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Needing a break to indulge in the luxuries of cafe life, art galleys and to treat ourselves to the Monteith’s Brewery we decided to head up to Greymouth for a day. Greymouth is the largest town on the West coast with an estimated population of 10 000 and accounts for about 42% of the west coasts inhabitants.

Monteith’s Brewery

After humble beginings in the 1800s the famous Monteith’s Brewery is still operational. This facility is run by about 11 people and it is amazing to see how efficiently they operate.

They run 5 tours a day with the option of a tour and beer tasting or a tour and meal. We opted for the standard tour and beer tasting. The tour round the facility included tasting the hops (interesting!), peering into open fermenters and explanations of the various pipes, rooms and electronics. Ending with the highlight of taste testing 8 different beers from a shandy type beer to black beer.

They serve generous amounts per person with the total combined adding up to just over a pint of beer. So bikers beware that you don’t inadvertently go over the drink limit while enthusiastically tasting the types of beer!

Floodwall Walk

If you need to do something a bit lighter on the purse then there are interesting historical walks taking you back into Greymouths history. Stop off at the tourist information to find out where the walks are and what is suitable for you.

We decided to do part of the Floodwall Walk. The Great Wall of Greymouth protects the town from the potential flooding of the Greymouth River and has become something of an icon. The Floodwall path provides insight into  the river’s historical value and commercial involvement. We walked from the famous Clock tower to the wharf, reading the various information boards and exploring the Walk’s exhibits (art, statues, old trains).

Though you can wander along, it is better to have a map. The walk goes through a built up industrial area and it took two wrong turns before we figured out how to get through the area and back onto the path. We only walked as far as wharf but you can continue on to the lagoon.

Instead we turned round to find a coffee shop, enjoy the sunshine and re-fuel with a scrumptish piece of chocolate cake.

Other places of interest in and around Greymouth that you might enjoy:

Shanty Town: a restored replica of an 1880′s West Coast gold mining town. This town is also a living monument to the pioneers who overcame obstacles living in rugged enviroments in search of their fortunes.

Model Village at ‘On ye bikes’: it is built on an acre of ground dedicated to replicating 3 coastal towns. Walk through these village scenes which are built both indoors and outdoors for an interesting and memorable lesson in history. If you are adventurous then join in one of their quad biking, go-karting or the weird Haglund ride.