|
mt richmond
Visit sunny Nelson and you will be at the
gateway to walking country with easy access to the Abel Tasman
and Queen Charlotte walkways, and Nelson Lakes tramping tracks.
But what about Mt Richmond? This is a gem of a park, with myriad
tracks, superb huts and diverse landscapes. It’s on
Nelson’s back doorstep, still waiting to be discovered by
visitors.
Mt Richmond Forest Park stretches 100 km along the rugged
backbone of the Mt Richmond Range from St Arnaud all the way to
the coast. It forms the backdrop to Nelson city and dominates the
skyline from Blenheim and the Wairau Valley. Over 80% of the vast
area is covered in dense forest with manuka, kanuka, bracken and
gorse common around the margins of the park. The high peaks like
Mt Richmond (1,700 metres) and the ‘Alpine Route’
further south have small alpine grasslands.
Geological interest in the park is high as the main South Island
alpine fault runs along the southern boundary. This is the
largest active fault line in New Zealand and extends down to
South Westland. The Red Hills and Dun Mountain have high levels
of magnesium and iron, which gives them a distinctive rust
colour. Over millions of years they have been moved 600 km north
from the identical rocks in the Red Hills of South Westland.
Easy access roads and 250 km of cut and marked tracks linking 30
huts, make this an ideal tramper’s park. The bush includes
all 5 species of beech in New Zealand as well as the common
podocarps; rimu, totara, matai, miro and kahikatea. Uncommon
birds present are blue duck, yellow-crowned parakeet, kaka and
kiwis. The park provides ample opportunities for bushwalking,
tramping, fishing, hunting, climbing, rock hounding, horse
riding, trail biking, mountain biking as well as studying botany
and wildlife.
The easiest tramps are in the Pelorus and Goulter valleys. The
Wakamarina Track is an easy weekend trip, staying at Devil’s
Creek Hut and crossing from the Wairau Valley over to Havelock.
The Mt Richmond summit is a popular climb, as is Mt Patriarch.
Discover this beautiful park for yourself - it’s too good to
bypass.
|
