Central Otago: Off the rails

Parked up in Naseby.

Tim Lamb turns easy rider for a two-wheeled tour of Central Otago.

There are two categories of people who ride bikes in Central Otago. There is the tight shorts brigade; people who thrive on cycling tens of kilometres in a weekend. We shall call these people The Haves.

Sightings of The Haves have become increasingly common in recent times, thanks to the development of the country's first rail trail - a 150km shingle corridor following an old train route, through the south's historical gold towns, hugely popular with mountain bikers.

Then there are The Have Knots; those who prefer to ride like the wind through the region's picturesque roads on two wheels of motorised luxury.

I was in the latter category. You could me call the ultimate easy rider, kitted out in the obligatory leather jacket. Technically, I suppose, I was the easy back-seat passenger, but let's not be picky.

I was en route to the Maniototo Plain via roads often running adjacent to the rail trail, seated on the back of a Harley Davidson 1450cc Road King.

"People take one look at the area and decide they have to ride through it," says my personal chauffeur Dave Moreton of Central Otago Motorcycle Hire.

"They are just those sorts of roads."

Such has been the impact of the rail trail on visitor numbers, many in the region are piggy-backing on its success by offering just about every possible way to experience Central Otago's awe-inspiring scenery.

For Moreton, a throttle-twister for more than 35 years, that meant big bikes. He and his wife, Janeen, hire out a range of BMWs, Harleys and assorted touring bikes. Most of their customers self-ride through the region, yet there are still those, like me, who want to enjoy the luxury and rock star glamour of a Harley despite not knowing the clutch from the combustion chamber.

And on a bike, as Moreton says, you don't just watch the scenery, you experience it.

Riding west out of Queenstown, we pass a hydro station known as the Roaring Meg which signals our arrival in Central Otago proper. Deciduous trees awaiting an autumn coat of paint decorate the dry hills, before we close in on Clyde, where bare mountains shaped like giant bread loaves sink into the glassy blue waters of the Clutha River.

By the time we reach the fringes of Alexandra all that fresh mountain air has me feeling peckish.

Thankfully, Central Otago cafes and restaurants have well and truly graduated beyond sausage rolls and instant coffee. A combination of Kiwi ingenuity and local ingredients means dining options are unique and rewarding.

A good example is Alexandra's Packing Shed, which offers a chance to sample the region's art as well as food, in an idyllic setting within a stone-fruit's throw of hectares of apricot trees.

From Alexandra we tack northeast to trace the Manuherikia River into big-sky country. Asymmetrically creased velvet mountains line the horizon, while parched sheep eye the Harley through number-eight wire as we roar down the road.

The rail trail has been invaluable in keeping afloat small Central Otago towns such as Ophir, Wedderburn, Oturehua and Ranfurly. They're all home to several historic buildings and houses, and of course, enough pubs to backdrop beer and cheese commercials for a while yet.

From Ranfurly, rail trailers would head south to Middlemarch, but we backtrack to Naseby, where towering larch and pines signal our arrival 2000ft above "worry level", as the town's slogan suggests.

Naseby once bustled with 2000 gold-hungry residents, but when Otago's train tracks bypassed the town for Ranfurly, most of the townsfolk went with them. But modern Naseby locals aren't the sort to cry over missed opportunities and are ensuring the town's hard-luck history is being replaced with a promising future. The country's first iced-luge track is in mid-development, next to Australasia's first dedicated indoor curling rink.

But in spite of all the new development, the yesteryear charm many people associate with Central Otago is still prominent.

Stroll past Naseby's shops and you'll find heritage buildings that evidence the town's once-flourishing history, including a watchmaker's workshop built in the 19th century.

Like elsewhere in Central Otago, Naseby locals have realised that an increase in visitors means more demand for beds, which is why there is now a great assortment of places to doss down.

He Wahi Ra (a place in the sun) provides the Yin to Central Otago's adventure tourism Yang; a boutique two-room property equipped with kitchen and sky-lights - ideal for the area's enviable evenings.

With packages combining accommodation, cuisine and adventure, He Wahi Ra owners Brigid and Warren want guests to have the ultimate chance to taste all Naseby has to offer. This is why the next morning I'm swapping horse power for pedal power to be led through Naseby Forest, where water races and sluiced mountains remain as permanent scars of the gold mining era.

Naseby's return to popularity can almost entirely be attributed to the dedicated local residents - all 120 of them. It was community resources and donations that led to the development of the Maniototo Curling International complex. Although built for locals, it is now proving self-sufficient enough to remain open year-round, aided by curious visitors who keep the turnstiles ticking. After a few ends of sliding, pushing and sweeping a 20kg granite stone I'm among the converted.

Now confident in my curling abilities, I return to He Wahi Ra, where, thankfully, indulgence is never far away. And so it is, I find local restaurateur Jan Rutherford on hand to prepare and serve my dinner.

With such a diverse range of activities on offer, Naseby is sure to make an attractive detour for all those cyclists and motorcycle junkies cruising the rail trail.

IF YOU GO

Getting there: Central Otago is easily accessible from Dunedin or Queenstown. Air New Zealand flies Auckland to Queenstown and Dunedin, Qantas flies from Auckland to Queenstown.

When to go: The best time to visit the area is September and April, unless you want to experience outdoor curling (the country's coldest temperature was -22C record in Ophir).

Don't miss: A visit to the Manitoto Curling Arena, a cold drink at the Danseys Pass Coach Inn and a visit to the most bizarre fashion collection of 1970s designer dresses at Glenshee Park.