One of my main goals when I moved back to New Zealand was to spend as much time exploring this beautiful country of mine as I had previously spent exploring Europe. Our first big adventure was to spend four days cycling the South Island’s stunning Otago Rail Trail.
Stopping off to admire Cromwell on the way from Queenstown to Clyde
What is the Otago Rail Trail?
The Otago Rail Trail follows (no shocker) the path of the Otago Central Railway, which was built in the late 1800s after the crazy days of the gold rushes. Its aim was to connect the farmers and orchardists who were making the most of the fertile land with markets at the beautiful small towns throughout the region. The last piece of track was ripped up in 1991 and the land was bought by the Department of Conservation shortly after. Fast forward to 2000 and the 152km Rail Trail officially opened, the first of New Zealand’s national cycle trails.
Looking from the Clyde Dam down into Clyde itself
Day 1: Clyde > Alexandra (12km)
We flew into Queenstown (which I need to return to!) and caught a shuttle for the winding drive to Clyde, the start of the Trail. Most cyclists on the Trail organise a package through one of the local providers, who can sort your bikes, luggage being moved, accommodation and even dinner bookings. We used ShebikesHebikes and they were great!
Paul, Lucy, Joe and I ready to go!
Today’s cycle was just a short stint, and we could choose from 8km on the trail, or 12km alongside the gorgeous Clutha River. With fresh legs and the sun on our skin, we unanimously opted for the river ride.
Some little hills to get us used to the ride!
Cycling into Alexandra
Alexandra is one of the larger towns along the Trail, and we made a beeline for the Monteiths pub on arrival to toast our first successful Rail Trail leg.
We then decided to head back to Clyde (a short drive by road) to check out Paulina’s Restaurant, a place which belies its down-home name. The food was fantastic, and I especially loved my giant seafood paella – the perfect fuel for a big day of cycling tomorrow!
Where we stayed in Alexandra: The Criterion. Very basic. Our friends stayed at The Avenue Motel and that was much nicer, but fully-booked by the time we locked it in.
Where we ate: Paulina’s Restaurant in Clyde. Make sure you book as it was very popular, with good reason!
Day 2: Alexandra > Lauder (34 km)
Another sunny day for the start of our first full day on the Rail Trail. We were so lucky with the weather – this was late October, which can be gorgeously sunny… or snowy and rainy!
One of my favourite parts of the Trail was spotting all the gorgeous old railway stations along the way. This one in Galloway (formerly the Ladies’ Waiting Room) was pretty much full when we all stood inside it!
One of the best parts about the Rail Trail is, as you might imagine, the fact that you’re totally off-road. No need to worry about speeding cars or heavy trucks – it’s just you, your cycling mates, and a few curious farm animals along the way.
Time and again, we marvelled at the beauty of this area of the country. Spending the majority of our time in New Zealand’s biggest city has many perks. However, we loved the contrast now, gazing at the huge stretches of emerald paddocks, with snow-capped mountains ringing our horizons.
This is definitely what I moved home for!
Chatto Creek was one of the highlights of our stops on the Rail Trail. So much more than a local tavern, it boasts a huge beer garden, great food, and cute lambs and donkeys to entertain. We made the most of our full day on the trail and spent a couple of hours relaxing in the shade. It was only the fact that we still had one of the steeper hills ahead of us that restrained us from staying much longer!
Siesta time for Lucy
A word of warning – between Chatto Creek and Omakau lies Tiger Hill, the steepest hill of the trip built at the maximum gradient a steam train could handle. You grind along, wondering if it will ever end… until eventually you’re at the top, with a beautiful long hill to cruise down to Omakau. Or so we thought, until Joe’s pedal decided to part ways with his bike! Fortunately, SheBikesHeBikes have their depot in Omakau, so they were able to send a van to pick him up close to the trail, and replaced his bike instantly.
And that left us with just a short cycle (fueled by ice-cream from the Omakau Store) to Muddy Creek Cutting near Lauder, our home for the night. And what a home it was! Kevin and Ross have created an oasis, just 30 seconds from the Trail. We instantly wished for more time there as we gazed on the beautiful old farmstead and huge deck. But the best was yet to come. Our fantastic hosts offer in-home fine dining which was without doubt one of our best meals of the trip. We feasted on lamb and gratin (including dairy-free for me!), washed down with thoughtfully-selected local wine, and topped off with the sorbet dessert of dreams. What a meal!
Where we ate: Chatto Creek was rightfully highly-recommended – the food was great and the whole atmosphere was perfect.
Where we stayed: You must stay at Muddy Creek Cutting on the Rail Trail – it was a stand-out!
