A river retreat to soothe the soul
Colleen O’Hanlon takes a well-earned rest in a home away from home in the New Zealand native bush, where she can recharge her batteries.
Family holidays can leave a parent feeling, frankly, in need of a holiday to recover. Add in the accumulated stress of the preChristmas frenzy and the back to school considerations, and what you get are harried, nothing-left-in-the-tank individuals desperate to spend a considerable amount of time away from real life responsibilities, horizontal, with their noses in books.
It was in just such a frazzled state that we rang the bell of Maruia River Retreat in mid-January. Behind the facade of my smile, I was enormously relieved to at last be somewhere where I was encouraged to be on the go-slow. To do nothing, even, if that’s what I wished.
Tastefully refurbished, our spacious villa frames a view in which the Maruia River itself plays a starring role. Visible through the trees, the river’s deep, turquoise waters are mesmerising, tempting us on what is a baking hot day.
But a stretch of the legs is needed after the threehour drive from Christchurch, so we commit to swimming later. We ditch jandals for trainers, apply a generous layer of insect repellent and head down a path for a walk through the retreat’s surrounding forest. Just a few steps in and we’re in the ancient forest. It’s lush and verdant, and the 45-minute loop is an easy amble.
Back at our room it’s off with the trainers and back on with the jandals plus togs, and we tootle down to sample the waters. It looks cold in that joint-aching, painful kind of way.
My companion loses his nerve, opting to observe instead, but I gather the fortitude to jump in, motivated in no small part by the cloud of sandflies at the water’s edge. It’s a brief but invigorating dip, which sets the scene for a guiltfree nap.
Dinner is preceded by a drink (pink gin and a house-made tonic), which is enjoyed alongside chatter with other guests and our hosts. Cooking for a maximum of 14 must be a dream gig for a cook, and here chef Tim seems to be living his best life – being set free with top-notch ingredients (many from the retreat’s gardens) to create culinary excellence. Our meals are as easy on the eye as they are on the palate.
Sandflies can be the bane of an excursion into our native bush. If you’re not scratching existing bites you’re anxiously on guard against being on the menu. But somehow here, though they’re everywhere, always, they’re less worrisome.
Set on 200 hectares of native bush, Maruia River Retreat is a place where the connection between nature and our wellbeing as humans is paramount.
The list of activities include bush-walking, birdwatching and fishing – rest and relaxation are what you’re encouraged to indulge in.
Everything is designed to help guests unwind – daily yoga classes are included. Staff are always on fishing lodge but, after years of being closed, it has been reborn thanks to the efforts of new owners Lasse and Cristina Holopainen.
You might find either of them instructing yoga in the morning, pouring drinks behind the bar before dinner, enjoying the outdoors along the trail during a bush walk or discussing the merits of growing mushrooms.
We wake to torrential rain on our second day, the kind of rain that may compel you to put the kettle on and put your feet up.
And who could blame you? The landscape here is as beautiful in the rain as it is in the sunshine, perhaps more so. Yesterday’s calm turquoise waters are now a fast-flowing muddy torrent. We drink a morning coffee outside under cover without fear of being bitten.
Not to be outdone by the wet, we hit the road to take in Reefton and Murchison and find ourselves surprised to learn both are home to the kind of secondhand shops in which you imagine you may just find some hidden treasure.
As the only guests staying on a Sunday night, we opt for the more relaxed pizza option for dinner then waddle back to our room to sleep it off before a reasonably strenuous yoga session.
A tinge of sadness when packing up to go home is a sign of a good break. We’re relaxed and perhaps even more flexible, to boot.
In its refreshed form, the retreat offers a luxurious minibreak for people who consider luxury to be shades of green and blue rather than gold and shiny. If you’re after a classy getaway with a strong wellness and nature vibe, head here.