Carrying on from my previous blog subjects. I hope I have been able to give you a glimpse of what it is like to live in our idyllic island nation – The land of the long white cloud – New Zealand.

New Zealand is a great place to enjoy the outdoors. From our amazing walks to cruising the waters to skydiving out of aeroplanes – there are so many ways to see our beautiful country. One of the most popular is cycling. Whether it’s on the road or off-road, we love our cycling here in New Zealand. With new tracks and trails opening all the time as well as some of our most popular walking tracks being converted to dual use, there has never been a better time to dust off your bike and get out and see the country via the best way possible – cycling.

Stunning scenery and varied local attractions will compete for your attention as you explore New Zealand’s diverse cycle trails and mountain biking tracks.

Let me give you a guided tour of some of the great rides of New Zealand.

SOUTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND GREAT RIDES

QUEEN CHARLOTTE TRACK

This first one is in my very own “back yard” The Queen Charlotte Track is one of my favourite places in New Zealand to explore. Located at the top of the South Island, this is a great example of a walking trail that has been converted for dual use, allowing cyclists to enjoy this fabulous area. With stunning coastal views, native bush and the stunning Marlborough Sounds for company, this is a challenging bike trail covering 70km split into three sections. One section of the track is closed to cyclists during the busy summer months but other than that, the track is available all year round.

I find some sections of the track easier to walk and I will likely need to push my bike in certain parts. But if you are fit and experienced at mountain biking, most of the track is very rideable, albeit steep and challenging in certain sections, especially when rain has rendered it slippery and muddy.