The Wairau Valley is a great place to combine 4Wheeling with other activities as Richard Soult of 4x4Explorer.co.nz has discovered.

Having sold up in Auckland and being on an extended South Island adventure, we had the time and decided to explore the Wairau Valley. Being with my partner, Andrea, it has been important to mix Overlanding with other activities and the Wairau Valley is an excellent place to spend a few days.

I had been there a few times before and had logged a couple of routes that I was keen to drive again.

We decided to base ourselves at Mill Flat, an immaculately maintained DOC campsite accessed off the North Bank Road, about half an hour west of Renwick. The Wairau Valley is a popular route from Blenheim to Saint Arnaud, but North Bank Road, being a dead end, is somewhat less travelled.

I was surprised at the amount of investment that had been made in this area since my previous visit. More and more vineyards have been planted along with impressive irrigation infrastructure.

Mill Flat is an amazing campsite next to a small river with great swimming, short walks, glowworms, a waterfall and a swing bridge. A small stream crossing means that the campsite is best accessed by 4x4, which keeps the hoards away.

One of the best things about Overlanding is the people that you meet and this occasion was no exception. Camped with us were two families from Christchurch with very different vehicles and set ups. One family had a new Discovery and a conventional tent, while the others had a G4 Land Rover with camp trailer and two roof tents!

I must admit to having a bit of Land Rover envy seeing the G4. The owner was quite happy when I told him that the 4x4Explorer logo and orange drawers were in homage to the G4 Challenge Tangiers orange!

Having driven around the North Island and having company at the campsite, Andrea was more than happy to spend an afternoon by the river whilst I went exploring.

Having spent 18 years living in France, I have crossed the French/Italian Alps and the Pyrenees many times and love the long distance mountain views that you can only get from altitude. I remembered a route towards the western end of the valley that I had driven a few years previously and recalled the feeling of altitude and the sensational views.

Several kilometers west of the campsite the road becomes gravel and a short time afterwards a turning takes you up through forestry as you climb above the valley.

Initially the route takes you through forest and you get quick glimpses of the valley below as you climb higher. Watching the altimeter, I was quite quickly at 1000 metres with views opening up of the Richmond Range and back down the Wairau Valley towards Blenheim.

As the route climbs higher, the vegetation thins and the drop offs become much steeper. Lake Chalice, surrounded by bush-clad mountains and deep in the valley below, is reached after about 15 kilometres. The topo shows a hut next to the lake, but the track down looked steep and unforgiving.

Whilst this track is not technically difficult, it’s not for the faint hearted, constant attention is required and I was glad that Andrea had opted to stay at the campsite.

The track ends within 200 vertical meters of the summit of Mount Patriarch, which at 1656 metres, is one of the highest in the Richmond Range.

The following day we went into Blenheim to refill the fridge and decided to visit the Aviation Heritage centre. I must admit to having an interest in aviation, but even if you don’t, this is well worth a visit. Half of the exhibition hall has been done by Sir Peter Jackson and will not disappoint.

So, if you have time, the Wairau Valley is definitely worth a visit. The climate is one of the best in New Zealand, there are great vineyards to visit, Mill Flat is awesome and so is this route.

For detailed information on this route and nearly 800 others, subscribe to https://www.4x4explorer.co.nz/?aff=2818

Each track has high quality photos, downloadable GPX files, full track description and details of campsites and fuel stations.

To read the full story in the March 2019 issue of NZ4WD go to Zinio.com (February 18) or purchase your own hard copy at the Adrenalin store