Winter Escape Your next alpine adventure

Words: Adrienne Matthews

Those living in Marlborough don’t need to travel far to experience the picturesque alpine playgrounds of St Arnaud and Hanmer Springs and there is no better time for a break than the winter months with all the fun, adventure and relaxation opportunities both offer.

St Arnaud is the gateway to the Nelson Lakes recreational area with its vast opportunities for walking, fishing, skiing, canyoning, mountain biking or simply enjoying some the fresh mountain air beside the highly photogenic Lake Rotoiti.

The Nelson Lakes National Park covers five thousand hectares of largely Beech forest where rigorous pest control programmes have reduced predators considerably and brought back an abundance of birdsong along the many walking tracks.

Hanmer Springs boasts over five-thousand-hectares of nature reserve that make up Hanmer Heritage Forest with its mix of native and exotic plant species and over seventy kilometres of walking, biking and horse-riding tracks to suit people of any fitness level.

Both areas are home to excellent ski fields. The Rainbow Ski Area above Lake Rotoiti, has been the favourite community ski field to thousands of families from the Top of the South throughout generations and offers facilities for everyone from beginners to experienced skiers and snowboarders while Hanmer Springs has both the Hanmer Springs and Mount Lyford Ski Areas at its doorstep.

Both places are likened to alpine villages in Europe with their many facilities including a range of accommodation types, extensive opportunities for outdoor adventuring and luxurious spa treatments.

In addition, Hanmer Springs is famous for its hot springs with twenty-two pools to allow complete relaxation and fun for children as well as adults. There is plenty of time to visit one or both of these very special destinations this winter, whether for a romantic getaway, a fun holiday with family, friends or even to restore and revitalise the soul and body while alone.