John Williamson cycles Cape Reinga to Bluff

John Williamson at the conclusion of his 26-day, 3000km bike tour of New Zealand.

It sounds like a grand tour of old — packing your trusty guidebook into your bag and setting off on an adventure.

And for Te Awamutu cycling enthusiast John Williamson, that is exactly what his trip was — a 26-day adventure following Kennett Brothers Tour Aotearoa Official Guide: Bikepacking Cape Reinga to Bluff.

The guide comes in a North Island and South Island volume and gives advice on everything from tracks and trails to ride, places to stay, where to eat and what to pack.

The books are part of a suite of Kennett Brothers cycle tours of tracks, trails, roads and mountain trails — representing the ultimate challenge to any cyclist.

John says he’s not the first rider from Te Awamutu to take on the challenge, so he’s not claiming any special kudos.

The adventure starts at Cape Reinga. Photos / John Williamson

He did, however, take on the challenge solo and left right when New Zealand was being hit by the Auckland storm and then Cyclone Gabrielle — starting out on January 24.

“I don’t mind riding on my own as I can set my own pace,” he says.

That didn’t mean he was always alone. Cycling mate Ian Parker, also from Te Awamutu, joined him at the beginning and he met lots of people along the way and everyone was helpful and friendly.

John says it was a challenge he had been thinking about for a couple of years, then made the decision to do it about six months prior to leaving.

Looking back to Opononi.

He says he didn’t do any particular training for the ride, as he already covers about 200 kilometres per week.

His one bit of extra work was a two-day return ride to Port Waikato.

He also invested in a new bike that was up to the task, had a good saddle, and gave himself time to ride it in and test all the components.

“It is a gravel bike and it was really reliable,” says John.

He also decided to treat the time as a holiday and not a race.

“Basically I was going to see 27 locations the length of New Zealand,” he says.

“I set a goal of averaging over 100km per day to complete the 3000km within a month.”

The adventure started when John rode to Hamilton and packed his bag and bike onto a bus to Auckland, then onto Paihia.

The first ride was not part of the tour, but John had always wanted to do the Twin Coast Cycle Trail from Kawakawa to Horeke.

Pre Cape Reinga to Bluff trip on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail. Photo/ Ian Parker

He then rode back up the coast to Cape Reinga, at times having to use the main road, which he didn’t particularly enjoy, before starting the tour proper.

John had packed a small tent, sleeping bag and pillow and carried food and water for each day.

Some places had stopping points for food and proper accommodation, at others he would eat his supplies and find a safe and sheltered place off the road to settle in for the night.

The first major challenge came early — eight hours battling the wind and high tide to ride 90 Mile Beach.

“I didn’t pack enough food and had to ration myself to get to the end,” he says.

But he didn’t really see any damage from the first storm until he rode into Auckland, battling a strong easterly.

His route didn’t take him near any of the major destruction, but it was a challenge nonetheless to ride through the city.

“It took me six hours coming in off the Northwestern Motorway and across the city via Onehunga, Mangere and through to Ardmore,” he says.

Storm damage on the Hauraki Plains.

“It was more challenging than riding in the open country.”

The next part of the tour took in the trails across the Hauraki Plains to Matamata, via Miranda, Paeroa and Te Aroha.

“I could see the flooding and when I arrived in Te Aroha it was pouring.”

John treated himself to a motel so he could stay warm and dry.

Storm damage on the Hauraki Plains.

The next day it was still wet and windy, plus the saddle sores had really set in, so he had to push all the way to make Matamata and then on to Arohena.

There he was recognised by local Alfons Te Brake who went past on his farm bike, so John got put up for the night and enjoyed a good meal.

The next day was a hard ride on the hilly back roads and cycle tracks. He crossed the Mangakino Stream via an old swing bridge that was so narrow he had to drag his bike behind him and then headed into the timber trail.

Narrow swing bridge at Mangakino.

Three hours in he pitched his tent and slept in the bush.

That night it rained and John discovered his tent wasn’t waterproof.

He packed up wet and it took five more hours to ride out of the trail to Taumarunui.

On the Waikato River Trail.

He hadn’t packed enough food for that leg either so shouted himself to a big feed of fish ‘n’ chips before carrying on to Owhango, staying at the pub and enjoying a good breakfast before undertaking his biggest ride — 150km to Whanganui.

It was there he could finally properly dry out.

But the ride itself John described as the best day of the trip.

“It was clear and fine and the ride along the river from Raetihi was beautiful.

View down the river on the ride into Whanganui.

“It was a big day, but so much fun.

“I met lots of great people including a local who showed me a great track into the city.

“He was really helpful, even adjusting my brakes so the bike was better to ride.”

The next couple of days were spent riding the trails from Whanganui through Hunterville to Rangiwahia, then down through Palmerston North to Pahiatua — another couple of big days that were memorable.

Heading to the Remutaka Cycle Trail.

One night was spent at a hall, with an honesty box to pay for a bit of cover under the porch, a shower and phone charger.

The next day was a trek to Martinborough where a nice camping ground afforded the luxuries of a cabin, including hot shower and TV.

Centre of the North Island in Pureora Forest Park.

John says there had been a few big climbs over the past few days so it was welcome.

The Rimutaka Trail was well-developed and scenic, taking in five tunnels over about 70km into Upper Hutt.

One of the five tunnels in the Rimutakas.

He then followed the River Trail beside SH2 into the city — pulling in at the Interislander Ferry terminal.

The final North Island leg to Wellington was only 100km, and it was easy rolling country so he could enjoy it to the full.

