The Otago Central Rail Trail 2

Day Two - Oturehua to Daisybank

I reached the summit of the trail at 11am on day two. 618 metres above sea level and at 45 degrees South, this position commanded excellent views of the valleys either side. I was really pleased to be travelling down hill, for the rest of the day! I saw Australasian Harrier Hawks circling for prey over the Maniototo valley and attempted to capture them on film, but lamented not having a more powerful lens. The morning ride also took me through Wedderburn where the rail shed painted by Graham Sydney has been restored, something of a New Zealand icon.

It was cooler today I think and a slight breeze made the ride more pleasant. I stopped in Ranfurly for lunch and looked at the art deco buildings there. It is a quiet town but very interesting, and the train station in particular, I liked. Mid afternoon I paused in Waipiata for some food and a beer, and was surprised to find three local bowls teams enjoying the local bitter inside. Bowls is a popular sport here especially amongst the retired, and the teams looked great in their official uniforms.

At 9pm I camped on the Taieri river about 12km north of Hyde. The site was lovely, about 15 feet from the water's edge. It was another hard cycle towards the end of the day but quite worth it. The Taieri gorge is incredible to look at ans is easily my favourite part of the route so far. I came within thirty metres of a hawk grounding to catch a hare and it was quite magical. I completed about 50km today, so the pace was slower, and I was looking forward to completing the journey.

"The land is hilly, with many outcrops of rock. The scenery between Omakau and Ranfurly will be familiar to anyone who has seen Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy as the location for many of the scenes set in Rohan." - Wikipedia


Day Three - Daisybank to Middlemarch, and beyond

The last day took me 36km into Middlemarch and I had to start early, my train left at 1pm from there. With plenty of time to spare I arrived and handed my bike to the agent there before changing and boarding my train. The last section of the ride felt good as I came down from the high country and felt like I was nearing the sea, and greater development in terms of farmland and towns. In fact I had a two hour train journey still to go before reaching the ocean, and Dunedin. The train is recreational and passes down the Taieri gorge through spectacular cliffs, tunnels, and over bridges. It was an amazing ride and I was gobsmacked by the scenery. Arriving finally in Dunedin I found my accommodation and had dinner before getting an early night.