Around the mountains

HEADING FOR TE ANAU: On the Oreti River trail. All pictures by Jo Ferris

On a clear day — and in a window seat — it’s spectacular flying above the Southern Alps, down through the valleys into Queenstown. Even without snow. Queenstown is undoubtedly one of this country’s most picturesque spots.

Having visited this tourism mecca several times, the prospect of tackling the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail put a different perspective on things.

There’s an abundance of day rides in and around Queenstown, Arrowtown, Gibbston Valley, Lake Hayes and Glenorchy, for instance. The mountains’ trail is more of a tour, undertaken over several days and best done with a guided operation, especially given packages include accommodation, meals and luggage transport from one stopover to the next. Very important, compared with the alternative — carrying everything in panniers and organising accommodation independently.

Tuatara Tours’ package is to be commended, and it’s affordable. As well as great meals there are sumptuous picnic lunches, snacks and drinks en route —fuel to fire the pedal, obviously. The goody bag is brilliant too. Tour guides are the secret ingredient, however. And Craig Scurr’s enthusiasm is infectious.

Our troupe of four women completed a party of 14 — people from various places around the country and Queenstown itself. Locals? Odd? Not when you learn this trail delves into remote parts of Otago’s back country most locals would never otherwise see. The circuit totals 186km, give or take a few, and takes four days, three nights on mild-grade tracks. It is best done on an e-bike. Three hardy souls stubbornly stuck to ordinary mountain bikes, admitting after a day of strong head winds on the flats and a monumental hill climb that an e-bike would have been the better choice.

Not all the trail is aboard a bike. Day one begins being transported from Queenstown to the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu and the trail’s start at the vintage Kingston Flyer Rail Station. Winding up through hills and farming communities through Garston, Athol and Five Rivers — feasting along the way — the day ends at the rail restoration precinct of Lumsden.

The historic Royal Mail Hotel is charming. It was bought five years ago by a Canadian couple who had spent the previous 20-odd years in Sydney. A far cry, you’d think, but they’re loving the peace and simpler lifestyle. Covid is having a positive effect it seems for places like Lumsden, and newcomers are helping to revitalise these quaint townships.

Day two veers west up the valley alongside the Oreti River, through New Zealand’s deer capital at Mossburn to a pickup point and scenic drive to Te Anau.

Te Anau was almost a mausoleum — Covid hasn’t been positive for this tourist town. But it was a beautiful place to hang out for a couple of days, wining and dining on fine cuisine, enjoying a brilliant movie on Fiordland in its boutique bar and cinema, plus supporting the shops. The free day also allows eager beavers to slip in an optional ride to Manapouri. It’s a scenic trail along the river and lakes, with the Kepler mountains scoring the horizon on the other side.

Day four starts bright and early with an hour’s drive to the Mavora Lakes, and the start of what is arguably the most picturesque leg of the trip. This is Lord of the Rings country. The remoteness of St Nicholas Station is awe-inspiring — especially discovering Old Nic Cottage, a historic stone house in the heart of a valley. Once the cookhouse for the original homestead, and now an obvious hunting lodge, it’s mind- boggling trying to picture horses and carts hauling everything into this high-country station back in the 1800s.

At over 100,000 acres (40,470ha), Mt Nicholas is the largest station on Lake Wakatipu. The lake isn’t actually seen for miles — until suddenly its northern tip appears over the crest of the last hill. This is the foot of the Southern Alps and the stuff of postcards. The weather honoured that as the glistening water of Lake Wakatipu mirrored the breathtaking beauty of Mt Nicholas, Mt Turnbull and Mt Earnslaw. Their majesty is mesmerising and certainly never seen from Queenstown.

Coasting down the valley — the lake to the left, Eyre mountains on the right — the trail eventually winds into Walter Peak Station, finishing at the tourism farm in time for a wine or cold beer, before boarding the TSS Earnslaw steamship back to Queenstown.

It is a spectacular trip — easy to intermediate grade; but nothing an e-bike can’t handle. Time of year is the only option to consider and can depend on your preference for winter snow, summer sun, spring blossom or autumn colour.

If considering a trip south, make it worth your while with extra days. The historic charm of Arrowtown, with its haunting Chinese village, is particularly colourful in autumn. Hire another e-bike and explore Gibbston Valley. AJ Hackett’s bungy is en route, if you’re really adventurous. Otherwise stick to some cheese and wine at any of the valley’s A-rated vineyards.

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Alternative day trips

Queenstown Trail

Arrowtown to Gibbston Valley

Lake Hayes

Queenstown to Glenorchy

Jack’s Point