Mt Richardson is located in the Mount Thomas Forest Conservation Area of Canterbury. It’s less than a two hour drive from Christchurch and we headed up there with a friend one sunny day during the summer holiday break.
We linked the Richardson, Blowhard and Bypass tracks to create a nice loop. Hiking this way takes takes you steeply up through the forest to the peak and then heads back down over stunning ridges with open views of the surrounding peaks.
There’s an additional short track you can follow on the way back to the carpark which takes you via a pretty waterfall and stream – perfect for cooling off hot feet!
This is another stunning area of Canterbury and one which we look forward to exploring more in future. An additional bonus is that the hike is near the small town of Oxford which is great for snacks on the way home!
Wherever you are in the world, have a lovely week!