Travelled: 257 kms (Total 1,739 kms)

With a haircut done and our newly sourced butter alternative on board (thanks to Sonia, our fellow camper in Athol) – Fix & Fog’s Everything Butter, we headed off to Manapouri.

Taking the partially completed Lake 2 Lake trail from Te Anau, we rode lakeside before heading inland following the Waiau River.

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Back on the road for the last 9 km into Manapouri, to the cutest campsite we have stayed in – Possum Lodge on the edge of Lake Manapouri.

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The campground was so well kept and came complete with a Portuguese painting as well as a vege garden to help ourselves from. First time we had had lettuce on our sandwiches for 2 months!!

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A quiet walk up the hill to The Church for a very yummy bowl of chips and a drink to end the day.

Leaving Manapouri the next day, we spied down a side street the Wee Bookshop. We vaguely remembered about this from an interview Kim Hill had had with the lovely owner, Ruth Shaw.

There was also a children’s bookshop and a third little one on its way, “The Snug” a specialist wee bookshop to entice the men out of the car while the women-folk browsed in the main wee bookshop. “The Snug” was the winning entry in a competition to christen the wee shop, “The Closet” being rejected, too hastily in Greg’s opinion.

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It was a big day on the road, 64 km, with just one hill to climb over, Blackmount, and then expansive rural views on to Clifden.

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Clifden was the first free camping spot we had come across since we began our trip. Most potential spots allow self contained campervans / motorhomes to park up for the night but the tent icon always has a red line through it.

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Clifden is the site of the historic suspension bridge over the Waiau River. NZ’s longest wooden suspension bridge spanning 366 feet (111.5m) was built in 1898, costing £5,007.

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All packed up the next morning and pushing our bikes up to the bridge, we stopped to chat with a local, who asked what we had done while in Clifden. “Not much, we had a big day on the road” was our reply. “What could we have done” we asked. “Oh, you could have gone to the largest Totara” pointing out into a yonder paddock, “or visited the caves”. Oh well we thought as we left maybe we should be more conscious of what to do when we arrive somewhere, only to see a sign as we rode out of town – Big Totara turn right 23km!! Haha, not sure he appreciated the effort riding loaded bikes actually took.

The lovely short ride to Tuatapere gave us time to meander around the town that afternoon.

We stopped to look at Wayne Edgerton’s gallery. Magnificent large oil paintings of Fiordland selling for up to $17,000 each. He was saying that business is as good as ever. Any downturn from overseas tourists has been picked up by New Zealanders travelling through.

The Last Light Lodge was tonight’s campground complete with organic orchards, gardens and chickens. They also had a wonderful array of preserves for sale from their own produce. We are thoroughly enjoying our plum jam purchase!

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A beautiful day made for a stunning coastal ride past McCrackens Rest and onto another free camping site (Southland do it again), Monkey Island.

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A little way off the main road, we rode into the beautiful Monkey Island. Go left for the day trippers and right for campers. Riding past the back-to-back camper vans, we found a nook of our very own with grassy verge just big enough for our tent overlooking a stream and down the beach – perfect!!

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It was so hot that a swim was a must. A wander down to the beach and a refreshing frolic in waves made for a great afternoon.

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And a gorgeous sunset too!

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Fuelled with a lovely breakfast, although a bit mucky for me (fried eggs in dried up GF wraps, not ideal), and we were ready for the ride to Riverton Aparima.

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Deciding to take the less travelled gravel road out of Monkey Island, we detoured out to the coast to Wakapatu Beach, with our first view of Rakiura in the distance.

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Blackberry foraging continued just outside Colac Bay, where we stopped for lunch.

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Coming up over the hill into Riverton Aparima we got out first view of the Pourakino River that leads out to the harbour.

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An evening walk back into town for a drink and dinner.

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Our next stop of Invercargill was a gem even with the rainy day to come. The homes are character filled with beautiful gardens, Queens Park is stunning and our accommodation for the next couple of days was superb!

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We stayed with Joanna and Russell who we had meet on Moturoa / Rabbit Island while waiting for the ferry to Mapua in week 2 of our adventure, and Joanna generously offer us a bed in Invercargill.

Their home was only 1/2 an hours walk into town through Queens Park, and close to a lovely community of independent shops. We thoroughly enjoyed their company and hospitality. Thank you both, we will keep in touch.

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We are nearly at the bottom of the South Island. Taking the cycle trail for 16km from Invercargill before joining the busiest road we have riden on, for our final leg to Bluff.

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We rode through town past the Stirling Point Pilot Station which was originally a lighted tower and boat shed for the pilot cutter in 1877, and then replaced by the current building in 1912.

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And onto Stirling Point, the farthest point south that we could ride.

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Stirling Point is also the location for one end of Maui’s anchor chain. Maui used Rakiura as the anchor for his waka, the South Island, as he pulled up the North Island.

The chain is a reminder of the physical and spiritual connection between Bluff and Rakiura. The other end is at Lee’s Bay on Rakiura.

Rakiura will be the perfect place for some off the bike time…