5 Reasons we love Marlborough

The beautiful beaches and inlets of the idyllic Marlborough Sounds make up about one fifth of New Zealand’s total coastline – So there is always a quiet spot to pull up and relax. Whether you love to fish, dive, sail or sunbathe “Marlborough’s playground” has something for everyone.Local companies like Marlborough Tour Company or Wilderness Guides can help arrange your adventure.

Whether you love the downhills and skills areas of the Wither Hills Mountain Bike Park, the gentle terrain of the Queen Charlotte Link Pathway, the multi-day adventure of the Queen Charlotte Track, or the dirt back roads and trails of the Blairich, Black Birch or Molesworth stations, Marlborough is a mountain-biker’s mecca.

Turn the cell phone off and hide out in one of these huts! The perfect place to get away from it all, Marlborough’s camping and “tramping” is second to none, with the Richmond Ranges offering rugged and remote terrain with majestic peaks and amazing vistas.

At the other extreme from the sheltered Marlborough Sounds, The East Coast of Marlborough is a wild and windy place, home to the Cape Campbell lighthouse (used as the filming location for the movie The Light Between the Oceans) and a biodiversity hotspot. George loves this beautiful landscape and works with the East Coast Protection Agency to support their work to protect the local wildlife through trapping, monitoring and education.

Overlooking our vineyards in the Awatere Valley, sits the majestic Tapaeuenuku or “Mount Tappy” – the tallest mountain in NZ outside the Southern Alps, and usually dusted with a light brushing of snow. It shelters our vines from the harsh southern blasts that come up from the Antarctic, and in winter there is skiing available at local skifield Rainbow.