CHRISTCHURCH, June 10 — Fantasy and real life don’t have to be worlds apart. Sometimes we can find both sharing the same space. Such is the case with New Zealand, which doubled for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth during the filming of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
My favourite of the six films Peter Jackson directed in this realm of men, elves and dwarves has to be The Two Towers. This is in large part thanks to the gallant yet fierce Rohirrim, Horse Lords of Rohan. The grasslands of Canterbury in New Zealand’s South Island, with its flat rivers and dramatic Southern Alps in the distance, provided the backdrop for Edoras, home of these horse-riders.
So count us beyond excited to embark our own little journey, heading out from the city of Christchurch towards the solitude of Arthur’s Pass. Here’s our chance to discover for ourselves what the Rohirrim (and a Ranger of the North, an Elf from Mirkwood, a warrior Dwarf and two tiny hobbits) experienced crossing this sea of grass and stone.
A rocky climb for hiking enthusiasts (left). Explore the natural beauty of the countryside (right)
Wide riverbeds blanketed with shingle
Before starting our road trip, it’s time to fuel up. There’s no better place for a spot of breakfast or brunch in Christchurch than Black Betty if you were to ask a local, so that’s where we go. There’s a bit of a pirate theme going on; the Jolly Roger flying near the entrance of the café certainly gets us hooked, if you’d pardon the pun.
Inside the place is bustling: always a good sign. Hard to believe that when Black Betty was first opened by veteran barista Hamish Evans, it had to shut down three weeks later. That was when the 2011 earthquake struck. Kiwis aren’t easily deterred and Evans reopened Black Betty as a pop-up when most other businesses were still closed.
The new Black Betty is converted from a café bookshop and so attracts a young student crowd. Evans also owns Switch Espresso, a coffee roaster business so besides the ubiquitous flat white, we’re also able to enjoy a sublime siphon brew.
The Shakshouka is one of the best we’ve tried; the eggs perfectly baked in a spiced tomato sauce strewn with little nuggets of chorizo and spinach. Their French Toast Crumpets are delightful and come served two ways: with white cheese, grilled apricots and Doris plums, or with some crispy bacon, grilled bananas and maple syrup.
Middle-earth comes to life in Arthur’s Pass
Our bellies full, we depart from Christchurch. Soon enough we are traversing the span of the vast Canterbury Plains. The land stretches before us, seemingly without end. There is no feeling more idyllic, to be honest.
For much of our drive, we glide alongside the Waimakariri River as it appears and disappears from view again and again. Rivers and streams in the South Island seem wilder yet mild and gentle. Few roar with thunderous threats, fewer still are burdened with urban development by their banks.
As we wind through the countryside, we are carefree but mindful all the same. New Zealand has wonderful roads but Nature is a force to be reckoned with too. Landslides and bush fires are not uncommon. It’s quite safe but we enjoy the thrill of possible danger too; we could be on the run from imaginary Orcs and Wargs.
A solitary chaffinch guards its territory (left). Life finds a way (right)
The Southern Alps in the distance
While the entire trip wouldn’t take more than a couple of hours if we drive without pause, it pays to stop several times along the way. For one thing, the country roads can be a challenge to navigate – we are careful to take it easy on our brakes going downhill – so any opportunity to stretch our legs feels like a blessing.
Another reason is to stock up on light bites for mid-journey nibbles. (You’d be surprised how hungry one gets driving past such spectacular scenery.) After passing Kirwee and Darfield, we drop by Sheffield, a small village near the Waimakariri Gorge. The Famous Sheffield Pie Shop here is renowned (hence their name) for their tantalisingly wide variety of homemade pies.
We enjoy their hearty steak pie laced with a sweet onion marmalade as well as their Cornish pasties filled with mince, carrot and potatoes. Fruit pies abound: cherry, apple, apricot and boysenberry. There’s a certain satisfaction in supporting businesses that source their ingredients locally; the pie shop uses flour milled from Canterbury wheat at Farmers Mill and meat from Rangiora Butchery.
Before leaving Christchurch for Middle-earth, fuel up at Black Betty
French Toast Crumpets with crispy bacon, grilled bananas and maple syrup
We continue, past Springfield then up the slopes of Craigieburn. When we enter the heart of Arthur’s Pass proper, winding our way into the foothills of the Southern Alps, we witness how different the rivers can get. From the wide riverbeds blanketed with shingle as we come from the east, we transition to deeper waters and river gorges.
Another stop to stretch our legs with a quick stroll by the riverbanks reveals that what appeared to be desolate from the highway still flourishes with plants and birds. The inquisitive kea, a native alpine parrot can be spotted sometimes, easily identifiable by its olive-green plumage. There are chaffinches, wood pigeons, falcons and the great spotted kiwi too (though the kiwi is rarely seen).
Life finds a way, as everyone’s favourite Jurassic Park character Dr Ian Malcolm once said.
The terrain is far from uniform. Barren on one side, lush on the other. There are dark beech forests and rocky outcrops. Rivers and lakes. There are dense temperate rainforests and grassy plains where we can imagine herds of wild horses once roamed. (Though, of course, horses aren’t native to the island and the first domestic animals weren’t released here till the 19th century.)
It is all very lonely and quiet and so beautiful. Takes our breath away.
The bustling coffee bar at Black Betty
A homemade apple pie or two for the road (left). Black Betty’s Shakshouka: eggs baked in a spiced tomato sauce with chorizo and spinach (right)
From here, we could continue driving west towards the west coast, to coastal towns such as Greymouth or Hokitika. We could stay a night at Arthur’s Pass or head back to Christchurch, enjoying the view from the opposite direction.
There is no rush to decide. For now, we can linger. For now, we could be Rohirrim on our magnificent stallions. We could be Ringbearers or their kin, crossing the great expanse of Middle-earth.
Black Betty
165 Madras St, Christchurch, New Zealand
Open Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm; Sat & Sun 8am-4pm
Tel: +64-3-365-8522
The Famous Sheffield Pie Shop
51 Great Alpine Highway, Sheffield, New Zealand
Open daily 7am-4pm
Tel: +64-3-318 3876
You May Also Like