Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. The towering peaks of the Southern Alps of New Zealand, the sprawling Canterbury Plains of New Zealand and the rich farmlands bordering the Christchurch City's suburbs provide a unique setting for the lively metropolis, the home for 485,000 'Cantabrians'.

On the south-east side of the town the Port Hills form a natural city wall, beyond which the port of Lyttelton, New Zealand and the enchanting bays of Banks Peninsula cling precariously to the coastline. The Port Hills are more than a city boundary. They surround a large amount of the history of the Christchurch City.

The Bridle Path is the track over the Port Hills of Christchurch that the original settlers used as their route to the city. The First Four Ships brought settlers to Christchurch, New Zealand. There was a tightly-knit group of English pilgrims. They hauled their possessions over the hills, to fulfill the dream of the Canterbury Association. This dream was to establish a model colonial settlement, a little piece of 'home' in a land where the gentle rolling hills to which they were accustomed were replaced by rugged mountains and forested swamps...