• HOME
  • Latest News
  • North Island New Zealand
    • Northland
    • Auckland Region
    • Waikato and Bay of Plenty
    • Coromandel
    • Central North Island
    • East Coast
    • Hawkes Bay
    • Taranaki
    • Wellington Region
  • South Island
    • Nelson and Golden Bay
    • Picton and Marlborough Sounds
    • Kaikoura
    • Christchurch and Canterbury
    • The West Coast
    • Otago, Southland
    • Queenstown and Wanaka
  • Women Travel the World
  • Map of Stories

Women Travel NZ

Accommodation, Tours and Stories for women travellers in New Zealand.

womentravelannimated banner

  • Accommodation
    • Accommodation for Women in NZ
    • Wwoofing and Work Exchange
  • Retreats
  • NZ Tour Companies
  • NZ Tours for Women
  • Overseas Tours for Women
  • About Us
    • Resources for Women Travel NZ Businesses
    • Write for WTNZ Blog
    • List with Women Travel
  • Women Travel Links
    • New Zealand links
    • Women Travel links and info
    • New Zealand Travel Writing
  • Insurance
You are here: Home / NZ Highlights / Ranfurly – the Centre of the Otago Rail Trail

Ranfurly – the Centre of the Otago Rail Trail

August 24, 2012 by rosemary Leave a Comment

Ranfurly is one of the larger villages in Central Otago.  Once the gold boom slowed down in Naseby and the rail came through, Ranfurly soon became the main centre of the area. there is an excellent information centre (at the old Railway station) and amazing A’Deco buildings, and of course a pub! 

It will be our base for exploring Central Otago – staying at Hawkdun Lodge and cycling the Otago Rail Trail.

Hawkdun Lodge in Ranfurly is a perfect place to base ourselves – it has been purpose built for those on the ORT. Comfortable, warm and spacious rooms, a great continental breakfast to start the day, and a spa pool to ease those tired muscles after a day’s riding.

Richard is the ideal host – knows lots about the local area, and always seemed to appear magically whenever we needed him. We are there for our three nights, which is great – we don’t have to keep unpacking. Better still we can walk to the Ranfurly Hotel.

Hire your bikes here in Ranfurly and you can do the Rail Trail from here – via shuttles and support vehicles. You don’t have to move every night.

The Otago Rail Trail in Winter

Today’s the day – we have all packed our winter woollies for our winter ride on the Otago Rail Trail. We walk down to Ranfurly Bike Hire  where we are measured up for our bikes by owner Dick, while being watched carefully by his Chiahuaha Echo.

We are going to do the Lauder to Oturehua stretch of the ORT – 23 kms long, this is one of the most spectacular sections of the Rail Trail, including crossing the Manuherikia River on the trail’s longest bridge, then passing through the Poolburn Gorge, keeping an eye out for the rare New Zealand Falcon. The track takes us through two tunnels and cross the 37m high Poolburn viaduct and on to the Ida Valley and the famous Idaburn Dam where the famous Bonspiel – outdoor curling competition is held when the weather is SERIOUSLY cold.

When Dick dropped us and the bikes off at Lauder, he told us if we are not in Oturehua in 3 hours, he will come looking for us, which is a comfort. As the ORT crosses the main roads every hour or so, there is always a chance we can be rescued if we find the going to tough. After 30 minutes I put my seat up which makes a great difference. Despite no training, the cycling is not hard, though regular short stops seems to work well for me. Each time back on the bike, there is a new surge of energy.

After the 23 kms, we all decide against embarking on another section of the trail. We decide to head back to Hawkdun Lodge for a spa and refresh before heading up to Naseby for dinner.

The Top Pub in Naseby is also called The Ancient Briton. At the height of the gold rush there used to be dozens of pubs here in Naseby, now there are only two. After a hearty dinner we are off a Curling lesson on the Naseby Indoor Curling Rink.

[Show picture list]
img_0430
img_0432
img_0433
img_0436
img_0437
img_0438
img_0439
img_1133
img_1135
img_1139
img_1140
img_1141
img_1144
img_1145
img_1146
img_1147
img_1148
img_1149
img_1150
img_1151
img_1152

More Central Otago Articles

[catlist id=52 numberposts=10]

 

Filed Under: NZ Highlights, Otago, Southland, Rosemary Neave, South Island Tagged With: Central Otago, Otago Rail Trail, Otago Rail Trail 2012

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

KEEP IN TOUCH

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
newsletter-signup-300x101

Kia Ora Women Travellers

Offering women travellers a warm kiwi welcome plus lots of local colour through the stories women have shared here.

  1. Accommodation especially for women travelers
  2. Tours for Women in NZ and around the World
  3. Retreats for Women in NZ and around the World

Visit our Women Travel the World Blog

Visit our Women Travel the World listings of Accommodation Tours and Retreats

Women Travel the World on Twitter

One of the great trips on our Women Travel Tour Calendar womentravel.info/eve… facebook.com/womentr…

Laos - Cuba and Southern Ethiopia - 3 great new trips with Venus Adventures for women mailchi.mp/07628448a…' title='https://mailchi.mp/07628448a538/spain-morocco-ethiopia-1300881?e=4007aa5890' target="_blank" class='rtw_url_link'>mailchi.mp/07628448a… mailchi.mp/07628448a…' title='https://mailchi.mp/07628448a538/spain-morocco-ethiopia-1300881?e=4007aa5890' target="_blank" class='rtw_url_link'>mailchi.mp/07628448a…

Whatever your destination, Women Travel Tour Calendar has a tour for you - here are the ones just for Bali womentravel.info/eve…' title='https://www.womentravel.info/events.php?f_zone_id=6&f_country_id=64' target="_blank" class='rtw_url_link'>womentravel.info/eve… womentravel.info/eve…' title='https://www.womentravel.info/events.php?f_zone_id=6&f_country_id=64' target="_blank" class='rtw_url_link'>womentravel.info/eve…

Follow @gowomentravel

More stories here…

Book online and Support us

Jet Lag Fix - world's no 1 jetlag remedyNew Zealand Bus Pass - Bus Tour

header_logo_nomads

Rhinocarhire 234x60 Ban3

Can’t Find Accommodation Above?

Wotif link to accommodation

hostelz-com

Compare and Book

Tags

Abel Tasman Park Accommodation Akaroa auckland Auckland accommodation Auckland day tour Banks Peninsula Banks Peninsula Track Bay of Islands Birdwatching campervan hire Central Otago Christchurch Christchurch day trips cycling Devonport Food and Wine Hokianga hot pools kayaking Lesbian Maori tours Nelson Northland Off the beaten track Otago Rail Trail Otago Rail Trail 2012 Piha Queenstown Rarotonga Retreats Road trips Sea kayaking Taranaki te wahi ora The Gables tramping Turangi Venus Adventures Waikato and Bay of Plenty Waitomo Caves West Coast of Auckland Whangarei Whangarei Heads Womens Adventures NZ

Twitter - Women Travel NZ

Women Travel NZ Blog

Rosemary Neave
PO Box 17727 Sumner Christchurch 8840
New Zealand

Phone +64 27 289 0383
Email Rosemary

Women Travel the World

Accommodation and Tours for Women in New Zealand around the World

Women Travel the World Blog

Stories from Women Travelers

Web2Blog:

Would you like a website like this?
You can have one! Contact Rosemary.

Copyright © 2018 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in