How to do the Speights Coast to Coast - the easy way

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Many of us have heard of the Speights Coast to Coast, the world’s premier multisport event. It commences at the Kumara Beach on the South Island’s West Coast goes over Arthur’s Pass - the highest of three roads over the Southern Alps, and finishes at the picturesque Christchurch beach suburb of Sumner on the east coast, after the competitors down a well earned glass of Speights, New Zealand’s iconic brown beverage.

No doubt some of us have held aspirations to compete in this running, kayaking and cycling race, which takes competitors though some of the South Island’s most spectacular scenery. Its possible that we thought we might like to do either the two person team event, or maybe do it all on our own. We may have gone to the Speights Coast to Coast website and eyed up the rigorous training programmes, some complete with coaches, recommended to competitors, before thinking, with a sigh, there must an easier way to earn a enjoy a glass of fine ale from one New Zealand’s oldest breweries as well as enjoy nature at its best.

It was quite by chance, that by perusing the net looking for things to do in Christchurch that I found out that indeed, one can do the Coast to Coast and down a Speights without all that tedious training. In fact, all one has to do is sit. Oh, and raise one’s arm from time to time. This is in order to deliver from table to mouth, such delicious morsels as Devonshire scones, juicy croissants and refreshing brown ale.

To enter this Coast to Coast, instead of booking in June for the following February event on the Speights Coast to Coast website all I had to do is visit the Tranzrail website, check out when the winter specials were on, and book online. Not too taxing for the finger tips, I felt, nor even too shocking for my plastic card to absorb.

We (one must always have supporters on occasions like this) decided to do the return event, from Christchurch to Greymouth and back in one day. The early 0800 hours start was ‘reasonable’ I felt, at the time when Christchurch temperatures started to realize that yes, they were supposed to rise above 2 degrees C. The train carriages were warm, in spite of the huge viewing windows.

Our arms were immediately put to the test, delivering coffees, croissants, cheeses, and later on, grain and grape beverages to our drooling lips. However, our eyes were also busy, viewing the sugary snow topped mountains rising steeply from flat barren river valleys, glimpsing bush clad rocky gullies while peering down from about 16 high narrow overpasses, including the Otira viaduct, recognised as a major engineering feat. We imagined the sight of 800 kayakers madly paddling down the cold Waimakariri River Gorge towards their well-earned glass of brown beverage and raised hot coffee to our lips.

We listened to the unobtrusive commentary about the history of Arthur’s Pass – the rush to put the road through when gold was discovered. The relief when the railway line was completed, so that folks did not have to endure three days of stage coaching from Springfield westward over the Alps. Our butts reclined on warm seats, our arms filled the our bottomless stomachs with freshly locally baked scones and slices as we glided upwards to Arthur’s Pass, then ducked into Otira tunnel and descended quickly into the lush West Coast river valley. So competitors had to run over the Alps? Hmm, I prefer sitting, thank you!

At lunch time we arrived at Greymouth. Oh, they don’t do Sunday shopping. After frantically searching, to our great relief we found a local art gallery, a crafts, and a clothing shop to browse through then we wandered ba....oh look at that, a place to down a Speights! An excellent time to recharge our energy before the long sit back. Along the lush river valleys, up into the bush, up through the tunnel to Arthur’s Pass again, to pick up folks who stopped off for a few hours to hike the area in the crisp cold. Back down the river valleys with their wide stony river beds, their waters shining silver in the dusk to the twilight tinted peachy brown grasses of the Canterbury plans, to arrive back at Christchurch in the cold and dark.

We’ve done it! The Coast to Coast! Where’s our Speights? Ah yes, by the open fire at the hotel. Soon we sit back, warm, happy and replete. The trip took 10 hours, we are not exhausted, and our arms are still ok for more rising. We smile together, recalling the eyecandy highlights of the trip.

Would we do the Coast to Coast again? Yes! But take more time! Maybe do a leisurely mountain walk or two and definitely stay over on the West Coast – exploring its beauty, discovering its history, and enjoying the local fare. Don’t they have a Wild Food Festival there? I don’t suppose much training is needed for that! Hmmm – back to the ‘net to do some searching – gosh, I am hungry again already……….

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