Cycling in the South

Dunedin offers a great variety of cycling opportunities within the city, on the Otago Peninsula, and on the well-developed mountain bike tracks around the city (Dunedin Cycling Map).

A series of pamphlets issued by the DCC community recreation services offers a good description of the mountain biking tracks that are available for the recreational cyclist and those who like an exciting challenge. Most tracks are close to the centre of town in the ''green belt'' and are easily accessible from town.

Mountain Bike Tracks in Dunedin City
Jubilee Park is a ''fun'', safe and easy circuit with options for more challenging sections, so is suitable for families and groups with a range of skills and is a great walking and mountain bike track. The track is dirt and gravel and ranges in elevation from 80 - 120m.

The "Silver Stream Water Race Track" provides an opportunity to explore history while enjoying nature. The tracks are colour coded and range from moderate to hard. More information is available from the pamphlet.

For the more adventurous the ''Fat Tyre Trails'' pamphlet suggests a variety of rides. The tracks offer a rande of complexities and length of rides for those who are fairly fit to really fit with distances of 28km through to 70km.

Signal Hill Reserve Mountain Biking Area
Signal Hill Reserve has tracks colour coded so that riders can select from the range offered. Yellow markers indicate easy tracks with grades up to the red marked tracks, NFL Hoodies. which are considered challenging. Tracks may be straight or winding and can have various obstacles to negotiate such as jumps or rocks. Some great steep tracks - a huge adrenalin rush for the fearless mountain biker! The tracks have interesting names that will inspire the energetic mountain biker such as the ''gut'', ''dogleg'', ''rollercoaster'', the ''switchback'' and the ''haggis basher''.

Mountain Bike Tracks on the Otago Peninsula

Karetai Road
A four wheel drive track across farmland giving fantastic coastal views and leads from Smails Beach to Karetai Road.

Buskin Road
A track linking Highcliff Road to Boulder Beach over farmland and can be a loop track incorporating Paradise or Braidwood Roads. This is a recognised mountain bike ride in Dunedin and provides magnificent coastal views.

Paradise Road
Another track over farmland from Highcliff Road to Boulder Beach with equally magnificent coastal views and native vegetation. Also a recognised mountain bike ride.

Camp Road
This road links Larnach Castle with Broad Bay and gives pleasant views over Broad Bay and the Otago Harbour. A great way to incorporate a visit to the historic Larnach Castle with a mountain bike ride and get some fantastic views of the countryside at the same time.

Cycling Distances from Dunedin
Dunedin - Waitati 21km
Dunedin - Karitane 38km
Dunedin - Oamaru 110km
Dunedin - Mosgiel 18km
Dunedin - Milton 60km
Dunedin - Invercargill 220km

Useful Websites
www.cityofdunedin.com You can search this site for mountain biking information in and around Dunedin and for cycle routes into and out of Dunedin. It contains information on the Silver Peaks Water Race Tracks, Jubilee Park and Signal Hill Tracks and more.
www.mountainbike.co.nz/clubs/otago
www.otago-tourism.co.nz/aok/
www.cyclingotago.co.nz

Mountain Bike Tracks Around Central Otago
There is also a pamphlet describing cycle routes for getting into and out of Dunedin.

There are many wonderful cycle rides in Central Otago (the Otago Central Rail Trail being an excellent example) as well as Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula.

Guided Cycling Trips Available through the following websites:

Central Otago	www.trailjourneys.co.nz www.altitudeadventures.co.nz www.cyclesurgery.co.nz
Dunedin Middlemarch	www.inmark.co.nz/e-tours/ www.cyclesurgery.co.nz www.cyclesurgery.co.nz
Naseby Cromwell	www.naseby.co.nz www.cyclesurgery.co.nz
Queenstown	www.fat-tyre.co.nz www.activenewzealand.com www.heli-adventures.co.nz www.qep.co.nz
Te Anau	www.bikefiordland.co.nz
Wanaka	www.makarora.co.nz www.mountainbiking.co.nz