Select Island swapping: A Kiwi couple’s South Island OE—Part 2

When Catherine and Hugh Wakelin decided on a midlife gap year centred around travel, they chose a New Zealand OE instead of venturing offshore. The couple sold their Waikato home and moved to Te Anau to immerse themselves in South Island opportunities. Catherine tells us all about it.

In the last edition of Motorhomes, Caravans & Destinations, I waxed lyrical about the multi-day hikes my husband Hugh and I tackled (and survived), but there’s another famous activity to do in Otago and Southland – bike riding.

Yes, we bought e-bikes. Good ones. And before you mutter something about ‘real cycling’, let me say this: if it weren’t for those magical machines, we wouldn’t have ridden a single trail. Not one. Nada. Zip.

E-bikes are the great equaliser – they take the weather out of play (we successfully rode the Otago Rail Trail in gale force winds), they take mountains out of play (mostly), and you can cover big distances in fewer days. This is the reason we’re smiling in our bike trail photos, even the ones at the top of the climbs.

Everyone knows about the Otago Rail Trail. We did this one before moving south and it is a good beginner trail with no mountains, a good track, and plenty of great food options along the way. So let me move onto other trails.

Alps to Ocean (6 days)

My personal favourite ride. We went with six friends (plus one heroic driver/sherpa who dropped us off each morning and picked us up each afternoon). Because we had the driver, we stayed in Twizel for the first four nights at my cousin’s holiday home, and then in Oamaru for the final two.

The ride starts at Aoraki Mt Cook Village and travels 306kms through to Oamaru on the east coast. A few highlights, beside the stunning scenery, are the helicopter ride with your bike over the Tasman River, the summit climb of 900m between Lake Ohau Lodge and Omarama, the Otematata Saddle (my personal biking Everest), biking around beautiful Lake Benmore, and finally biking out on the wharf at Oamaru. I choked up with tears at the end; Hugh and I felt like champions. Champions with sore butts, but champions, nonetheless.

Lake to Lake (day trip)

The trip from Lake Te Anau to Lake Manapouri follows the Waiau river, a river that is deep and beautiful. This is one of the The Lord of the Rings filming locations. The Waiau River represented the River Anduin as the Fellowship paddled south from Lothlórien.  It is a 28km bike trail one way, but there is always the option of having lunch and a drink at Manapouri before heading back. There are plenty of places to stop along this track. It’s a day trip that delivers – riverside serenity, lakeside lounging, and all while exercising. Don’t forget to stop off at the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary to see the takahē and other birdlife.

Frankton to Queenstown (day ride)

There are plenty of rides to choose from around Queenstown, but we had our car in for a service in Frankton (where the Queenstown airport is) so decided to ride into Queenstown and have lunch (always a good idea). This ride is super cruisy and hugs the lake, which was a bit of nostalgia for me as I used to walk it as a kid on my summer holidays.

Dunstan Lake (day trip)

This is one of the newer rides that includes seriously cool boardwalks that cling to the cliffs over the lake running between Cromwell and Clyde. There are a few gnarly climbs, but with our e-bikes it was a piece of cake. The ride is 42kms one way. You can leave your car in Cromwell and catch a bike taxi back from Clyde (we used Bike It Now). My tip: Cromwell to Clyde is the easier direction as there is more downhill. However, if you ride the other way, you can reward yourself with a stop at Carrick Winery. Because nothing says “I conquered a climb” like sipping Pinot Noir in your bike shorts. (If you’re organised book ahead to secure yourself a private cabana with views across Bannockburn).

Dunstan Lake/Roxburgh Gorge and Clyde Gold Trail (4-5 days)

We repeated the Dunstan experience, this time with my sister and brother-in-law, following right through to Lake Waihola four days later (near Dunedin), a total of around 220kms. We did the entire trip over five days but could have easily completed it in four. The Roxburgh section includes a jet boat ride thanks to Clutha River Cruises. As well as offering a completely different view of the surrounding terrain, our boat driver was extremely knowledgeable around gold mining and geology in the area. It was definitely worth the cost of the trip.

I also recommend a stay at Mata-Au Lodge in Beaumont. This beautiful large and modern lodge can sleep up to 10 adults, so can be shared with others. It can be booked for groups or sole use. We were there by ourselves and everyone had their own bathroom, as well as being able to enjoy a spa pool overlooking Clutha River. The owners are not on site, but can provide you food for breakfast, and a barbecue dinner. There’s also a sauna on site to soak away any sore muscles from a day of cycling.

My Wairaurahiri River tips:

• Wear warm clothing and then add extra layers. The temperature drops quickly on the lake and river.
• If possible, book for a Friday. On the return drive you can stop at the well-known Brunel Peaks Cafe for their standout fish and chips. Even the small portion is a challenge to finish.
• If you have the time do the full day you should, as it allows you to see much more than the lake and river.
• As usual, take your phone or camera as there are plenty of moments you’ll want to capture and look back on later.

My top biking tips:

• Buy an e-bike, unless you are super bike fit.
• Learn how to fix a puncture. We were lucky and never had to, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
• Get the comfiest seat option and wear padded shorts (although you’ll have a sore rear end by day five no matter what).
• Have your phone in easy reach. I purchased shorts which could also hold my phone, so it was easy to stop and take photos along the way.
• Stop to enjoy the southern hospitality – there is none like it in New Zealand, and it usually comes with a pie.

5 other Southland adventures

Stewart Island

One of the reasons we wanted to live in Fiordland was for the opportunity to look at the weather forecast and plan adventures accordingly. Flying in and out of Stewart Island on two incredibly beautiful calm days in the six-seater plane was brilliant. Apparently, the real experience is when the plane lands sideways in a cross- wind. I was glad we opted for the gentler experience.

Our first night was spent in the iconic South Sea Hotel, which gave us a taste of their legendary fish and chips. We hired a car to explore the island’s winding roads – though ‘explore’ quickly turned into ‘evacuate’ when the engine caught fire. Yes, really. Smoke, panic, and a heroic local with a bucket of water.

During our first day, we walked around Horseshoe Point, a well-formed track with secluded beaches and great views. We also walked out to Ackers Point where you can see one of New Zealand’s oldest stone buildings, built by Lewis Acker in 1835. We cruised the coastline by boat on a tour, but the true treasure of the whole trip was Ulva Island, a predator-free sanctuary just off the coast.

We devoted an entire day to exploring its trails. Although we occasionally passed small, guided groups, for us the experience was far richer when explored independently with no time constraints.

The soundscape alone was unforgettable. It was a symphony of over 30 species of birds including tūī, kākā, and bellbirds. The density of birdlife is a reminder of what New Zealand’s forests once sounded like.

Visiting in late February meant arriving at the height of sealion mating season. On one beach, a massive bull lounged while two females danced through the surf, weaving and splashing in an attempt to catch his attention. It was an unfiltered glimpse into the rhythms of the natural world.

My Stewart Island tips:

• The plane was great, but apparently the ferry over is much better than it was in the past. It is a catamaran now so is smoother in the ocean.
• We ate at the pub and both the atmosphere and food were very good.
• Bring a piece of red cellophane to put over your torch to help look for Kiwi at night, as they are all over town.
• We looked into the island’s Great Walk, the Rakiura Track, but the track was very muddy at the time, so we didn’t end up doing it.
• Don’t bother with a tour of Ulva Island (just our opinion). We spent a lot more time there than the tours. We bought the little tour book available on the Island and walked around ourselves.
• There are water taxis that take you over anytime you want.