Fairhaven is well located for cyclists doing the southern half of the West Coast Wilderness trail and visiting the Hokitika Gorge, but don’t overlook the cycling opportunities afforded by the network of sealed and gravel roads in this highly scenic area.
We did a great ride, looping around the mound-shaped glacial formation ringed by Lake Arthur Rd, then hooking around the Doughboy, pedalling as far as we could until a swift flowing stream cut the road in two and forced us to ride back the way we came. We then continued on to the Hokitika gorge before returning to Fairhaven via MacArthur Rd with the Camelback looming up alongside. All through this ride it was interesting to remember that this rich alluvial plain had been the site of some infamous events back in 1941 (described here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/stanley-grahams-murderous-rampage-haunts-west-coast-75-years-later/).