DARFIELD Darfield, Sheffield and Springfield are the Canterbury Plains towns that are the community destinations on the Alpine Highway. This two to six hour drive is one of the best one will ever encounter. The time only determined by the driver and scenic wonder plus the energy to engage. Darfield is the first community encounter of substance on the journey from Christchurch to the west coast via the Trans Alpine Highway and Railway. Darfield and its Canterbury Plains other towns are experiencing an increasing number of tourists on the positive spin-offs that can be expected. There is an interest in this stop off location and Darfield has addressed this opportunity. Darfield has a Catholic and Anglican Church of which the Catholic Church is a great structure and has notable presence. The Darfield hotel is in the main strip and the War Memorial is near the Anglican Church on the western fringe of the township. Darfield is the main town between Christchurch and the West Coast, New Zealand. It is often called "The township under the Nor'west arch", in reference to a characteristic weather phenomenon, which often displays an arch of cloud above an otherwise clear sky to the west of the township. This is caused by the condensation of water particles channeled upwards over the Southern Alps. Darfield lies in the Malvern district's arable and pastoral farming area. It is also a gateway to the scenic Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers and the Southern Alps, and is also a popular lift-off place for hot-air ballooning.