OTAGO CENTRAL Rail Trail GREAT RIDE • OTAGO CENTRAL RAIL TRAIL
Otago Central Rail Trail © Otago Central Rail Trail
BEST FOR: Experiencing New Zealand’s original Great Ride, the one that inspired the entire network.
CLYDE to MIDDLEMARCH 1-5 days
152km
It’s the cycle trail that put many of the South Island’s small, forgotten towns back on the map. By encompassing all that is warm and welcoming about Central Otago, this former railway track provides an incredibly wholesome experience, and one that is largely nurtured by the locals. TOP TIP – Autumn is a fantastic season to undertake this ride, notably for the astounding colours of the foliage which are rich in golden hues, but it’s also an ideal time – temperature wise.
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et ready for some good old southern hospitality. Over the course of five days and 152km, you’ll bank many friendly encounters. All off-road
and with no traffic to contend with, there’s only expansive terrain and self-reliant townships rich in craftmanship. Country cafés serve coffee and home-made cakes, while the wineries celebrate the region’s grape offerings. You can admire the tough grind of a working farm or discover how New Zealand’s worldfamous wool is grown. Open year-round, the trail can be started from either end (Clyde or Middlemarch), or broken into shorter 1-4 day-rides to suit your agenda. The experience is designed to be slow, so you can dismount frequently and consume both the delicious scenery and local flavours. The landscape is crawling with railway stations, tunnels and viaducts, as well as fascinating remnants from the gold rush era, including towns that still feature mud-brick walls and stone buildings. For every charming country pub, there are old-world general stores. If anything, you’ve cycled back in time; yesteryear’s simplicities are both the secret and the seduction of Central Otago.
