Riccarton Bush is one of Christchurch's precious remnants of native lowland forest, protected in a city that has otherwise spread across the plains. The short walk through kahikatea and other native trees gives a glimpse of the landscape that existed before farms, suburbs, and roads took over.
Its strength is the combination of ecology and history: Riccarton House, Deans Cottage, and the forest sit together. Visit slowly, keep to the tracks, and treat the bush as a fragile survivor rather than just a pleasant garden.