Five Rivers, Around the Mountains Cycle Trail © Tourism NZ
MOSSBURN to BLUFF
SOUTHLAND Traverse
2-3 days
137km Signpost, Southland Traverse
HEARTLAND RIDE • SOUTHLAND TRAVERSE
BEST FOR: Getting from Mossburn to Bluff without using the busier highway.
TRAIL INFO 2-3 Days 137km
TRAIL GRADE: 39% GRADE 2 53% GRADE 3 8% GRADE 4 MOBILE PHONE COVERAGE: Available throughout the route. FOOD, ACCOMMODATION & TOILETS: Available at either of the starting points, Mossburn/ Lumsden, and then Camp Taringatura (40km), Winton (67km), Wallacetown (90km), Invercargill (104km), and Bluff (137km). NEED TO KNOW: The route is 95% sealed road, and 5% gravel road or gravel path.
Take the scenic route all the way to Bluff by negotiating the pleasant, reasonably quiet highways of the Southland Traverse. Good-looking vistas come thick and fast on this two-day ride.
C
onnecting Mossburn (or Lumsden) to Bluff over 137km and two days, this Grade 2-4 bike ride slices through the South Island’s lower region, one that’s freckled with cyclists and sightseers soaking up the beauty. This Heartland Ride is also part of the 3000km Tour Aotearoa trail which travels all the way from Cape Rēinga at the top of the North Island to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island. You may meet a fair few weatherworn cyclists along this route who have just done over 2000km. Cyclists
should also be aware that the track often traces or criss-crosses parts of the Southern Scenic Route, a popular tourist highway that’s used by buses and couch tour companies. It is still a fantastic alternative to busier highways and primarily uses scenic back roads. In total, the track utilises 95 percent sealed road and 5 percent gravel road or gravel path. In between drinking up the pastoral scenery and bucolic views, stop in charming small towns such as Winton and Wallacetown for provisions and a rest.
This route is part of the 3000km Cape Rēinga to Bluff route called Tour Aotearoa. You are likely to meet weather-beaten tour riders on their final day of riding the length of the country. In winter the weather can be bitterly cold in Southland, so expect the unexpected. The route is signposted with Ngā Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trails’ signs. The newly opened section of the trail between Invercargill and Bluff is named Te Ara Taurapa. TYPE OF BIKE: A touring bike, mountain bike or e-bike is suitable for the terrain. GRADE 2 (EASY) GRADE 3 (INTERMEDIATE) GRADE 4 (ADVANCED)
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