← Christchurch Marathon·1 night

Hanmer Springs: Hot Pools in the Autumn Hills

A small alpine village built around thermal pools, with forest walks under larches and oaks at their brightest in April.

Duration1 night
TransitAbout 1 hour 45 minutes by car north of Christchurch, or daily shuttle
DepartsChristchurch

After the Christchurch Marathon: Hanmer Springs

The Route: Christchurch → Waipara → Hanmer Springs → Christchurch Airport Logistics: Hire car or shuttle, about 1 hour 45 minutes north on State Highways 1 and 7. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night

Christchurch ──(approx. 1 hr, SH1)──> Waipara ──(approx. 45 mins, SH7)──> Hanmer Springs
                                                                               │
          Christchurch Airport (CHC) ◄──(approx. 1 hr 40 mins by car)───────────┘

The Christchurch Marathon finishes in North Hagley Park in mid-April. An hour and three quarters to the north, in a basin ringed by mountains, Hanmer Springs has been treating aching bodies with hot water since the 1880s. A night here is the most direct recovery plan the South Island offers.

April in Hanmer Springs is peak autumn. The village is surrounded by forest planted in the early 20th century with exotic trees, and by mid-April the larches, oaks, poplars and maples turn gold and red against the dark pines and the mountains. It is the busiest time of year outside summer, so book the room early. Mornings are frosty and days clear and crisp.

Drive north from Christchurch on State Highway 1 to Waipara, in the North Canterbury wine country, then inland on State Highway 7 and the turn-off to Hanmer. Allow about an hour and three quarters. Shuttle buses run from Christchurch daily.

Night One: Hanmer Springs

The springs were found by European settlers in 1859, and the government opened a spa here in 1883. The Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa, in the centre of the village, has a series of outdoor pools of different temperatures, some sulphurous rock pools and some freshwater, with private pools and spa treatments. The water is the recovery session. Spend an hour moving between the warm pools, then another. Check prices and book private pools in advance at weekends.

The Heritage Forest Walk, starting near the village centre, follows level paths through the old plantations, among the tallest exotic trees in the area, and in April the path is covered in leaves. It is gentle and short; take it slowly. Conical Hill, the peak above the village, has a zigzag track to a lookout that climbs steadily for about 20 minutes. Two days after a marathon, save it for the morning of departure or skip it.

Where to stay: Heritage Hanmer Springs, a restored 1930s hotel set in gardens a short walk from the pools, is the grand option. Motels along Amuri Avenue, the main street, are cheaper and closer to the pools.

Where to eat: Cafés and restaurants line the few streets around the pools, from pizza to local lamb. Book dinner on autumn weekends, when the village fills.

Getting to Christchurch Airport

Christchurch Airport (CHC) is about 1 hour 40 minutes from Hanmer Springs by car, south via Waipara and the northern motorway, without crossing the city centre. Shuttles to Christchurch also run daily; check whether they stop at the airport.