Coast to Coast 2023
It’s hard to exaggerate how uniquely New Zealand the Coast to Coast is. First there is the concept, 243km from Greymouth on the west coast of the South Island to Christchurch on the east coast by running, cycling and kayaking. … Continued
Diary of a Multisport Newbie
New Zealand is the perfect environment for multisport races, with its wild rivers and uncompromising terrain. The Coast to Coast is the most well known of these, and if you want to find out more, you’re where I was about … Continued
Singapore and Chiang Mai by Bike
One of things we love about travelling with our bikes is the feeling that you get when, having figured out when and where to ride, you know your way around a city and have found favourite places to eat and … Continued
Rarotonga Adventure – Around and Across the Island
Rarotonga may be the largest of the Cook Islands but it is still just a tiny, mountainous speck in the enormity of the Pacific only measuring 11km across its widest axis. It is encircled by a lagoon and protecting reef, … Continued
Journey to The Forgotten World
After having multiple planned cycling events cancelled in Europe over the last 2 years, we were looking forward to a summer of races and sportives in New Zealand. Sadly, the omicron variant finally breached the NZ border and thanks to … Continued
Fiordland Classic 2022
Fiordland is a wild and spectacular part of New Zealand. On a recent trip there in February 2022, organised by Ride Holidays, we were lucky to experience some of the best the region has to offer the cyclist. This is … Continued
Mount Pirongia (Tirohanga and Mahaukura Track Loop)
The original Māori name of Mount Pirongia is ‘Pirongia te aroaro o Kahu’ meaning ‘the fragrant presence of Kahu’. It’s a beautiful name for a mountain that dominates the area around Hamilton. I read in this DOC Information Pack that Kahu … Continued
Mount Tongariro and Tongariro Alpine Crossing
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is the most famous single day hike in New Zealand. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of walkers complete it every day in the summer high season. Even with the crowds it’s still a fantastic walk but if you … Continued
Waikato River Trails in a Day (2021)
When I’ve driven by the sign to the Waikato River Trails, which start about 30 minutes drive from Hamilton, the city we live in, I imagined a gravel track along the bank of the mighty Waikato River. Something like the … Continued
MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) Diary 2021
It’s now been nearly 6 weeks since 12 November when Lillian and I entered Managed Isolation and Quarantine upon flying to New Zealand from the UK. Our timing was fortunate as the MIQ period had just been reduced from 2 … Continued