APPLY BRAKES
Mike Yardley explains why it is definitely worth stopping at Ohakune and Waiouru
RISING UP FROM THE HEART of the North Island the volcanic plateau looms like a dome of adventure and discovery. Breezing up the island from Wellington, I soon arrived in the southern gateway to the Ruapehu region, Waiouru.
How many times have you whizzed through this town, passing by the fortresslike façade of the National Army Museum, making a mental note to actually stop and check it out one day?
Breaking the habit of a lifetime, I finally did stop to pay the museum a visit and was handsomely rewarded. The exhibits, dioramas and sets, including iconic military vehicles, are spectacularly curated on this walk-through every theatre of conflict Kiwis have been engaged in, starting with the Boer War.
From the Red Coats of the Imperial Forces to the Blue Berets of our Peacekeepers, the museum delivers a comprehensive exposition of our military story, which culminates in the glorious medal repository.
From there, I ventured to the charismatic mountain town of Ohakune. The beloved Big Carrot landmark now has a supporting cast of vegetable friends scattered across the eye-catching Carrot Park and playground, ripe for adventure with an augmented reality game that will titillate your kids. Think Pokemon Go! (Download instructions are displayed in the park.)
The snow was glistening on Ruapehu’s slopes like freshly whipped cream as I made my way to my Ohakune roost, the Powderhorn Chateau. It’s not just a sublime European alpine lodge, offering a spoil of top-end comforts, but it’s a cherished social nexus in Ohakune.
The Powderkeg Bar & Restaurant is feted for its sparkling service, warm and convivial atmosphere, and roaring fire in the cooler months. Open from early morning to late evening, I feasted on delicious dishes, around the clock, from the fabulous Egg in a Hole Bagels for breakfast to their gourmet pizzas and pork ribs for dinner.
The indoor hot pool, with bar service ondemand, is my kind of indulgence. My suite was a homely cocoon of warm-timbered comfort, with high-end linens and fabrics, expansive bathroom and work desk.
The Chateau happens to be perfectly poised at the start/finish line of the
Ohakune Old Coach Road ride, my signature assignment in a town all about adventure.
First up, I hooked up with TCB,
Ohakune’s leading ski, bike and board retail, rental and repair specialists. James from TCB kitted me out with a top-of-the-line E-Bike and joined me on the 15km thrill ride connecting Horopito to Ohakune.
Cycle buffs will know it as the second leg of the wider Mountains to Sea Cycle trail, but this ride is pitch-perfect for newbies to mountain biking. It’s a grade two trail so it’s not too taxing, but I highly recommend starting from the Horopito end for a more downhill ride. (TCB will happily organise the quick transfer.)
Adjacent to the trail is the traffic-stopping sight of Smash Palace car-wreckers, which also featured in Goodbye Pork Pie. Horopito Motor Wreckers is the largest vintage car dismantlers in Australasia, and the spectacle is captivating for its rustic beauty.
This cycle trail deserves its reputation as one of New Zealand's best day rides, an evocative old pack-track and restored cobblestone road around the foothills of Mt Ruapehu, traversing Tongariro National Park forest and farmland, with sweeping lookouts over the volcanic plateau.
But it’s the Victorian engineering, spooky tunnels and two herculean railway viaducts that are the runaway highlight.
The fatally rusted Taonui viaduct makes for a striking backdrop but the old Hapuwhenua Viaduct is good to go. You can cycle or walk across this colossal and curved structure, the longest viaduct in the Southern Hemisphere at 284 metres long, and 45m above the river. I dare you to look down between the sleepers!
It was restored as part of the Cycle Trail development, while the newer Hapuwhenua Viaduct does a brisk trade for KiwiRail. The old cobblestone road was originally built for horse drawn coaches in the early 1900s to transport passengers between the two rail heads of the unfinished North Island trunk line.
Shortly after completion, it became obsolete and was consumed by the forest, when the railway line was linked up. It’s a riveting ride of movie-set good looks, spectacularly scenic and richly drenched in pioneering history.