There are nine walking, riding or wagon trails to the "Winding Roads to Wanaka" cavalcade this year, and the heavy wagoners yesterday embarked on the first of a variety of daily excursions from their Deep Creek, Tarras, base.
The Lindis Hotel is in a Department of Conservation reserve on Nine Mile Station, at the end of the 6km unsealed Old Faithful Rd, off State Highway 8.
Originally the site of the general store for Otago's first, short-lived, gold rush, the building became permanent by 1873.
It was a store, hotel, accommodation house and then rabbiter's residence before ending its useful days in the 1950s when the Lindis Pass Rd was realigned on the other side of the Lindis River.
Its iron roof was later used to repair a hay barn and the building fell into disrepair.
The Department of Conservation recently undertook some restoration and stabilising work and there is also a small camp site at the reserve.
The heavy wagons, travelling at about 5-8kmh and looking like they had rolled straight out of another era, comfortably made the journey of about 25km from Deep Creek to the Lindis Hotel just after noon.
Trail boss Tony Cumberbeach said the first day was "not too bad".
Getting to the destination "always takes longer than planned, but that's OK", he said.
The self-catering heavy wagon trail will spend four days exploring from Deep Creek before moving to Luggate on Wednesday and Albert Town on Thursday and Friday.
Perfect weather greeted cavalcaders who set off on five of the nine Cavalcade trails at the weekend.
The cavalcade has attracted 580 walkers, riders and wagoners, who will converge in Wanaka on Saturday.
The heavy wagon trail, light wagon trail and three riding trails began on Saturday and co-ordinator Roberta Laraman said the weather was perfect for the first two days of the event.
"Some of the people on those trails have never been to this part of the country before and they're just blown away by the scenery they've seen so far," she said.
One of the walking trails begins today, along with another of the riding trails .
The remaining two walking trails will get under way tomorrow
