Cuddly Quilter

Hiya guys

Going to be moving up to Blenheim area soon, so I'm just asking around for areas to consider/avoid. In particular, anyone have any experience of Renwick? I like the idea of being a little further away, but does the weather cut off areas?

Cheers

Jeannie

Justcol

do you mean cut off as in "Snowed in"

Cuddly Quilter

Yes, seems the highway out to Renwick might dodgy at times??

BEVS

MrBEVS drives over to there from the Nelson area a bit. I'll ask him but I don't think he has had any probs getting through to Blenheim this winter.

southerner

Only reason that bit of road might be dodgy is if there are cyclists doing a wine tour. Road is straight, flat and wide so no issues that I'm aware of, and there are several alternative routes also. They might get the odd hard frost in the winter, but because its all flat its nothing compared to getting off the hills or around the harbour in Dunners.

Kotare

Need to avoid the melting tarmac in the Summer

Reylan

Witherlea and Springlands are supposed to be nice areas but just driving around a few areas should help to sort that out. Renwick is a smaller town just outside Blenheim and, as far as I know, doesn't get snowed in??

Justcol

I would think it highly unlikely that that stretch out road would ever get closed due to adverse weather
and if it did, its only around 8 km to Blenheim, you could get out and walk it

killercat

Hiya, im in Blenheim and it would be unusual for that road to be effected by snow, there is occasional ice and lots of traffic around harvest time. (lots for Blenheim anyway lol) its a nice area, with a couple of reasonable pubs. main shops are in Blenheim and the nearest supermarket is by the Airport (Pak n save) As suggested Witherlea and Springland are also nice areas.
Jacki

Baz036

Lived in Renwick and then Blenehim for the last five years or so and loved it.

Moved to Renwick and rented when we first arrived - great place with a village feel. Good supermarket, couple of pubs (one even classed as "English" which I still travel to as worth it) and now has it's own doctors with an ex-pat GP. Butchers and pharmacy also there. Used to be considered the poor relative to Blenheim due to no town sewage a few years back but since sorted. Does suffer from water restrictions during the summer though. No kids myself but believe the junior school is pretty good. If you are looking to buy you will still get locals who would think 'why would you want to live all the way out there' even though it is only about 8 km from Blenheim - most Kiwis think a five minute commute is excessive in the south island outside of Chch.

Now in Blenheim bought a place in Springlands. For the 500k place on another post in Auckland could get a very nice 3/4 bed house with all mod cons. Fortunately i do not have to live in one of the big cities for my job so can enjoy Marlborough. Has all the facilities that most people need but is a smaller town and can be a little parochial at times - but that is certainly true of other centres too. Great weather - most sunniest town in NZ last year - and as for snow not a problem at all as too close to the sea. Does have many a frosty winter night causing icy roads in the winter but no worse that when I lived in the south east of England.

One down side is the price of flights out of the area to connect if you need to travel as AirNZ rarely promote and can charge near enough what they want - can make trips away/overseas a bit more expensive.

Catchafire

Hi Jeannie

We live in Renwick! Love it. School is fantastic, its a great community of Kiwi's and expats, surrounded by vineyards.

Only once in 2008 do I remember the roads being closed due to flooding, they were open again the next day.

BEVS

Catcha

Boopy

I live in Blenheim & love it here