Day 18 – Fog, Gorges and Single-Lane Bridges

We rolled out into a thick fog, which probably wasn’t ideal, but with decent front and rear lights set to daylight mode, we felt reasonably visible.

Reefton sits on the old Midland Railway line between Greymouth and Christchurch, an impressive piece of engineering in its day with 17 tunnels, 5 bridges and 5 viaducts.

This region is also known for its coal production, with stockpiles sitting ready for transport by rail.

Out on the road, we saw plenty of Westgold tankers moving milk back toward processing in Hokitika — another reminder of how productive this part of the country is.

The first stretch toward Inangahua was fast and mostly flat, following the river and railway, dropping gently over the distance. Not a lot to report — just good, steady riding.

From there we turned east and began following the gorge toward Murchison, with the river never too far away.


In the land of the single-lane bridge, we came across a deluxe version complete with traffic lights and a “Press Button” option for cyclists.

Pressing the button was an event in itself.

We took a break here and spoke with a local who informed us the forecast was for 20 degrees, although it felt closer to 40.

On that front, I’m not convinced she was entirely accurate.

The main climbing for the day came not far out of Murchison, with a short section hitting around 10%. The gorge here is deep and mostly hidden by forest, but the glimpses of the river showed clear, fast-flowing water.

I kept an eye out for fish but didn’t spot any today.


Murchison itself is a good-sized service town, although not everything is perfect.

The local 4 Square has a sign reminding customers to remove their dirty boots before entering.

As if.

Day Summary

Route: Reefton → Murchison
Distance: 88 km
Riding Time: 5 hr
Climbing: 600 m
Weather: Fog early, clearing later
Best moment: Riding through the gorge toward Murchison

Ride Link

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/22289978831


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