Solandra Lodge

Do you want to have a family holiday and get some training in? Solandra Lodge might just be the perfect location for  you. We’ve be going out riding, running and cataloging the training options around the area, some of which form parts of various races like the Gold Rush and the Rail Trail Duathlon or events like the A-OK Rally rides. To help you with some of the off road options we can provide you with a Garmin GPS programmed with the waypoints for your route. There is no charge for this unless you break it. We’ve got a young family and are happy to look after your kids by arrangment if it fits in with what we’re doing, otherwise we can arrange baby sitting with one of the local sitters onsite. Here are some of the training options, please note that you do these at your own risk and that the roads will have cars on them.

Mountain bike

Poolburn Reservoir and beyond – Start from Solandra Lodge or the Old Moa Creek Hotel (12km) Cycle up to and beyound the Poolburn reservoir (film site of scenes from Rohan in The Lord of the Rings). This is a metaled road with a gentle incline to start and steepening near the end. Great scenery along the way as you cycle beside the rocky tors. Once you’re at the top you might just find yourself pausing for a moment while you admire the beauty of this lake. Its up to you then if you push on further to along the Dunstan trail.

From the Old Moa Creek Hotel to Reservoir and back – http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/new-zealand/poolburn/943125464328362074

From the Old Moa Creek Hotel to the Reservoir and beyond via the Old Dunstan Trail http://www.mapmyride.com/route/nz/poolburn/359125464435392066 you’ll need a support crew on standby for this one in case of weather changes. Do not attempt this is you’re not well prepared.

Raggedy Ranges loop – this loop takes you over and around the Southern part of the Raggedy ranges and the Crawford hills. Take your pick which direction you take. If you like climbing then head over to Omakau then onto the rail trail for a fast ride down hill to Galloway then back up over the Crawford hills and home.

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/nz/poolburn/762125464523699365

Upper Manorburn dam -

Poolburn Viaduct loop -

Ida Valley Station Rough Ridge -

Thompsons track to Tarras -

Naseby Forrest

Road biking

Northern Raggedys Loop -

Alexandra with Springvale extension -

Roxborough out and back -

Ida Valley out and back -

Ranfurly out and back -

Kayaking

Poolburn Reservoir

Upper Manorburn Reservoir

Clyde to Alexandra

Alexandra to Roxborough

Over the last year Carol and I have started training for multisport events to get fit, have fun and get into the amazing Central Otago environment. More recently, we created a brand to capture the essence of what we’re trying to do, it’s shebikeshebikes The concept is men and women cycling for life.