Driving to Grasmere
On leaving the Lodge at Paratiho Farms turn left at the front gate. Follow this road passing St. James church on your right through to Ngatimoti. Turn left into the Motueka Valley highway, going south on District Route 61.
Follow this road through Tapawera onto Kohatu Junction where you join State Highway 6. Turn right following signs for Murchison/West Coast. From here you’ll travel over the Hope Saddle, through Murchison and down the Buller Gorge.
You have three options, depending on how much you want to see along the way.
The fastest way is to turn left at Inangahua Junction onto SH 69 to Reefton and then right onto SH7, which will take you through to Greymouth.
If you want something a little more scenic (or just different) and have a little more time up your sleeve, carry on through Inangahua down the Buller Gorge.
Here again you can turn left to go down the coast past Punakaiki and the Pancake Rocks to Greymouth.
Alternatively, take the turnoff for Westport but follow the signs for Carter’s Beach and Cape Foulwind instead of gong into Westport proper. You're actually heading for Tauranga Bay, where there's a seal colony and a good cafe (The Bay House) for lunch. From there, take the short cut back to SH6 near Addisons, south of Westport.
Do take time to stop at Punakaiki to walk around the Pancake Rocks, and there are a couple of little cafes and a good craft shop here too.
At Greymouth you may like to stop at the Jade Boulder Gallery to see the work of one of the country's best greenstone artists. Sometimes the Left Bank Gallery further on Mawhera Quay has some good exhibitions by local artists too.
Go through Greymouth on SH6 to Kumara Junction, where you'll turn left onto SH73, and Grasmere Lodge is about 120 km further on, 30 km past Arthur's Pass village. It’s well-signposted, and on the right.
It's a full day drive from Nelson, so just make the most of it and see what's on the way.
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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