New Zealand serves up a rich offering of travel opportunities. Whether you’re an overseas or local tourist, among the key enticements are our majestic landscapes, an insatiable appetite for authenticity, incredibly scenic cycle trails, and, of course, that warm Kiwi hospitality.
Neatly tying all of this together is the continued rise in popularity of cycle tours, and the newest travel must-do is experiencing a unique spin on the traditional cycling experience – something that checks all the boxes for adventurers of all ages (and fitness levels).
Hosted tours are the new hot ticket offering, with themed trips having expanded from vineyard visits and cultural journeys to excursions encompassing a ‘personality’ host and embracing everything from cooking lessons to visiting artists in their homes.
Alps 2 Ocean is well established as one of the most stunning cycle trails for experiencing the full splendour of New Zealand. Spanning 361km in total from the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean, there’s good reason it’s one of New Zealand’s truly great rides. The trail is broken into nine sections, and enthusiasts often return to discover fresh highlights depending on the season and time of year.
A flavourful touch
One of the new tours recently put together by Adventure South NZ combines a unique culinary experience alongside the opportunity to spend time with high country artists and artisans, all while staying in historic homesteads and traversing the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail along the way.
Hosted by well-known foodie and author Philippa Cameron from the Ōtemātātā Station (in the Waitaki Valley of the South Island), participants are invited to eat, taste, and e-bike the spectacular A2O trails while meeting local growers and producers.
The six-day tour includes stargazing across world-renowned night skies, visiting Whitestone Cheesemakers, lunch at the iconic Riverstone Kitchen, and staying in accommodation the likes of Braemar Station, Waikato Braids Lodge, and historic Burnside Homestead.
Behind the scenes
Although high-country farmer Philippa describes herself as a station cook, her CV is, in fact, far more diverse. Husband Joe is the fifth generation of the Cameron family to tend, nurture, and farm Ōtemātātā Station, and the couple continue the legacy, raising their daughters Flora and Evelyn on the majestic 40,000-hectare property.
“Being the cook and bringing staff together for smoko or a meal is one of the most important and rewarding roles on a farm,” she shares.
Juggling life as station cook for hungry shepherds is just part of Philippa’s busy lifestyle. As well as clocking up hundreds of kilometres each week on school and sports runs, she’s also renowned for her hearty recipes and hacks for living a sustainable life, which she shares on her popular Instagram page (philippacameron_whatsforsmoko).
“I started the account after reading some online comments directed at a farmer’s wife, looking for ideas of what to feed staff for lunch. The comments varied from supportive ideas to feminist remarks about telling her to ‘tell them to make their own lunch’.
“It made me realise that not only do some people not realise that a cook on a station or farm is an actual vocation, but there’s a lack of understanding of what that role entails. So, I decided to create a place where I could share ideas for women cooking on farms but also advocate the importance of our role.
“It may just be a cup of coffee and a sandwich, but what it really is, is a chance for people to catch up, share, ask questions, and laugh about any misfortunes that may have occurred in the day. If there wasn’t an occasion to stop and have that cuppa, then there wouldn’t be a chance to build relationships and morale.”
Formerly a teacher, while Joe was a commercial pilot, the couple officially took over Ōtemātātā Station in 2017.
Philippa has also since released two books. Her first, A High Country Life: Tales and Recipes from a New Zealand Sheep Station is evocative and beautifully illustrated and dedicated to ‘generations of ladies in the kitchen, the backbone of rural New Zealand’.
Her second book, Winter Warmers, combines mouthwatering recipes with generous insights into high-country life, including heartfelt and humorous tales from staff and family.
Philippa’s approachable recipes frequently celebrate the nostalgia of flavours and treats many of us have grown up with (cheese scones, cinnamon scrolls, bacon and egg pies. lemon loaf, etc.) and are often unashamedly rustic and quick to prepare – ideal for farmers or anyone with a busy lifestyle. The recipes are also perfect for RV travellers, as they’re refreshingly undemanding in terms of specialised ingredients (for example, a two-ingredient pizza dough – simply flour and beer).
Food, wine, and art
This genuine love of sharing flavoursome recipes and celebrating New Zealand ingredients is perfectly aligned with the upcoming Taste of the Alps to Ocean Trip, with Adventure South NZ. As well as being able to share her passion for the local landscapes, it’s also a rare opportunity to showcase the best of the area from food, art, wine, and tourism. Day four of the trip skirts the Otemātātā Station, although that morning’s smoko will be supplied by Karen at the Hungry Hydro, a place where Philippa is a regular visitor. From her coffee window, Karen is the eyes and ears of Otemātātā, filled with knowledge of the past dam town and what draws the present residents.
Fully guided and supported, the tour includes learning how salmon is filleted by award-winning professionals at High Country Salmon, tasting boutique brews and wines, and getting to know the home-grown secrets behind some of the best chutneys, preserves, and cheese makers in the region.
In the unlikely occurrence of significant downtime on the trip, participants can also turn to Philippa for insights into everything from upcycling furniture (she has repurposed plenty of pieces found in Station cottages) to knitting. Inspired by Waitiki Valley’s flock of fine black merinos, ‘Out-Cast’ knitting yarn is another thread of the Ōtemātātā Station, which Phillipa is particularly passionate about. The merino back is blended with premium white merino for a 100% natural colour, which is grown at the Station, scoured in Timaru, and spun in Napier, making for a wholly New Zealand-grown traceable and sustainable product.
