LAKE DUNSTAN Trail
Lake Dunstan Trail © Geoff Marks
TRAIL INFO
TRAIL GRADES: CROMWELL HERITAGE PRECINCT TO BANNOCKBURN BRIDGE GRADE 2 (EASY)
The newest addition to Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand, this specially built trail provides a vital link to the Otago Central Rail Trail, Roxburgh Gorge and Clutha Gold trails.
BANNOCKBURN BRIDGE TO CAIRNMUIR GULLY GRADE 2–3 (EASY-INTERMEDIATE) CAIRNMUIR GULLY TO HALFWAY HUT GRADE 2–3 (EASY-INTERMEDIATE)
BEST FOR: More experienced riders with an appreciation of wide open spaces, heritage sites as well as great food and fine wine!
CROMWELL to CLYDE 5-8 hours
41km
Between these heritage towns, discover the landscape shaped by nature and worked by gold miners and dam-builders of the last two centuries. More recently, constructed clip-on boardwalks, an 86m suspension bridge and rock walls are sure to impress.
R
iders are richly rewarded along this trail with fabulous views, food and wine.
Expansive views across to the Bannockburn vineyards, give you something to work towards, and
short detours deliver you to the historic Bannockburn Hotel, or down to Felton Rd for some topnotch wineries. Wine appetites can also be worked up by climbing out of the Brannockburn Inlet to reach Carrick Winery. If coffee floats your boat then you are in luck! Your brew will literally meet you on Cairnmuir Gully, at Coffee Afloat parked up on the lake most days from mid-morning to mid-afternoon where you can also sink your teeth into fresh scones and burgers. Peculiar forms and unusual lines on the land are clues to the gold mining and hydropower history around here. The terrain transfers into rocky bluffs and Cromwell Gorge includes the first of the remarkable built-in boardwalks. Take your time here and you may even spot the pickaxe embedded in the rock wall! Pass under the amazing Cairnmuir Slide, a terraced stone face engineered to protect the river from a major landslide that could overwhelm the Clyde Dam downstream.
HALFWAY HUT TO DUNSTAN ARM ROWING CLUB GRADE 2–3 (EASY-INTERMEDIATE) DUNSTAN ARM ROWING CLUB TO CLYDE HERITAGE PRECINCT GRADE 1 (EASIEST) MOBILE PHONE COVERAGE: Mostly reliable across the trail, with some patchy areas. Text messages usually get through. DRINKING WATER: Food and water are readily available in Cromwell and Clyde. Riders should carry more than enough for the journey, especially in summer months as there are long stretches without supplies. Refreshment can be found at the Bannockburn Hotel, nearby wineries, and Coffee Afloat can be found around the trail’s midway point. TYPE OF BIKE: Mountain bikes are recommended. E-bikes are also permitted and available through most bike-hire companies. E-bikers should ensure that batteries have sufficient capacity and charge for the day’s riding and, if staying in local accommodation, check recharged capabilities. GRADE 1 (EASIEST) GRADE 2 (EASY) GRADE 3 (INTERMEDIATE)
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GREAT RIDE • LAKE DUNSTAN TRAIL
5-8 Hours 41km
