New Zealand Holiday - Week 10 - Alexandra, Clyde, Twizel, Mt. Cook, Lake Ohau and Lake Tekapo - 29th May to 4th April

 Easter in Otago.

Alexandra

Alexandra is a notable cycling hub, situated on the Otago Rail Trail, one of New Zealand's iconic bike trails.

Alexandra is a pleasant town of a decent size. It's less touristy compared to other nearby towns, giving it more of a homely feel.

Our motel in Cromwell had warned us about a potential bike shortage during Easter, so we reserved in advance and managed to pick up the last two bikes at the rental shop. We collected them on Good Friday and returned them on Easter Sunday.

On the Otago Rail Trail to Clyde

True to its name, the Otago Rail Trail follows the old railway line, meaning it's pretty flat. We hopped on the trail at the abandoned Alexandra Station, not far from our AL Motel. Our ride took us to Clyde, a quaint little town nestled on the banks of the River Clutha, where we planned to stop for lunch. The trail wound through pastoral farmland and past vineyards. Although there was a coffee stop near Alexandra Station, we sped past. Clyde's layout is spread out, with broad streets lined with bungalows. We ended up getting lost and had to use the Sat Nav to find our way. Eventually, we discovered the Old Post Office off the main street and stopped there for lunch. There were other cyclists there as well. Interestingly, Kiwi cyclists seem quite casual about security, rarely locking their bikes. That's a concept TW just can't grasp, so we made sure our bikes were always locked up tight.

Our route home was on the other side of the Clutha River. We crossed over on a very old road bridge and had an interesting ride through woods alongside the Clutha. It was a more technical ride and the occasional cyclist coming in the other direction was something of a threat.

The old Post Office

Saddling up at the Old Post Office

Keeping wicket

Jetboat on The Clutha

On the Otago Rail Trail to Chatto Creek

On the second day of our cycling extravaganza, we ventured in the opposite direction along the Rail Trail towards a Country Pub at Chatto Creek. This time, there was no circular route—just a ride up to the pub for lunch, followed by the pedal home. The countryside appeared more wild and empty, with everything seeming tinder-dry. Happily it wasn't dry at the pub. We chatted to a retired Farmer who'd moved to Otago from Geraldine. We learned a lot from him. He told us it was a very hot area in Summer, if you have a job to do you get up early. He was a keen hunter. His wife was away for the weekend, playing bowls. We asked if he played, nah couldn't take the excitement.

Alexandra - Off to the pub at Chatto Creek

The dunny - not in use happily 

Chatto Creek

A look inside at Chatto Creek

Remember the original from National Geographic

Nice Hippo

A kiwi farm on the trail 

Happy Cyclist

Bella's in Alexandra

We very much enjoyed our stay in Alexandra. Our AL Parkview Motel owner was a keen cyclist and his garage was well set up for bike charging and storage. We did not have time, or the budget, to check out the local Restaurants in the evening. We had intended to revisit Monteiths on the other side of Pioneer Park where we had a good Dinner on our last visit 12 years ago. Hiring e-bikes anywhere is expensive and NZ is no exception. It costs around $100 NZ per day for each bike.

Over the Burkes Pass to Twizel

Lake Pukaki - a Himalayan Tahir

Three Nights in Twizel

The area boasts three large lakes: Pukaki, Tekapo, and Ohau, all formed by retreating glaciers. Our base, Twizel, was ideal. Originally constructed to house workers for the major hydroelectric projects, Twizel was planned for demolition. However, people chose to remain, and it has since grown into a substantial community. We rented a lovely property for our stay, and resolved to explore all three lakes before continuing northward.

Lake Pukaki

Mount Cook.

The journey from Twizel to The Hermitage Mt Cook Village is quite direct, with no difficult winding roads to navigate. We discovered a pleasant coffee stop at the Glentanner Park Centre on the way. It's a Helicopter base and Holiday Park. 

At the Tourist Office near the Hermitage, we purchased a map and the helpful lady gave us some trail recommendations. We embarked on the Hooker Valley track starting from the White Horse Hill Campground and also the Tasman Glacier Walk from the Tasman Glacier Car Park. Both treks were definitely worth the effort. Lunch at the Hermitage was acceptable; the place has grown considerably since my last visit, and although the self-service cafeteria was bustling with coach parties, it was OK.

It was starting to get dark by the time we left Mt. Cook so TW suggested star-gazing. It was a clear night and obviously clean air so we had a good sighting of the Milk Way from a Car Park by Lake Pukaki. It was a very tired pair of tourists that arrived back to our Twizel home.

Walking at Mt. Cook

Mt Cook and Lake Pukaki

Mount Cook

Caution - climbing mountains can be dangerous

Lake Ohau

Lake Ohau

Lake Ohau, often overlooked, is the most pristine of the three lakes. Despite the weather not being ideal, our visit was very enjoyable. Lunch at Ohau Lodge was a delight. Ohau is on the The Alps to Ocean cycle ride. It is a fascinating journey that begins at either Tekapo or Mount Cook and concludes on the East Coast in Oamaru. There are organized tours that transport your luggage and assist those who need help cycling over the steep pass out of the Ohau valley. Talking with several cyclists, it was clear they were thoroughly enjoying the experience. Ohau Lodge featured on their itinerary and did not disappoint; it was the perfect Kiwi hotel experience.

Lake Ohau

View from Ohau Lodge

Lake Tekapo

Lake Tekapo Observatory

We had visited Tekapo previously. It has now become even more a tourist hotspot, and the accommodation prices are exorbitant! Thus, ours was merely a brief visit on the way to Geraldine. The lake itself remains as beautiful as ever. It's a bit more picturesque with snow-capped mountains in Spring, but we enjoyed a delightful sunny day for a lakeside picnic and a trip to the St. John's Observatory. Previously, we had hiked up, but this time we took our little car up the steep toll road. The views from up there are breathtaking.

Lake Tekapo

Great Motto

Walking by Lake Tekapo

Observing at St. Johns

Telescopic view

Tekapo town from St. Johns Observatory

From our vantage point, we could see the clouds cascading over the mountaintop, and as expected, as soon as we climbed from Tekapo towards Geraldine, we encountered rain. Sadly, Geraldine was chilly and rainy. We paused at Barkers in Geraldine for a drink before heading to our motel. After all the splendid weather we had enjoyed, it was disheartening to sense it drawing to a close.

Geraldine - Barkers Food Store