The region of Marlborough is located in the northeast of the South Island and is known for its dry climate, the dramatic coastal scenery of Marlborough Sounds and an exceptionally attractive agricultural landscape, set against a backdrop of forest-clad mountains. The Wairau River is a focus for recreation. Its swift upper reaches are ideal for kayaking, and the trout fishing is excellent. Mount Richmond Forest Park is a popular hiking area. The long, straight valley of the river broadens to wide plains on which stand the region’s capital, Blenheim. Marlborough has fertile soil and temperate weather and has become a center of the New Zealand wine industry. The south of Marlborough is mountainous, rising to the peaks of the Kaikoura Ranges, precursors of the Southern Alps.