hour or so, although I think we did a bit of that anyway. 

Our next stop was  in Mapua (thanks to Veronica the GPS) on our way to our AirBnB in Nelson.  It is another really lovely spot although much more commercial than the little run down village of nearly two decades ago.

Our AirBnB was in a new build area on the Port Hills of Nelson  at the southern end of the hills with rather lovely views out over the airport toward the West Coast ranges.  Our host was a born and bred Nelsonian who had moved away from Nelson for a number years but had returned to semi-retirement.  We found that we had a connection through a family I had mown lawns for when I was a pupil at Nelson College.  So I caught up on this family that were really lovely. One of the daughters had been a couple of years older than me and when I was at University in Dunedin she had been very nice to me. 

She provided several restaurant recommendations and we ended up going to a place called Harry’s Bar which had recently taken over the space where an original coffee house called Chez Eelco had been.  Eelco a Dutchman had set it up in the late 50s, as there was no coffee bar like he had at home The Netherlands.  It was very successful for over fifty years. 

It was the go to place for the boarders at Nelson College but there were unwritten rules and that was we were not allowed to go there until we were in the fifth form for some reason. There was even a hierarchy of what parts you could go in depending on your seniority.  It was a place you could smoke and no one cared.  Prefects who were discipline monitors kept away from it.  

The meal at the transformed cafe was good; fusion food with the accent on Asia as opposed to New Zealand or French style food.

The next day after a delicious breakfast we packed and went down to the airport from where our bike hire place was operating.  The sun was still out and it was the perfect temperature for cycling. We were a little late and Bev said that the other couple who were taking this trip to Spooner’s Tunnel as well had got there about 45 minutes before us and were waiting impatiently for our arrival.  So it was a very hurried set-up of the bikes (mine was not the best whereas Bev had a nice one) and we were finally on our way in the van to be dropped up at Spooners Tunnel which is about forty or so kilometres from Nelson.  The driver provided a guided tour which would have been great but we could not hear from our seats very well. 

Tunnel exit

The trail

It was a brief ride to the start of the tunnel which is about 1.3 kilometres long.  There were some lights in it and we had lights as well. Despite the two forms of lighting it was quite difficult to see well as it was so dark and we had lights  coming the other way.  Nonetheless we quickly travelled the length of the tunnel to come out into the warmth on the other side.  It was a slight downhill ride.  At the end of the tunnel our driver took our lights and after the obligatory photos we took off.  The cycle trail continued downhill for another kilometre or so before we were on a cycle track that went alongside the road.  We could see where the old railway line had traversed the main road, but the bridge over the road had clearly long gone.  The old track clearly tracked away from the route we following and it was gong to be a little while before we re-joined it.  Apparently we had been told that a part of the trail had not been completed but not having heard that and following the directions on the trail we followed a very nice trail through a pine forest.  There was a bit that was the main road and fortunately the  drivers were very courteous  despite being the height of the holiday season.

The newly opened part of the trail

On the way to the tunnel a café had been pointed out to us that was reputed to have really nice pies.  As it was close to midday when we got there we thought it was a good place to stop and try one.  The other couple who were in the van with us had arrived before us and were eating a pie and said they were good.  Being the friendly souls that we are we sat and talked with them.  They had not done the part of the ride we did because they had listened to the driver who had said that section was not complete.  They came from Tauranga but had been brought up in the Nelson area and were visiting family.  It was nice to speak with them as they were nice people and the woman by that time  obviously gotten over her irritation. 

A long abandoned 19th century homestead

The next part of the ride was very flat.  In Brightwater we encountered the Lord Rutherford memorial (Brightwater was his birthplace).  It was very interesting and  gave a brief chronicle of his life and works.   Eventually we joined a trail by the Waimea River.  We were followed the left bank for a couple of kilometres then crossed over on a swing bridge to right bank.  We then followed a rough potholed gravelled  road for about six kilometres.  As we proceeded along it we became a bit worried we were not on the right path.  Especially so when we encountered a

The cycle bridge over the Waimea River without the sign

quarry with warnings and when we got to the second quarry we were convinced we were not on the cyclepath.  So we turned around and bounced and juddered our way back to the bridge where we found the cycle path.  It had clearly been set up for people going south  rather than north as cycle path  was hidden from view after exiting the bridge.  It would have been helpful for there to be a sign for turning right as one descended from the bridge. 

The proper cycle path was a relief – no bouncing and juddering!  Along the way we came across some fruit for sale on the side road.  Apricots and nectarines!  I was delighted as there is nothing like orchard fresh fruit, all it meant was a kilogramme more on my back.

A beer at The Honest Lawyer

The ride to the airport from that point returned to following the old railway line which was straight until it came to the coast where the trail departed the old line and followed the coast to the airport.  Just prior to the airport was a pub called the The Honest Lawyer.  We stopped for a beer and again encountered the people who had done the trip with us.  They too had missed the turnoff at the bridge but had only got to the first quarry. 

After dropping off the bikes we went to Greenhough Winery.  I had read about their wines but had not seen too many of them around so it was wonderful to be able to try the range.  The winery is small but it is nice because you  get to meet one of the owners.  We were arrived at the end of the day just as they were closing.    Mrs Greenhough was slightly standoffish but the quality of the wines compensated for that.  I had only intended to get one bottle of Pinot Noir but ended up getting half a dozen, as they were so good.  They were well priced as well.

We arrived back in Picton in time to cook a quick meal for my mother. 

It felt like we had packed in a lot during the two days we were in Nelson.  I came back thinking it was one place I think I could retire to.  It is a big enough community to have some culture – there are all the facilities that a big city has (except no international airport) and a very nice climate.  All the elements for a good place to live.