Feeling the need to slow down? Then follow the Canterbury town’s Unrush Hour philosophy.
It sounds like a contradiction, but thermal springs are the best place to chill out. And what better recommendation is there for escaping the endless demands of modern life than a place that’s helped people unwind and recover for more than 150 years?
Hanmer Springs is perfectly located to soothe the spirits before you even arrive. Located just over a 90-minute drive north of Christchurch, green farmland gives way to rolling hills before you cross the Waiau, a classic Canterbury braided river. Then you arrive at this pretty Alpine Village tucked away in the Hanmer Basin, with views of the surrounding mountains. Home to just 1100 people, the population is boosted by a stream of visitors arriving to enjoy a wide range of activities, but the main one is what first led early Māori to pause here on their pounamu-seeking expeditions.
Emerging from deep below the earth, geothermal springs offered them a place to rejuvenate, and it was the rising steam that later caught the attention of farmer William Jones, in 1859. It wasn’t long before word got around, and the thermal pools attracted people from far and wide. Gradually, amenities like dressing sheds and proper swimming pools were added, although for a long time the segregated nude bathing was signalled only by a skirt, or a pair of trousers hung from a pole.
Things are a lot more civilised today. The complex, set amongst native bush near the centre of town, is made up of 22 outdoor pools. From secluded and relaxing to high-speed and exciting, there is something for everyone. The constant, though, is the water, which began its life around 173 years earlier as snow on the peaks that are visible from the pools. Filtered by rock as it melted, and warmed by the earth’s core, it rises to the surface, full now of health-giving minerals including sodium, silica, potassium, and sulphur.
It was this natural medicine, as well as the soothing effect of warm baths in such an idyllic setting, which led to Hanmer Springs (named after surveyor Thomas Hanmer) being chosen as the site for a government-built sanitorium in 1897. It was replaced in 1916 by the Queen Mary Hospital, which housed returned soldiers suffering from shellshock. Later, people struggling with alcoholism and depression were nursed back to health here. The impressive heritage Soldier’s Block with its big rotunda still stands beside the pools, surrounded by lovely gardens.
These days Hanmer Springs still offers respite, but it’s also focused on fun. Check out the brightly coloured Conical Thrill and SuperBowl hydroslides, with their high, winding tunnels and chutes. Newest additions here are the Waiau Winder and Violet Vortex hydroslides, full of LED lights and guaranteeing thrills.
More peaceful is the well-named Lazy River, winding gently around this complex — although the temptation to float faster is hard for some to ignore. For guaranteed quiet relaxation, head away from the activities, past the Tea Kiosk Café and Grill, to the four beautifully landscaped Cascade Pools. Set amongst bush and surrounded by big boulders, the gentle trickling of the water guarantees serenity. One of these cascade pools contains silky-smooth sulphur, leaving skin as soft and relaxed as the mind. The Rainbow Pools are similarly natural, surrounded by native trees like kōwhai that are popular with birdlife. Lying back in the warm water listening to a bellbird singing guarantees a happy smile.
Less naturalistic, but more appealing to the sociable, are the classic Hexagonal Pools, where you can loll beneath sunshades or under a starry sky, admiring the views beyond the trees of the nearest peaks, all of them well over 1000 metres. The snow on their tops sometimes descends to pool level, adding an extra level of novel enjoyment to the thermal experience.
The temperatures of the pools vary between a comfortable 32C up to a more challenging 42C in the Sulphur Pools, where the water comes untreated straight from the bore, and is thought to ease rheumatic conditions and other ailments. The AquaTherapy Pools offer a different sort of healing, their cascades and jets focusing on improving muscles and joints.
The complex also has private pools for those who want no outside distractions at all. Designed to give the feel of a rustic wooden spa, they look out over the gardens, allowing you to pretend this quiet space is all yours.
Completing the offerings are the private saunas and steam suites, and the many options available at The Spa, from facials and foot massages to full-body therapies, with all the indulgent treats you might expect. Farmer William Jones should have been so lucky.
To learn more about Hanmer Springs and how you can experience Unrush Hour, visit hanmersprings.co.nz/unrushhourstartshere