The Otago Central Rail Trail

Me on the trail near Omakau

Me in the distance

Malcolm in action

remains of a gold dredge at Chatto Creek

Old bridge on the trail

Me on the bridge

Ophir Post Office built 1886 - open for 3 hours a day but not when we were there

 

This was the cottage hospital - all the cottages in Ophir were amazingly picturesque

Last surviving (road) suspension bridge in Central Otago

St Bathans Post Office - now a gallery

We sat outside eating ice cream - it was so hot in the afternoon

The Billiard Room (1881) now a home

The Blue Lake - formed by the mining operations

 

Day 1

We made an early start to beat the heat.  We took the car to Omakau and cycled back to near Alexandra where the bus was parked - that was 3hours riding.  We didn't see anyone on the trail at first but then quite  few people came through the opposite way.  When we got back to the bus we had coffee then drove to Omakau (a freedom camp place by the river) where we had left the car.

After lunch we took the car and visited some old gold mining towns nearby - Ophir (near to where we are camped) and St Bathans up in the hills.  There are some lovely old buildings in these little villages but not much happening.  St Bathans seemed to have for sale signs on all the properties.

Very hot today - 28 degrees this afternoon so glad we did the ride when it was cooler.