Ed Blank's Adventures Main Page

Non Fishing Activities

As difficult to believe as it may be, some people want to do things other than fishing!
The Nelson region of the South Island has some fantastic non fishing activities, we would be pleased to recommend / arrange a suitable itinerary for you.

* Jazz Festival, Wild Food Festival
* Hooked on Seafood
* Nelson Summer Festival
* Nelson Arts Festival
* Wearable Art Museum
* Craft and Art trails
* Wine Tasting
* Horse Riding
* Golf
* Tennis/Squash
* Rafting/Canoeing
* Tramping / Hiking
* Cycling / Mountain Biking
* Hot air ballooning, skydiving, and gliding
* Caving

Art & Culture
New Zealand's unique blend of Maori and Pakeha culture has given rise to a fresh Pacific identity that breathes vibrancy.
From world-class opera singers such as Dame Kiri Te Kanawa to the talent of the theatrical spectacle that is the World of Wearable Arts (the museum is located in Nelson), New Zealanders are exploring their artistic nature. The relative youth and isolation of the nation in world terms has led to artists developing a Pacific style seen nowhere else in the world. What is Kiwi culture? It's about being innovative, independent and celebrating diversity.

New Zealand Art
As such, while there's no denying that rugby - and sport in general - are an intrinsic part of New Zealand culture, the rising number of high quality art and culture-based events show the nation maturing and being recognized for its strength in the arts. There are more than 300 full-time artists and craftspeople active throughout the Nelson region. They include ceramic artists, sculptors, glassblowers, painters, designers, woodworkers, jewelers and textile artists.

New Zealand Bushland

Walking / Hiking
New Zealand's 'Great Walks' are world-renowned. These are the Milford Track in Fiordland, the Routeburn Track, the Kepler, Stewart Island's Rakiura Track, the Heaphy Track, Abel Tasman Coastal Track, the Tongariro National Park and Lake Waikaremoana. But there is more to walking or hiking in New Zealand than these. There are more than 150 walkways around the country, including heritage trails, with walks of up to a day's duration to be found even in urban areas. All New Zealand cities have great native bush walks nearby, meaning you're never far from peace and relaxation. Whatever a person's fitness level, there's a suitable walk on offer in a country of people that relishes the opportunity to get outdoors.

Adventure/ Adrenalin Junkies
New Zealand's landscape and temperate climate lends itself to outdoor activity. The country is renowned for its range of adventure pastimes - the best known being bungy jumping, jet-boat riding, rafting and skiing. But adventure means different things to different people and the best aspect of the New Zealand adventure scene is that it provides activities rated from 'soft' to 'extreme' - from hiking and water skiing to mountain climbing and caving. The adventure tourism industry makes the most of having a country surrounded by sea, crisscrossed by rivers and lakes, covered in native bush and with a central spine of spectacular snow-capped mountains. There's something for everyone who enjoys the outdoor lifestyle and the special sense of freedom the relatively sparsely populated land provides.

Cycling / Mountain Biking
The South Island is one of the best road cycling locations in the world, providing a good mix of people where you need them, then long peaceful stretches of sheep-dotted countryside and spectacular scenery. While road cycling is popular, mountain biking is one of the fastest growing pastimes - largely due to the number of native bush and coastal trails developed to take advantage of New Zealand's terrain. Cycling is a great way to explore parts of the country you wouldn't necessarily see, and excellent for meeting people along the way.
Right outside the lodge, there's a wonderful country lane that meanders along the Owen River almost all the way to Mount Owen - this road is very quiet (no through traffic), so its a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon - the lodge has several modern mountain bikes (21 speed) for guests to use free of charge.

Lord of the Rings – Location Touring
The wild and beautiful mountains of the Nelson Region's huge Kahurangi National Park provided some memorable locations for The Lord of the Rings. Within the park's 452,000 bush-clad hectares, the film's location team found Dimrill Dale hillside (Mount Owen), Eregion Hills (Mount Olympus) and the rough country south of Rivendell. Closer to Nelson city, Takaka Hill was used for scenes in Chetwood Forest.

Caving
The longest cave in New Zealand is the Bulmer Cavern in Mount Owen. There are several alpine caves in the Nelson Lakes area, at Mount Owen, Mount Arthur, and Takaka Hill. These three mountains contain New Zealand's deepest, as well as the longest caves.

Massage
After a long day on the river, there is nothing better than a relaxing massage either in the privacy of your own room or our dedicated massage room.

 
Ed Blank's Adventures Main Page

PO BOX 180446  BOSTON  MA 02118
Phone: 888-857-6700  
Fax: 617-427-7890
ed@flyfishingheaven.com