Length of the South - Intro

The length of the South Island with as little asphalt as practicable.

The idea developed during the course of 2014 after it became apparent that I couldn't make the Kiwi Brevet. There's a number of South Island routes I've been itching to do and I figured you could line a bunch of them up. This turned into a ‘Length of the South’ mission with the exception that although the proposed starting point (Slope Point) is the most southernmost (and has the advantage of not being Bluff), the northernmost point is at the base of Farewell Spit - but D’Urville Island was just more appealing.

The plan was to do it brevet style but it was also supposed to be a holiday so the normal conventions were softened somewhat (which would have no outside help and reliance on only what is available to anyone on the way or carried; example here).

So … I was to be self-sufficient but could stay at motels, stop at shops etc - as with a brevet. However, I may be prepared to sleep under a bridge but Sally isn't, so provided I get to a place where I could get accommodation it's OK to be ferried somewhere up to Sally’s exacting standards (toilet, shower, walls, roof – that sort of thing) thus allowing Sally to make bookings and not leave things to chance.  Other rule bends involved the odd water drop on the Cant’y plains and some spares and tools in the car.

By way of an overview of what’s coming … the short version is:

Started at Slope Point at 0615 hrs on Tuesday 6 January 2015 finally reaching Cape Stephens at 1635 hrs on Wednesday 14 January. By the numbers:

• 9 days
• 1,340km (plus 35 hilly km to get back to the boat)
• 4 official cycle trails
• 2 offs
• 2 stuffed tyres, 1 collapsed forks
• 2 boats, 2 islands
• 1 night under a tree.

The following posts string this out with photos and hopefully enough details and links for anyone thinking of doing parts of the ride (including dep/arv times to give an idea how long a section may take).  Unfortunately you will have to wade through interminable carping about the heat which I found a little tough at times.

At the end there are some ‘technical notes', mainly for my future reference but which may be of interest to someone that has done even less of this type of riding then me.

Finding your way around
At the start and end of each blog I've put links to the previous day, the next day and the table of contents (below).  If you get lost you can also navigate from "Previous Posts" on the left of the screen.  These appear in reverse order.

There's a link to a map for each day - this is in 'Map-my-ride' which is not the most user friendly product.  I suggest you scroll down to the map and hit the button in the top right that makes it full screen, then hit the arrow tab on the left that closes the side bar, then close the elevation bar at the bottom, then use the right scroll bar to pull the map to near full screen.  You get used to it but it would be nice to have a more elegant fix.

Unfortunately if you click on a photo you will probably only be able to see the photos for that day - I meant to set it up so you can see the whole lot as an album without having to wade through the verbiage  but had a few hassles.  Also, I did tweak a few photos after the fact when I knew the phone hadn't picked up colours etc - no prizes for finding the two photos when I did it particularly badly.  The banner shot of Lake Pukaki I didn't touch believe it or not!

Preamble: getting there

0130 hrs we arrive at the Bluebridge terminal and join the queue. Being too late for cabins, Sally nips up first and grabs two double seats while I sort out the car then we curl up for a snooze. It starts getting light coming into Picton and a procession of hitch hikers circulate through the deck cadging lifts.

It’s 0630 hours by the time we hit SH 1 for an uneventful trip south, briefly stopping at Kaikoura, Oamaru, and Balclutha to get petrol and coffee, and swap drivers. The Catlins are enjoying a sunny afternoon and we have made good time so stop at the Owaka Four Square and a couple of look-outs before pulling into our unit (Anchorage) in Waikawa a bit under 12 hours after setting out. The units are old fashioned but spacious and comfortable with a view over the estuary.

The Catlins: Tautuku beach from Florence Hill Lookout

We grab a good dinner at the Niagara Falls Café (it pays to book), then head back to the unit to pack before turning in. The night is dead quiet.

Go to day one blog

Table of contents

Day   Route                                

  1.      Slope Point to Roxburgh
  2.      Roxburgh to Omarama
  3.      Omarama to Burkes Pass
  4.      Burkes Pass to Sheffield
  5.      Sheffield to Loburn
  6.      Loburn to St James
  7.      St James to Wairau Valley
  8.      Blenheim to Harvey Bay
  9.      Harvey Bay to Cape Stephens
           Technical notes