A Trip to Remember:
Follow New Zealand's Merino Trail
Everybody knows that knitters get a little peculiar when they travel. While others visit historic monuments, museums, and major cultural attractions, we scour the streets looking for yarn shops.
Pack Your Bags!
During my research on Merino, I uncovered what could possibly be the travel experience of a lifetime for any hardcore knitter. It's called the Merino Trail, and it spans the entire South Island of New Zealand and some of the North Island as well.
The Tale of a Trail
Currently there are over 45 attractions along this new trail, including sheep and cattle stations, a private island, a 6,000-Merino farm, and historic homesteads.
Lodging ranges from rustic sheep stations to luxury lodges. All stops on the trail offer the opportunity to experience New Zealand's history and rural heritage up close -- with a Merino focus.
The best part is that you can engage in as much or as little of the farming experience as you'd like. If you have a hankering to shear some sheep, great. If you'd rather sit on a porch and watch, sipping a cup of tea and knitting a Merino scarf, that's fine too.
How It Works
The trail follows the same principle as our Appalachian Trail in the United States, with the pleasant exception that this trail is paved and you get to drive it.
Simply obtain a map (you can download a map from the Web site listed below), choose your itinerary, make your reservations, and off you go! All attractions along the trail are marked by "Merino Trail" plaques, so you'll know you're in the right place.
