Dunedin to Beaumont (1), Wednesday 2nd February








1)Brighton Beach

2)Sign for entering Brighton

3)Peter on the coast road








Following a route recommended by Pedallers Paradise we first rode along Stuart Street with a steep climb to 600 ft and then a long gentle descent down the Kaikorai Valley. After cycling under the motorway we took quiet roads on the coast to the south of Dunedin to the small seaside town of Brighton complete with Downland landscape inland. The town centre for this Brighton consisted of one shop.

We then continued on a beautiful coast road for another 10 miles with little traffic and mile after mile of empty white sand beaches pounded by the Pacific surf.

We turned inland at Taieri Mouth and as the road climbed to a vertical 17% it also turned to gravel and climbed on and on to eventually reach 1100ft. