Ringing Christchurch, are the scenic Port Hills, which have been made into a local park system, even though much of the land is still occupied by working farms. Locals use the hills for hiking and mountain biking. We opted to use one of the circuits as a training ground; after our hike of Mt. Isobel in Hanmer Springs we realize we need more cardio if we plan on doing multi-day hikes. One of the unique features of the Port Hills is that when standing on the ridge, you see the remains of a volcanic crater on one side, and the Canterburry plains on the other. Pictures: butterfly; view of Lyttelton harbour and the surrounding Port Hills (Crater Rim walkway)
