A regular rural ramble
Date: 13 Feb 2024
An uplifting start today thanks to the Durie Hill Elevator, then a pleasant sealed route across to Hunterville – a bit narrow in parts, but quiet. There’s an overall climb but it’s mostly very gentle; there are big rural vistas, and at a convenient distance for a lunch break, the lovely Sutherland’s Puriri Reserve. A short bush walk here takes you past some very tall impressive podocarps and old Maori food-storage pits.
The Station Hotel in Hunterville has four bike-packer rooms out the back, good food, two kittens to play with, and trains going past all night, reassuring us that the railway network is being fully used.
We met up again with Simon and Marg, last seen in Pipiriki, who are doing the proper Tour Aotearoa, slowly in short days, also on on e-bikes. They did the South island last year so their blog is full of useful tips for us for the next month.
Supplies: Taylors General Store (looks like a service station but it’s like a Tardis). Liquor store out the back in case the pub runs out of beer.
Accommodation: Station Hotel Hunterville
These videos are best viewed on a computer screen. Turning your phone sideways helps.
Max elevation: 306 m
Min elevation: 2 m
Total climbing: 983 m
Total descent: -734 m
Total time: 05:28:14
Battery use: 55% | 495Wh