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Published: January 22nd 2008
The trail ahead
From Clyde to MiddlemarchHi Ho Hi Ho...
What do you get for your 75 year old Dad?
Well if you are our family, you drag him 159kms along an disused rail road to sleep under bridges and in 5 foot long (did I mention he's 6 foot 2?) little red sheds in the teeth of a southerly gale.
I think he loved it. I did.
We set off from our respective homes via plane and car to catch a flight from Wellington, to link to a bus from Dunedin, that would drop us off at the rail head in Clyde.
We planned on making our way by foot (dodging the cyclists) to the end of the trail in Middlemarch to catch the trail that would take us back to Dunedin.
We gave ourselves a week. Plenty of time…
Brief History of the Trail
The rail trail opened in February 2000 and is a result of work from the Department of Conservation (DOC) and The Otago Rail Trail Trust.
It’s a great trail and unlike most kiwi tamps is a comfortable walk rather then a stiff and often wet hike through mountainous passes (not that there’s anything
wrong with that too).
DOC isn’t universally loved down here and we noted some pretty disparagement farmer graffiti, the best read:
Welcome to DOC-lands, where good land goes to die.
It is worth noting that much of the trail is maintained by local farmers, and respect of their property particularly at lambing time is appreciated.
While walkers, cyclists and horse riders are welcome, a public reserve and motorised vehicles are not permitted on the trail.
The old rails and sleepers have been removed and the ballast smoothed to form an excellent graded track.
The trail passes through some spectacular scenery not to mention through tunnels, over viaducts, crossing the vast Maniototo plain and through old gold mining towns.
Wherever possible the heritage of the old railway line has been preserved with the retention of viaducts, bridges, and old stations.
For more information, visit:
Central Otago Rail Trail or
Otago Rail Trail. Day 1 - Monday 6 March 2006
Clyde to Alexandra
Left: Clyde at 14:00
Rail marker: Start 222 end 212
Kms walked: 10kms
Arrived: Alexander at 18:15
Weather: Fine with cloudy patches, light winds
Accommodation: Tent by Manuherikia River (Shakey Bridge)
Notes: First
stop, Golf course.
Having spent most of the day traveling to Clyde we were keen to set off and make a start on the trail.
Simple maths demonstrated that we had less the 7 days walking to cover the 159kms - an average of 23kms per day... assuming we made a good start walking on the first day.
If not we would miss the lunchtime train on Sunday from Middlemarch and we would be stuck as there was no trail service during the week at this time of year.
Clyde was a tempting place to stay, at the base of the damn with a mix of old stone buildings and some very respectable restaurants etc.
But the rail trail was calling and so we headed off, making good time past the golf course and on to Alexandra.
Highlights of this part of the trip included the impressive Muttontown Viaduct (one of two wooden trestle bridges on the trail).
The oddly named viaduct records the time when a local sheep owner supplied mutton to a nearby miners’ camp.
We had expected to be able to get a good meal in Alex and then
pitch our tent out of the township for the night...
However at this point in the trail we discovered we had made a fundamental mistake.
Like most kiwi towns and cities, the railway is not a treasured institution and tends to be placed at the very edge of town, with the main township (and its shops) some distance away.
So we ended up skirting the town and finding ourselves out in the open with no chance to stock up.
Never mind, we pitched the tent and while Wal snoozed by the river Hel went back to collect the supplies (including the all important cold beer).
Day 2 - Tuesday 7 March 2006
Alexandra to Omakau
Left: Alex at 08:20
Arrived: Omakau at 18:00
Rail marker: Start 212 end 180
Kms walked: 32kms
Weather: Fog following from Alex
Accommodation: Treehaven overnight Hot water, real beds, (kind host)
Notes: Good view of Dunstan Range.
We set off early and made a big push to get our kms up to a level to overcome the short first day.
The weather was cloudy (which made the going
pleasant) but windy (less pleasant).
We checked out Olrig Gangers’ Shed one of the red corrugated iron railway / gangers’ shed.
These sheds are deliberately mad too short to afford anyway the luxury of stretching out and taking a nap as the old railways didn't want its track crews sleeping on the job...
Later we would discover just how uncomfortable sleeping in a short shed could be.
We made good time to Chatto Creek where we stopped for lunch at the pub (and to mail post cards at the tin shed post office) before working our way up Tiger Hill.
Apparently this is the steepest ascent on the trail (1 in 50 gradient) using horseshoe bends to create a sweeping ‘S’ shape necessary to get trains up the hill.
The benefits of traveling with your own train nut / engineer as travel guide is this kind of quality technical information...
The long afternoon slog was broken by various cyclists passing us, somewhat surprised to see people walking.
One older gent wobbling along on his bike was keen to throw in the wheels and join us as walking was the real way, the
safer way to do it.
His Mrs wasn’t so keen and merrily cycled on ahead.
Don’t let them put you on a bike!
We made it into Omakau at the end of the day and were taken in by a local who took pity on us and gave us a welcome bed for the night (not to mention a home cooked meal).
