Is it the lengthy suspended bridges, the rounding of another bend in mid-nowhere to discover a floating burger bar, or just the affronting appeal of Central Otago’s raw landscape?

Whatever that x-factor of the Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail may be, it’s creating a bicycling buzz that has blown expectations clean out of the water.

Over 56,000 riders have passed over the track’s clicker-counter since its May 2021 opening, including a daily-high of 774 on December 29.

Executive trustee for the Central Otago Queenstown Trail Network Trust, Janeen Wood, says 8276 cyclists clicked over last month alone and numbers so far have far exceeded predictions.

With thousands now enjoying it each month, one of the instigators of the Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail, Janeen Wood, is among those delighting in its huge popularity.

She has been involved with the project, which links Cromwell to Clyde, for 13 years, initially as a volunteer. Janeen insists she’s only one of many who’ve put 1000s of volunteer hours developing

the trail from concept to creation.

She says riders are predominantly Kiwis, who seem to be delighting in the variety, surprises and challenges of the Grade 2 to 3 trail.

“We haven’t completed an in-depth analysis yet but it would be fair to say our target market of 55-year-old-plus social riders would make up a majority. It’s great to see New Zealanders exploring their own back yard.”

Temporary traffic lights were even installed for the holiday period on the one-lane road bridge at Clyde, partly in anticipation of the volume of cyclists on both this and the Otago Central Rail Trail.

Geotechnical constraints around Lake Dunstan – i.e impossibly steep and gnarly terrain – presented a few headaches but the solutions ensure there’s a nice element of challenge, Janeen says. Some

sections narrow to 1.5m and it pays to keep left and heed the signage advising riders to ‘dismount when passing’.

“We have had a few people who want to ride from Clyde to Cromwell as they don’t want to be on the outside.”

The swaying ‘Hugo’ suspension bridge challenges a few riders who don’t have a head for heights but there is a detour – albeit rather steep and scrambly - if it’s too much for some.

Sixty-eight percent of the traffic goes from Cromwell to Clyde and the use of bells also helps riders avoid collecting each other around tight corners. Accident statistics were not available due to

privacy but there have been less than five “extractions”, she says.

The journey takes about three hours end to end and Cromwell Heritage Precinct is a popular starting point. Everyday fluoro and lycra-clad cyclists gather at the pretty lakeside setting, downing coffee and admiring their metal steeds, as they get pumped for the 42km of adventure ahead.

Some have read about the trail in media and advertising, but Janeen says it’s word of mouth now bringing the majority here.

The notion of building a track through the rugged Cromwell Gorge emerged around the time John Key’s National government proposed the nationwide ‘Great Rides’ initiative.

The Cromwell and Districts Community Trust(CDCT) recorded in it’s 2008 Community Plan a note to investigate the possibility and Janeen and fellow CDCT member Shirley Calvert starting asking around for funds for a feasibility study.

The Otago Regional Council eyed the terrain and laughed the idea off but independent funding agency the Central Lakes Trust took the punt, later convincing the Otago

Community Trust to follow suit.

The network of linking trails idea evolved and this gave enough backing for a growing group to successfully approach government, securing $26.3M through Key’s New Zealand Cycle Trail project.

In 2019 the two-year construction of the Lake Dunstan section began. Today one kilometre of urban cycle track can cost $8M so the group are understandably proud of the trail’s $7.2M construction price tag.

A handful of landowners and residents resisted – some rather angrily – at the impact on their privacy but support grew as the idea progressed, Janeen says.

“Landowners who have given easements have been marvellous and I believe we now have an asset that is a benefit to all.”

The construction-generated scars on the formerly fairly-untouched hillside have also drawn a bit of comment but seem predominantly to be an acceptable side effect.

With a few climbs and 330m of bridges wrapping around the mountainside, the trail is never short on interest and variety.

Tourism Central Otago General Manager Dylan Rushbrook describes the new track as a feat of engineering and is equally amazed by its popularity.

The economic benefit, helping make Central one of the few regions to actually grow its visitor economy during the pandemic, was “hugely significant”, he says.

For Janeen, who lives a stone’s throw from the trail on the outskirts of Cromwell, there’s daily satisfaction in hearing and seeing excited bunches of cyclists crunching over the new gravel as they

head out.

“I am proud, and also amazed at the streams of people. I love hearing their chatter and enthusiasm and seeing them stop to take a photograph of our view.”

Hearing stories of disabled users in wheelchairs and the like, who can finally get out and enjoy a jaunt along the lakeside also warms her heart, Janeen says.

The Central Otago Queenstown Trail Network Trust are currently creating 127km of new routes and upgrading 47km of existing track. It will bring the total length - combining that of the Otago Central

Rail Trail, Roxburgh Gorge, Clutha Gold and Queenstown trails – to around 500km.

Consenting is underway for the next bit through the Kawarau Gorge to Queenstown and Consenting is underway for the next bit through the Kawarau Gorge to Queenstown and landowner

negotiations on a Wanaka link have only “3 more links in the chain” to go.