The Rainbow Valley is one of New Zealands most remote regions but still well acessable with touring bikes. A rough gravel road leads through this wast area of two stations alongside the Wairau and the Clearance river. On the 110km you might meet few other bikers, motorbikers or 4DW adventureres. Otherwise you meet cattel surprised to see humans. Who comes here is looking for nature, wast barren lanscape, a lot of sky, wind and space, space to breath and to be. Here nature is still giving the tact. One cannot just jump out of it to have a coffee or to go to a supermarket. But there is sone « infrastructure » : the road itself as mentioned before with bridges over the main river, 3 huts and two areas for camping with a toilet each. And you find plenty of water in the rivers and streams.
A bit more than 6 years ago, on our last day of our former stay in New Zealand we had found the south end of this valley north of Hanmer Springs and since we knew, that we want to come back here one day. No wonder we were excited, when we now reached St Arnaud at the northen end of the valley. As it had waited already that long, we were not going to rush now through fog and rain, but we waited. Some other cycling travelers with the same intention arrived. That way the time passed quickly while exchanging experiances, cooking and eating. As the weather seem faivorable we started and we were rewarded with freedom that for a short time seemd to be forever.
We were captured by the beauty of the barren, proud landscape. The river is free to find his way and to swell happily after heavy rain. The fords through several sidestreams made sure our feet got wet, but it was no problem to pass them.
It was wonderful to observ the play of light of the evening sun and the night sky. And the quietness besides the sound of the wind and the water…. The weather allowed us to take our time. We did a short distance on the second day and spent the rest of it on lake Tennyson. The lake is spread in the high wide valley but on the same time comfortably guarded by calm mountains. In such a lake there must be loads of happy fish we thought and went off with our fishing rods. Well, the trouts are clever and knew exactly how to keep their freedom.
The two camp evenings in the Rainbow we could spend once with 5 once with 2 of the other cyclists. Thank you fr your great company and the wonderful coffee!
Like surfing on a tailwind we were carried to the southern end oft he valley and out to Hanmer Springs, where civilisation had us again.
A short notice for other cyclists about the St. James cycle trail : it is an advanced mountainbike trail, Grade 4, NOT suitable for Touring bikes with luggage ! Full of enthusiasm our fellow cyclists had headed off onfor two days onto the trail and they would NOT do it again.