Route 6

'Route 6' is the unofficial name for State Highway 6, arguably one of the world's finest scenic routes. Starting in Blenheim in the South Island, the route links Marlborough's wine-growing regions with South Westland glaciers; it passes beneath New Zealand's two highest mountains; it skirts an ocean and stunning southern lakes. And it ends, with quiet ceremony, in the southernmost city of Invercargill. Sometimes with a companion, often on his own, retired photojournalist Roy Sinclair cycled the length of this highway as an independent bicycle traveller. Route 6 is Roy's account of the unique road culture he experienced on a journey that involved four separate bike rides - a fantasy for most of us whose travels tend to be confined to a fast-moving motor vehicle.