24-31 March 2025

Leader: Brandon Holman

Nine of us met up at Christchurch airport on Monday morning for this luxury 7-day trip, with accommodation, some evening meals, and suitcase transfer between stops included.

First, we got taken by minibus to Tekapo along with other clients of Cycle Journeys. Once at Tekapo we were allocated our bikes, regular for Rob and myself, electric for the others. We enjoyed a stunning vista from a lakeside restaurant where we had some pre-dinner refreshments.

Tuesday dawned with more good weather, and we cycled to the start-point for a photo, and then set off, largely alongside the hydro canal on a service road until Lake Pukaki, where we had lunch, continuing on to Twizel over a bike-only track. Hardly any time was spent on main roads.

On Wednesday we headed west to Lake Ohau, once again riding alongside a canal for quite a way. The weather improved during the morning, and by the time we stopped for lunch on the shores of the lake, it was hot enough to encourage at least half of us to go swimming. This part of the ride was truly lovely, and we continued alongside the lake to Lake Ohau Lodge, getting there about 2:30pm. We all enjoyed the lodge communal meal that evening after pre-dinner drinks on the terrace.

On Thursday the weather was less kind. As we set off over the high point of the trail at 900 m, some light rain fell for a while. On the descent from the high point, after reaching Quailburn Road, we were quite spread out and Susan, who was at the back, had the misfortune to fall off her bike in an area where two farm roads merged, and consequently there was a lot of loose gravel. As a result of being concussed, and knocked about, she and Dave had to pull out of the trip, as the medical opinion directed a stay in hospital for several days for her observation etc. After seeing the ambulance attend her, the rest of us carried on to Omarama, getting there soon after lunch, and enjoyed being tourists for the afternoon, walking in heavy rain that evening to the Speights Alehouse for some very good food.

On Friday, we had some of the most challenging parts of the trail, alongside gorgeous Lake Benmore, culminating in the spectacular Benmore Dam. After many photo stops, we eventually cycled into Otematata. All the motels on the trip were of a high standard, and we enjoyed our own happy hour in the motel garden before dinner.

On Saturday, we had to retrace our steps so to speak, and climb back up to the Benmore Dam, so as to ride the lovely and scenic road that passes various campgrounds along the Eastern side of Lake Aviemore. We then passed Lake Waitaki and admired the original dam of the same name in that region to create the lake in the 1920’s, finally arriving in Kurow for after lunch coffee, staying that night in a converted woolshed 3 kms further on. As part of the service we were bussed into Kurow for our evening meal.

Sunday looked to be fairly easy, so 6 of us elected to return to Kurow and enjoy the museum there (which was free) for an hour, before heading for Duntroon, where we stayed on a remote farm with a communal building for meals, and individual double bed cabins for sleeping which was very atmospheric. Here the deal was that the communal meal was partly prepared (i.e. salads) but we had to cook the potatoes and BBQ the steaks which were of the highest quality.

Our last day would see us cycle to Oamaru, via some undulating countryside including travel in part along an old railway. All in all it was a very enjoyable trip with a huge variety of scenery, spoilt only by the accident at Quailburn. Hopefully Dave and Susan will complete the journey on a second trip down south in the future.

Those on the trip were:

Adrian Jull, Brandon Holman, Dave Cox, John Glover, Pam Glover, Robert Adams, Susan Robertson, Elizabeth Holman, Elizabeth Jull

Currently there is no photo album for this trip.