On discovering that Wal was a civil engineer, our host insisted on taking us out to Ophir Bridge, so he could inspect the structure.
The Daniel O'Connell Bridge, one of New Zealand's first steel girdered bridges / cable suspension bridge, built in 1880.
Swandry on to combat the evening chill we duly set off for the impromptu inspection of the bridge and a tour of the old local gold township.
Day 3 - Wednesday 8 March 2006
Omakau to Ida Station
Left: Up at 07:00 breakfast, toast apricots etc, left 08:00
Arrived: Ida Station at 16:45 Out walked by sheep
Rail marker: Start 180 end 157
Kms walked: 23kms
Weather: Snowfall overnight.
Accommodation: Shed, Parkside B&B, Kate & James Whyter
Notes: Got to Lauder at 0905 everything shut till 11am, Poolburn micro hut at 11:10.
Well rested (despite Wal's snoring) we headed off for
another full days walking... we had thought to make it to around Auripo.
Lauder was closed (not much more then a pub) but we took advantage of the lee side of the building to brew up fresh coffee. Left again after freezing waiting for coffee to boil.
This set us up well for the Poolburn Gorge with its tunnels and stone viaduct ( 37-metre high, the third highest railway viaduct in New Zealand).
Creating this section with picks, shovels, wheelbarrows and horse drawn drays is an impressive feat.
Speaking of feet, by this stage of the trip I had passed on my grease the toes trick to Wal so the pair of us where moving like well oiled machines.
We skipped fishing for trout of the Manuherikia Bridge (the longest and only curved bridge on the trail) bit did engage i a bit of gold dredge remains spotting.
Auripo was basically shut... as we later discovered in the guide book
There’s nothing there save a few railways remnants that remind just how important the Otago Central Railway was to those living in what was once an extremely isolated part of New Zealand.
We ummed and ammed at this stage as we were still a fair distance from Oturehua and we had already done a good days walking.
Compounding matters was the weather coming in, a cold southerly straight from the south pole by the feel of it so we were very keen on getting in out of the weather.
We'd already
passed the Swamp Road Gangers’ Shed but thought it we pushed on we could do better.
So we marched on through the aptly named Blackstone Hill.
Just past the site of the 1901 Ida Valley Rail Station (the original building burned down in 1919) we saw the sign for farm stay accommodation.
We had to get off the trail as the local farmer was bring his mob along the trial (being passed by sheep indicated our walk rate had really slowed down).
After general taciturn southern type talk, we ascertained that the farmer ran the sheep station which offered B&B accommodation.
While they were fully booked, like our kind host in Omakau they were happy to put us up in a shed for the night and throw in a home cooked meal and a bath into the price.
So we gratefully threw our packs onto the back of his trike and set up off the drive.
Day 4 - Thursday 9 March 2006
Ida Station to Ranfurly
Left: Mt Ida at 08:30, passed curling pond (Lake Ida) no water
Arrived: Ranfurly at 18:45
Rail marker: Start 157
end124
Kms walked: 33km
Weather: Locals say temp is -5.
Accommodation: Sleep soundly at art deco hotel by rail station.
Notes: Got to Oturehua at 10:30, Wedderburn 14:30.
The next morning we discovered the Ida Burn Gangers’ Shed a few 100m down the trail.
But with fresh snow on the ranges we were pleased we had found a warmer bed for the night.
The snow hadn't reached the Ida Burn curling lake... nor had any water needed to create the ice. Sometimes it can be a few years between games apparently.
Realising that we'd have to crack 30kms again to keep to schedule.
We rationalised the packs and sent on the tent and some of the heavy items to the Ranfurly Railway Hotel so we could cover the ground with a lighter load.
The only problem was if we didn't make Ranfurly then we would be out in the rain and sleet without the protection of our tent.
We passed by Hayes Engineering (now owned by the Historic Places Trust).
The workshop of Ernest Hayes who in 1905 developed his breakthrough claw and chain fence wire strainer.
Hel thought his wife Hannah who brought up five sons and four daughters in this isolated community deserved a medal.
Still we strode
with purpose, stopping briefly to enjoy the time capsule that is Oturehua.
With morning tea at the pub overlooking the cob constructed Gilchrist’s Store (the countries oldest continuously operating general store) where we had brought our Ginger Kisses.
We made better progress then the old miners at the local Golden Progress Mine and stopped at the top of the hill for lunch with a flock of turkeys (this was the highest point on the trail - 618m above sea level).
Wal pointed out the concrete markers that show where the trail crosses 45 degrees south latitude (as a geographer I'm kinda interested in these things).
Wedderburn was another stopping point, to check feet and have an ice-cream. Apparently Wedderburn had the "dubious honour of being the only highway crossing on the Otago Central Railway requiring half-arm traffic barriers” - a consequence of a high number of train-vehicle accidents, we had more to worry about from wobbly cyclists.
The new cabins at Wedderburn where temping but we were heading another 14kms down the trail to Ranfurly and the art deco pub.
