Plenty of challenges on Government track

Our final ride for Summer Times 2009/10 is more an adventure than a mere bike ride. It includes the Government Track, a sinuous dray path hewn from the bush-covered hillside above the Waipori Gorge in the 1800s, probably by gold-miners.

Note that the ride passes through Berwick forest, and you must first phone owners Wenita (489-3234) for permission, unless you plan to do the short loop.

Let's be frank - in parts, this ride is testing and as you forge your way up the 7km Government Track you may start wondering at times whether it goes on forever.

Distance: 48km.
Main climb:
500m.
Estimated riding time without stops:
4 hours.

The track can also be muddy and features some tricky stream crossings, so wear sturdy footwear and prepare to encounter mud.

However, the views are great.

Start from Berwick corner (corner of Maungatua Rd and Henley Berwick Rd - the latter road is signposted off SH1 south of Allanton as the northern route to the Sinclair wetlands).

Elaine McDowall (Dunedin) rides across the clearing halfway up the Government Track, high above...
Elaine McDowall (Dunedin) rides across the clearing halfway up the Government Track, high above the Waipori River. Photos by John Fridd.
Turn right on to Maungatua Rd then immediately left on to Waipori Falls Rd.

Head up the Waipori Gorge and when you hit the native bush, watch on your right for the Government Track sign.

When you reach it, 5.2km from the start, turn right and start climbing the track.

Don't be put off by the first section - this is the steepest bit and it soon becomes rideable.

Some sections offer pleasant riding while others are more testing and in some places the track splits and you wonder which fork to take.

As far as I have discovered, they all join up again.

About the middle of the Government Track you'll emerge from the bush into a clearing and the impressive view down to the Waipori River will show you how far you've climbed.

About 12km into your ride you should reach the top of the track, where it meets a forest road.

Maggie Oakley (Dunedin) resorts to shanks's pony to negotiate one of the Government Track stream...
Maggie Oakley (Dunedin) resorts to shanks's pony to negotiate one of the Government Track stream crossings. Some of the crossings are quite rough.
If you're running short of time and want a shortcut home, turn left and ride/walk down the steep track to the Falls village.

Otherwise, turn right and ride a short distance on the forest road, then turn left on to Dunstan Rd and head west.

After 1km or 2km, at a ramshackle hut beside a T junction, turn left and follow this forest road for several kilometres to the Mahinerangi dam.

Hefty new gates now keep visitors off the dam, so you'll have to nip over the new bridge just downstream and then climb back up.

By now you will have ridden about 22km.

The undulating dam access road takes you out to Waipori Falls Rd, where you turn left and head east again.

Soon you'll be plunging down the exciting corkscrew road to Waipori Falls village (28.6km), worth a visit if you've got time.

Then keep on riding down Waipori Gorge, with its lovely river and bush views, until you get back to Maungatua Rd and your starting point, the Berwick corner.

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