He had made his ferry booking a day away, and was lucky to get a spot, and also booked a nice room at the Waterloo Hotel, a good location within walking distance of the water and Te Papa.

John had planned to have a day off at Wellington to take in the sights — his first and only rest day after 16 days of riding.

He especially wanted to check out Te Papa for the first time, and says it was well worth it.

He had an afternoon crossing, and picked a great day, with flat seas.

“It was great, I could eat dinner and enjoy the beautiful views of the sounds,” he says.

He arrived at 7pm and settled in for one night at Picton before getting straight back into the bike the next day and heading for Nelson — and straight into a big hill.

Empire Hotel in Ross - a stop for dinner and a beer.

“The ride around the bays was fantastic, but then the climb was from sea level to 750m from Pelorus Bridge over the Mangatapu Track,” says John.

“I had to push the bike uphill as it was too steep to ride.

“Only then did I realise the bike was pretty heavy, weighing 30kg.”

John also took the safe option of walking down the steep and rocky trail as he felt it was too dangerous to ride.

He got into Nelson on a Friday night and couldn’t find any accommodation, so ended up camping in the city.

“It was noisy and I didn’t get much sleep,” he says.

“That was probably the worst day of the trip.”

Gravel track at Mangatapu deemed too dangerous to ride.

Luckily the trails out of Nelson to Tapawera were safe and well-developed, including a 1.4km long tunnel, which was ‘very dark and pretty interesting”.

The town had a Four Square, camping ground, that was full, and pub, where John ended up staying, and was in the middle of hop country so plenty of nice craft beers were on tap to sample.

John says he covered just 70km that day because he was pretty tired from the lack of sleep the night before.

View towards the glaciers at Hasst.

Refreshed, he made up for it over the next few days with a 130km leg to Maruia, 150km to Greymouth and 135km to Ross.

“I was feeling good and wanted to get back on schedule,” he says.

He rode a mixture of tarsealed and metal roads with just a few hills while taking in the sights.

One was Lake Rotoroa, but he says the sandflies were vicious and he was attacked.

The strangest insect phenomena, however, were the bumble bees, which would buzz around his head and even land on him as he rode — but didn’t sting.

One of the highlights was the big downhill section into Reefton — 30km with little effort.

John hasn’t been to Greymouth for 40 years and says it has changed a bit.

He stayed at Noah’s Ark Backpackers and says the focus on tourism meant it was very comfortable.

The trip to Ross was on the West Coast Wilderness Trail — a popular off-road trail that is all good riding.

A cabin was only $25 for a night, so he splashed out on a $30 all-you-can-eat dinner and a few beers.

John says the historic buildings were fascinating.

The trip to Franz Josef was a more friendly 105km — nice easy riding with great views.

“I needed the break to build up my energy for what was coming,” says John.

The next two days to Haast and then Lake Hawea were 145km and 125km with big hills.

“The first day to Haast had three big climbs, but incredible views,” says John.

“Bruce’s Bay was popular and there were even a few in swimming.”

Haast didn’t have much to choose from — but John says the venison burger at the Hard Antler Bar & Restaurant was incredible.

John says he was feeling pretty tired on the route to Lake Hawea.

He followed a good mountain bike track to Lake Wanaka and then a picturesque, but busy tourist road beside the lake, so he had to keep his wits about him.

He stayed at a massive camping ground and enjoyed good food and drinks from food vans for dinner, and a hearty breakfast — necessary for the climb over the Crown Range and into Queenstown.

John says he walked part of the climb — 800m in 40km to a height of 1100m, then a windy, downhill drop of 700m to the off-road tracks behind Arrowtown.

Tobin’s Track was a rough, flat-out downhill ride to the Arrowtown Trail and then he joined the Twin River Trail and followed the signs into Queenstown.

As a reward he shouted himself a nice - read, expensive - hotel, with views of the lake and hills, snacks and breakfast included.

Again feeling refreshed, John boarded the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak to ride the 100km of tracks to Mossburn.

He had a bit of a headwind but had the satisfaction of going up Von Hill and knowing that was his last climb.

Then the wind changed, and with a tailwind he powered through the tussock valley to the Mossburn Railway Hotel for the night.

The Crown Range Summit - the end of one of the hardest climbs.

It was another highlight, with lovely food and great company — and the end was in sight.

For the second to last day John had the road to himself for 105km and only 85m to climb.

He stopped for lunch at Winton and went on back roads through Wallace Town and into Invercargill.

The last day dawned and John had a leisurely round-trip ride to Bluff of just 65km.

It was all off-road and the weather was turning cold, so he was pleased to get to the end, get his photo and take time to celebrate his achievement.

Road beside Lake Wanaka down to Lake Hawea.

“I actually felt quite emotional at Bluff,” says John.

But he also wanted to keep out of the weather, so he headed back to his accommodation for the afternoon as the rain set it.

The next day he rode to the airport and flew home to Hamilton, via Christchurch, where he was picked up by his sister Kate Tangaroa and given a well-deserved ride home.

Looking back John says had ridden the length of New Zealand in 26 days, with one day for rest, and he posted on Facebook it was the best bike-riding holiday ever.

“It felt great when I finished. I felt wonderful.

John Williamson at the conclusion of his 26-day, 3000km bike tour of New Zealand.

“There were challenges with weather and some of the climbs, but the ride went pretty much as planned.”

And he says he’ll probably do it again and recommends the Kennett Brothers guides for anyone looking to do any cycle touring in any part of New Zealand.

Next time he says he’ll take a lighter bike and better saddle sore treatment.