The Maniototo Plains were endless, but pleasant viewing even if the grey clouds coming
in were not.
They call it Big Sky Country around here, but it looked more like Grey Sky to us.
We made it into Ranfurly late in the day and slept soundly.
Thankfully the spate of suspicious fires that destroyed local buildings in the 1930s was well and truly over and these days the town makes the most of its oddly located art deco buildings, including the pub we stayed in (which could do with a less Miami vice paint scheme).
Day 5 - Friday 10 March 2006
Ranfurly to Red Dwarf
Left: Ranfurly at 09:40
Arrived: Set up camp at 17:45
Rail marker: Start 124 end 101
Kms walked: 23km
Weather: Strong winds, gusting but mainly behind us. Black clouds most of day but only spits.
Accommodation: Red shed, Red Dwarf
Notes: Waipiata (116 - 11:40) coffee & mudpie. Made Daisybank (103) sign says 38 to Middlemarch.
Off again early and now that we have caught up we can settle into a more sedate pace and km target.
We make it to Waipiata in time for lunch and warm ourselves beside the welcoming fire at the pub.
Apparently the 1920 Waipita Station was (like the National Park
Chateau) tuberculosis sanatorium, it’s now a religious retreat.
After lunch we were back into the wind and past Kokonga and what was once the Taieri Lake (no sign of the Taieri Pet - a cloud formation) and where they got the stone to build the Dunedin Railway station.
Blink and you’d miss it - and nearby Tiroiti with its remains of points and track.
Searched for campsite at Daisybank at the start of the Upper Taieri Gorge. Eventually lucked out with old railway service hut Red Dwarf.
Just in time as it rained and hailed most of the night.
The guide book promised a sunny valley with bubbling creek, but only found windy gorge.
Wild German also camping.
Wal with signs of shin splints.
Day 6 - Saturday 11 March 2006
Red Dwarf to Last Camp
Left: Made coffee 07:00, Broke camp 07:40
Arrived: Set up camp at 17:45
Rail marker: Start 101 end 76
Kms walked: 25kms
Weather: Strong winds gusts, limited rain.
Accommodation: Tent, camped under bridge past Rock and Pillar station
Notes: Passed 17 cyclists heading for. 27km to Middlemarch?
In the morning we crossed the historic Cap Burn railway bridge
(covered) in frost and the Prices Creek Railway Viaduct (32m high) and through the Prices Creek tunnel (152m long).
Caught up with Timaru couple (on bikes doing it twice) again, using their camper van as a base for their trip.
We just knew you would have slept in that shed!
Made it into Hyde in time for a decent cup of coffee (10:10) - great cafe.
Another 2kms on the Hyde Station (now privately owned), oddly sited away from the township as it was:
The only area of flat land suitably large enough to build a station building, engine shed, sidings and turntable.
An old wooden water tank and other bits are on show here - along with a trespassers sign.
Another 2km on is where one of the countries worst train disaster happened.
On the 4th of June 1943 the Cromwell to Dunedin Express failed to take a bend, 21 of the 113 passengers on board lost their lives.
A stone pyramid marker provides a memorial for the disaster.
We soberly followed the trail through the foothills of the Rock and Pillar Range past not one but four gangers’ sheds, erected to provide shelter from the elements that in the Strath Taieri that we found can be extreme, particularly winds.
This was born out by the Ngapuna Station which was tied down to avoid being blown away.
We opted for a camp site under a bridge for our final
camp site.
The plan was to strike out early in the morning to meet the train.
Day 7 - Sunday 12 March 2006
Last Camp to Middlemarch
Left: Up early 06:00 after very windy night. Still windy Started 0715t 07:00
Arrived: Middlemarch at 10:15. Everything shut.
Rail marker: Start 76 end 63
Kms walked: 13kms
Weather: Snow on hill tops, Strong headwind.
Notes: Train due to leave 1pm
After a very windy night we were up early.
The flapping tent meant we couldn't sleep anyway so with head torches on we set off like a double engine loco down the trail - straight into a mob of sheep.
We whipped down the last 13km in record time despite head wind.
Still found time to manage a flash shot to memorialise Wal's 75th birthday by the appropriate marker and arrived in Middlemarch with plenty of time to catch the train...
So much time that we had several cups of coffee. Brewing up “coffee-o-lay” in the old goods shed using discarded loco as kitchen bench.
Wal managed to score a sausage from the women setting up her stall in anticipation of the train’s arrival. As
a vegetarian, Hel had to settle for toast.
Middlemarch to Dunedin
We took the train through the Tairi Gorge back to Dunedin. A great trip in itself.
Stopping to admire a dog along the way, and leaning off the platform to take pictures of viaducts we weren't allowed to walk over.
Before getting back to urbanisation and catching respective transportation home.
A walk well done.
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Philip Cade
non-member comment
Good tips
Hi, What a fantastic trip you had thankyou for sharing your tips and comments. We found your report interesting and plan to to do something similar in March 2011. Phil