The Nevis Valley
The Nevis is a cycle ride in New Zealand that starts at Garston in Northern Southland and finishes in Bannockburn in Central Otago.It is 67.2 kilometers long and is the highest public road in New Zealand at 1300 metres although it is not recommended for cars. The road is closed in the winter and the weather is very changeable as we found out. The road is gravel and there are 20 odd fords to ride through. There are two steep climbs and a long downhill into Bannockburn.
We did the ride on touring bikes and camped by the river on the way through. As mentioned conditions are very changeable so you need to be well prepared for cold weather including snow. We camped in the Nevis in March and there was ice on our tent when we woke up after a sudden front sweep through overnight. The ride is suitable for mountain bikes with light loads.
Overall the Nevis is a fantastic experience and is highly recommended because it gets you of the main roads into the back country of the South Island.
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| Its worth all the effort! |
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| Great back country |
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| At the top |
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| Lots of climbing! |
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| Not to mention fords |
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| And it can be windy |
The Nevis Valley Video
