Us Nelsonian’s are proud of our sunny weather, which places us consistently at the top of the sunshine hours ranking each year. Yes, we enjoy more sunny days than most parts of the country, but liquid sunshine still falls and sustains our rich horticultural industries. Without rain, our vineyards, hops, fruit and forests would not be lush. Fortunately, rain is usually produced in relatively short, but sweet sessions. Unfortunately, Tawhirimatea (god of the weather) produced a month’s rain in a few short days last week and the wider Nelson region was subjected to floods and slips that few people have ever experienced in this region before.
The Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust has worked tirelessly for years to produce and maintain a world class cycling infrastructure in this region. Thanks to great planning and engineering, the Great Taste Trail (GTT) and many other cycleways are very resilient. Assessments of the trails are ongoing, but despite standing water and muddy puddles in places, the vast majority of the GTT is accessible – open to those who take a careful and cautious approach.
The Coppermine Trail is closed however, awaiting further inspection and the opening of reserves around the Nelson region – many of which remain closed at the time of writing.
Whilst patchy rain squalls are to be expected at this time of the year, Spring is literally around the corner. All remedial work will undoubtedly be prompt and to a high standard so we can all continue to enjoy the many wonderful trails this summer season. A huge thank you to Nelson Tasman Civil Defence and all of the emergency & contractor crews who are still assisting people to return to their homes and clearing up the huge volumes of sediments and damaged infrastructure in the region.
Now the recovery job is well underway, Nelson traffic has peaked due to road closures and disruptions. We have suddenly received numerous requests for secondhand bikes from locals wanting to reduce travel times (and costs) to work and back. We refresh our fleet after two seasons and many bikes have had limited use due to Covid disruptions reducing the number of tours last season. Contact us if you’re in the market for a new(ish) set of wheels to get around on; 0800 932 453 or info@gentlecycling.co.nz