Day 3: Lauder > Waipiata (57 km – the big one!)
Ready to smash our big day!
Day 3 of the Otago Rail Trail was our big one. If we’d had more time, this would have been the day to split in two, but annual leave was still low and so our legs were going to get a real workout. Not only that, we had the biggest hills, and the magpie gauntlet to run!
Pretty Lauder station
Not far from Lauder is the impressive Poolburn Viaduct, fording the Manuherikia River. The highest bridge on the Rail Trail, I loved its gorgeous rust-red steel.
Our cycle gang, the Golden Cobwebs
Even the loo stops are picturesque
And then the tunnels! You’re meant to walk through these (although we did encounter some speeding through on their bikes!) and you definitely need a torch for the 200m+ stretches. As a certified wuss I found these a little spooky, but in reality they’re soon behind you.
This stretch is also known as Magpie Alley, and we were warned about these aggressive Australian birds. During nesting season they can get extremely territorial, but fortunately we only had to face a couple down. In reality they’re not large or very dangerous, although they can spook you by flying straight at you!
Appreciating some downhill
Idyllic much?
Although we had the longest hill to come, we had to stop off at the Oturehua General Store, established in 1902. It’s thought to be New Zealand’s oldest continuously operated general store and inside, much of the store resembles yesteryear. It’s a sweet trip back in time, and also has some fantastic Rail Trail merch for sale as souvenirs.
And onwards! Although the hill to the summit of the trail is allegedly not as steep as Tiger Hill the day before, it sure felt steeper to us. Exposed to the not-so-treasured mercy of the sun, I don’t have fond memories of this long climb – although it was funny (in hindsight) when a lady on an electric bike sped past us, apologising as she went.
Made it!
In retrospect, waiting for a late lunch at Wedderburn was perhaps not the best idea given that hill, but it did make the wedges and beer-garden that much sweeter.
Stamping the passport – and the adorably small give-way signs that always cracked me up!
Historic Ranfurly – home of the Shield, one of New Zealand’s fiercest provincial rugby competitions
Although Muddy Creek Cutting was enchanting, our home for the night at Waipiata was absolutely fascinating. Peter’s Farm Lodge is a historic 19th century homestead, with original silk-painted wallpaper, a huge old Aga stove range, and 100% likelihood of ghosts. I’d love to know just a tiny portion of what it has seen!
Those South Island sunsets <3
It also had lambs to bottle-feed and cuddle!
Where we ate: Wedderburn Tavern has a lovely beer garden and basic kitchen – all we needed after acing the hill.
Where we stayed: Peter’s Farm Lodge was an absolute treat – Peter is a quirky gem.
Day 4: Waipiata > Middlemarch (53 km)
We didn’t make life easy for ourselves on the last day on the Trail, giving ourselves until just 1pm to make it to Middlemarch for our shuttle back to Queenstown and flight home. In case you hadn’t noticed, that distance was only 4km shorter than the day before – in half the time!
However, with the hills behind us and lots of beautiful scenery to feast our eyes on, we found this last day on the Trail sped by. This may have been helped by a little friendly competition for top speedster!
You can’t see us for dust in Hyde!
Gorgeous Ngapuna, nearly the end of the Rail Trail
So speedy were we, in fact, that we made it into Middlemarch, the end of the Rail Trail for us, with an hour to spare!
Celebrating the end of the Trail!
From Middlemarch, we caught the shuttle back to Queenstown to fly out. Another option, which I wished we’d had time for, was to catch the train all the way to Dunedin, which sounds beautiful. Next time!
I absolutely loved cycling the Otago Rail Trail. It was the perfect introduction to our New Zealand adventures, with lots of that magnificent South Island scenery that New Zealand is known for. The characters we met along the way were brilliant, and I loved all the historic little towns we visited.
My Otago Rail Trail tips!
- Buy the gel seat pad. That $10 at the start of the Rail Trail looks like a very good investment by the end.
- You don’t have to take 4 days to do the Trail – you can make it as long or short as you like! Lots of people do just one day – if I could pick, I think Day 2 from Alexandra to Lauder was my favourite.
- Make sure you’ve got plenty of water, no matter what season. We had unbelievably good weather for late October, and definitely needed lots of hydration.
- Snacks are also important, particularly when tackling those notorious hills.
- I didn’t do a lot of training in preparation, aside from fitting in a couple of extra spin classes in the weeks leading up. We’re all reasonably fit and didn’t have a problem with cycling these distances – although we certainly slept well! If you’re worried it might be too much, most companies also rent out electric bikes, which look like a total dream.
Any questions? Would you cycle the Otago Rail Trail?
For more information the Trail’s website is here
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