Recommended South Island back roads?

[JATZ]

If your still in Nelson head over the Takaka hill, out towards farewell spit and go down to the Anatori river, if you keen cross the river and head down to Turamawiwi, if you real keen get onto the beach and head down to Kahurangi lighthouse, dont try it alone and be prepared for a long walk home as the rivers have claimed a few bikes and 4wd's.they' re deeper than they look
The road out to Totaranui's a nice ride, well sign posted from Takaka, or into the Cobb dam, turn of at upper Takaka, just at the bottom of the hill

[homer]

Go between geraldine and fairley
thats good road
oh and to tekapo and twizel

[limbimtimwim]

Good thread.. Keep 'em coming Southern types, I'm doing the same in February.

[Somejuan]

Amberley to Hawarden.. would that be the Pyrimad Valley?

Yip yip that's the one

[Quasievil]

Hi yall
Just a quick update for those interested.

I arrived in Picton quite late after missing my first ferry (knob moment) then stayed there, next morning I headed Sedon way and did the moleworth station road, and loved it, no mishaps a good blast right through, stayed in Hamner springs and the next day did the rainbow, it was pissing down the whole way and windy as fuck but that added to the adventure of it, some of the fords where quite full and had a bit of fun getting through some of them, I could have taken the bridge route but thats not why you own a adventure bike eh!!
stopped that night in Franz Joseph, so had a long haul. about 11 hours all up.
Today a nice ride to Queenstown, it started out raining and finished up hot as hell. so now feet up in the YHA and maybe find a watering hole somewhere soon.

tomorrow of to MIlford for a night then will start finding my way back up the country through twizal and alexander (where ever they are)

Cheers all

bigger report when I return (with pics)

Quasi

[cooneyr]

........ some of the fords where quite full and had a bit of fun getting through some of them, I could have taken the bridge route but thats not why you own a adventure bike eh!.....

Dont mean to nit pick but for future reference any fords on the Hanmer side of Island Saddle should be stayed out of. There is Dydimo in the Clarence (the big river the ford streams feed into) and no Dydimo in the rivers on the other side of Island Saddle. Should use the bridge even through it is boring or thoroughly clean your bike when at the Hanmer side of Island Saddle.

Cheers R

[Transalper]

I noticed the notices about Didymo were few and far between, only one I really saw was closer to the homestead where we paid, or was it at the Rainbow boundry, (think it said to clean ya stuff) didn't see any warnings at the fords to stay out earlier.
Reckon they need to advertise before you get wet... or did I just miss the signage because I went straight to the bridges after being told again the day before entering the area?

[warewolf]

You might remember at one of the gates I opened on the Molesworth, there was a white 4wd. The bloke I was talking with was a DOC ranger giving me the spiel on didymo. I told him we knew to bypass the fords south of Island Saddle, he didn't want to tell me anything else then, so we chatted about our ride.

[cooneyr]

I noticed the notices about Didymo were few and far between, only one I really saw was closer to the homestead where we paid, or was it at the Rainbow boundry, (think it said to clean ya stuff) didn't see any warnings at the fords to stay out earlier.
Reckon they need to advertise before you get wet... or did I just miss the signage because I went straight to the bridges after being told again the day before entering the area?

No signage. Noticed that on the 29th and though it was rather slack. There really needs to be something that warns of Dydimo.

You might remember at one of the gates I opened on the Molesworth, there was a white 4wd. The bloke I was talking with was a DOC ranger giving me the spiel on didymo. I told him we knew to bypass the fords south of Island Saddle, he didn't want to tell me anything else then, so we chatted about our ride.

Wondered what he was talking to you about. I was ripping along that straight a little over the 50kph limit and though he might have been having words about it.

Cheers R

[warewolf]

No signage. Noticed that on the 29th and though it was rather slack. There really needs to be something that warns of Dydimo.

Yes, I thought they'd have something more apparent.

Wondered what he was talking to you about. I was ripping along that straight a little over the 50kph limit and though he might have been having words about it.

Nup. Very amiable chap, was really enthused about our little ride.