Staff Walking & Hiking Suggestions
Our staff all enjoy exploring this lovely region themselves, so there are some of their reports on local tracks.
Bridal Veil Walk
| Track Grade | Walking Track |
| Walking Time | 1½ Hour Return |
| Features | Mountain Beech, interpretation panels, Bridal Veil Falls, viewing lookouts down the valley. |
| Location | Turn onto Punchbowl road just north of the Chalet Restaurant. This short road ends in a carpark. A signpost here points the way. |
| Decsription | A pleasant forest walk with mossy banks and chuckling creeks. After the first footbridge over the Bealey River, the track goes left through Mountain Beech forest. There is a view back to the village from a lookout, 15 minutes from the start of the track. Most of the track gradient is gentle, with a short steep section descending to cross Bridal Veil creek about half way along. Return the same way or via the road, to make a round trip. |
Devil's Punchbowl Waterfall
| Track Grade | Walking Track |
| Walking Time | 1 Hour Return |
| Features | Beech Forest, Waterfall |
| Location | Turn onto Punchbowl Road, just North of the Chalet Restaurant. At the end of this short road is a carpark, and a signpost here points the way. |
| Decsription | T his spectacular waterfall (131m) can be seen from the main road but a walk to the base of the waterfall is well worth doing in any weather.The track crosses the Bealey River and Punchbowl creek with the aid of two footbridges before zigzagging up steps through mountain beech forest to a viewing area just below the falls. Return the same way. |
Old Coach Road
| Track Grade | Path |
| Walking Time | 30 minutes return |
| Features | Wheelchair access, blind trail, historical route of Cobb and Co Coach. |
| Location | Starts at Greyneys shelter, 6km South of Arthur's Pass Village. |
| Decsription | This pleasant forest walk is suitable but challenging for young children and people using wheelchairs. It follows a gently graded section of the century-old coach road and leads back to the shelter on a more recent track. You can still see sections of old rockwalling along one part of the track. At the Northern end of the track is a rope handrail. You can use if for guidance, so shut your eyes, and use your other senses as you move through the forest. |
State Highway 73 · Cass · Canterbury · Private Bag 55009 · Christchurch · New Zealand
Telephone +64 3 318 8407 · Fax +64 3 318 8263 · E-Mail Retreat@Grasmere.co.nz
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