4 great cycling rides in our own backyard
1. Alps 2 Ocean
The Alps 2 Ocean is the longest continuous cycle trail in the country. It covers 300km from the coastal South Island town of Oamaru all the way to Aoraki/Mount Cook, taking you – as the name suggests – everywhere from alpine environments to the ocean, with lakes, rivers and other impressive scenery to take in along the way. The full trail takes about 5 to 6 days to complete, but it’s broken up into 8 sections, so if you don’t have time to complete the whole thing you can still get a taste by taking a ride along a smaller section. The trail is a mixture of easy to intermediate grade, and can therefore be enjoyed by all.
Photo by Makalu – Pixabay
2. Lake Taupo Loop
Cycling around our nation’s largest lake is no cakewalk but it does provide a wonderfully scenic challenge. As a loop route, you can start and finish in the town of Taupo itself, making the logistics of the ride fairly straightforward – set out early in the morning and you can be back by dinnertime! If you’re keen for a bit of competition, the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge is an annual event that features a 160km race around the lake. It’s not just for racers however; you can enter just for the challenge alone, with funds from the event going back into the community.
Photo by Herry Lawford – Flickr
3. Crown Range Summit
Those who take on the classic hill climb up to the Crown Range Summit are rewarded with some of the most incredible views of central Otago available. The route along New Zealand’s highest sealed road between Queenstown and Wanaka is a mixture of hills and flats through tussock-filled farmland, craggy rocks and amazing alpine sights. When starting in Wanaka and following Cardrona Valley Road, the 90km return route is a challenge, but lets you enjoy the scenery with pleasant downhills all the way back from the summit.
Source: Wikimedia
4: Cape Reinga to Bluff
Perhaps the ultimate cycling route is the one that takes you from the top of the north to the tip of the south (or vice versa).Depending on the route, the trip can take you anywhere from 2100km to 3000km, with many sights to take in along the way. Cycling the length of the country is no day trip – at a leisurely pace it will probably take you closer to a month, making it something you’ll need to plan extensively for. For those interested, however, the current world record for cycling the length of the country is four days and 10 hours, set by Craig Harper in 2017.
Photo by Alistair McLellan -Pixabay
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