Three weeks in New Zealand - 4/12 - 5/4/2024

Day 14-Driving through Marlborough wine region- 4/24/2024

Today we are driving from Motueka to Cloudy bay winery located in the Marlborough wine region. 

Driving from Motueka to Cloudy to Cloudy Bay Winery via the former State Highway 61 (now Motueka Valley Highway) and then connecting through SH 6 into the heart of Marlborough takes about 3 hours.

From the Motueka Valley Highway we can see the Tasman bay surrounded by tall mountains.

We are now on State Highway 6, a major New Zealand Highway.  The highway is the longest single highway in the country and most of its length is a two single lane.  This portion of SH 6 runs close to the water and it is really scenic.

Driving along SH 6 beside Waimea Inlet in the Nelson region offers a scenic and varied experience.

Waimea Inlet is a vast, shallow estuary, the largest enclosed estuary in the South Island.

A river flowing into the Waimea Inlet.  People stop by this area for bird watching, or cycling.

As you drive along State Highway 6 near Nelson Haven, the scenery becomes especially striking. On one side, you have the expansive tidal flats of Nelson Haven, and on the other, the landscape rises sharply into forest-covered hills dotted with houses perched on the slopes.

These hills are part of the Grampians and surrounding ranges, which frame the city of Nelson. The homes scattered across them often have panoramic views of Tasman Bay, Nelson city, and the inlet below. Their placement on the hillsides gives a layered, almost terraced appearance, especially when seen from the road with houses nestled among native trees and gardens.

We are now in Rai Valley, a peaceful, rural area nestled between forested hills in the Marlborough region. Along State Highway 6, Rai Valley is a small farming community that serves as a scenic stop between Nelson and Havelock.

The valley is surrounded by rolling green hills, often covered in pastures, pine forests, and native bush.

We are now passing by Havelock (gateway to the Marlborough Sounds). The scenery is beautiful with forested sections and glimpses rivers and mountains.

Here you can see that Fall is setting in with the change of color in the leaves.

A farm in Havelock.

Along State Highway 6 near the Pelorus River, the row of tall trees you’re seeing is a striking and memorable feature of this scenic route. These trees are likely European poplars or redwoods, planted decades ago to line parts of the highway and shelter farmland from wind and erosion.

As you drive past Kaituna on State Highway 6, we are entering the heart of the Marlborough wine region, and it's no surprise we are seeing vast vineyards stretching across the landscape.

Rows and rows of vineyards along the way.

We are now on the Wairau River Bridge

As we were driving over the Wairau River Bridge, we are spanning one of the most important rivers in the Marlborough region.  The Wairau River is wide and filled with gravel bars, clear water, and we could see the bottom of the river as I assume that it filled up when the rain comes.

Driving over the bridge.

More vineyards in Rapaura

We are passing through Rapaura is a small vineyard community just northwest of Blenheim in the Marlborough region, nestled in the fertile Wairau Valley.

Rapaura is a rural locality and home to high-quality viticulture land, ideal for grape-growing

Passing through the town...

We are now pulling in the street leading to Cloudy bay, a world famous Winery.

NEXT... Lunch at Cloudy bay Winery