Mount Oxford Walking Tracks and Ryde Falls is a nature reserve listed at 125 Mountain Rd, Avonhead, Christchurch, and holds a 4.5 rating from 135 Google reviews.
A good nature reserve earns its repeat visitors with well-formed tracks, honest signage about steepness and mud, and a reward worth the climb — a lookout, a ridge, a waterfall. Falls run strongest a day or two after rain, though the same weather leaves clay and root sections slippery underfoot, so grippy shoes matter. Foothill weather can turn quickly, so carry a layer and set yourself a turnaround time. Regulars tend to start early and check track status before setting out, since storm damage can close forest tracks for months at a stretch.
For Christchurch walkers after a proper climb with a waterfall payoff inside a morning, this well-reviewed reserve is a satisfying half-day option.