Conical Hill Recreation Reserve, Hanmer Springs
Hanmer Springs is a bustling little village in North Canterbury. Situated in a valley surrounded by mountains its a pretty spot - all fresh air and rejuvenating springs.
However all this relaxation is no excuse to totally take it easy. A hike up to the top of Conical Hill is an appropriate and robust workout without pushing the body limits too far. The walk is not too long - between 20-30 minutes uphill and slightly less, of course, on the way down. It really depends how many times you stop to take in the views across Hanmer and out across to the snow capped mountains. If you are keen on exercise you might prefer to do as I did it, in one big grunt to the top - its honestly not that far or hard (I exaggerate the grunt part)!
At the top is a covered seating area perfect to plonk oneself to absorb those splendid views. There are also picnic tables, presumably for better weather days - not wintertime with temperatures dropping down to minus figures as was the case when I was there. A marker is also available so you can pinpoint exactly which peak belongs to which mountain. There are several mountain bike trails heading off from this point at the top which all appear to plummet down into the woodland beneath - I think most of them are marked extreme so you really need to be a bit of an expert, or a daredevil, or probably a bit of both to enjoy them……