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Driving down to start the Railtrail. For a good suggestion, READ ON !

Increasingly we have people driving to Central to start the Railtrail. A good TIP for those people is for you to drive to Middlemarch and leave your car with us for either secure inside or outside storage. Catch our bus that day to Clyde where you stay the night and then start the trail the next morning, cycling back to your car. This way you don't have to wait for the bus to take you back to Clyde. As most people will finish around lunch time, if they do 4 days on the trail, you will effectively be 5 hours earlier on the road home or to your next destination. Contact our team for more information. CLICK HERE

Hedgehog Bikes

Trail Journeys are pleased to supply display material for a promotion in Hedgehog Bikes Botany store. The display featured the Giant Bikes that Trail Journeys use on the Railtrail and created at lot of interest in the store. Click here to view the display

Bookings on Railtrail under pressure for March and April

Please don't book airfares prior to getting your accommodation sorted on the trail. We are increasingly finding people are expecting that accommodation will be available and are booking airfares prior to booking accommodation. This not only leads to disapointment, but also loss of money on airfares. Please contact us for information on availability, we will only be to pleased to help.

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Ride the Trail - Day 1

Clyde to Omakau 36km

Day one starts just outside the township of Clyde at the Rail Trail trailhead. From there you will cycle past vineyards and over an old wooden trestle bridge on the ride to Alexandra. From Alexanda to Chatto Creek you will twice crossover bridges on the Manuherikia River before you reach the Chatto Creek tavern, an historic stone built tavern at the base of Tiger Hill. Make sure you stop for a break here. Your host Lesley and her team specialise in catering to hungry riders with delicious well priced lunches. After this you will cycle up Tiger Hill, an easy gradient of 1 in 50 and the biggest hill on the whole Trail. From the top of Tiger Hill it is all down hill to your over night accommodation in Omakau.

Sites of significant interest are the Daniel O’Connor Suspension Bridge and the Ophir Post Office located in the nearby old gold mining town of Ophir (5 minutes by bike from Omakau).

Accomodation in and around Omakau is available at a range of establishments from camping to bed and breakfast.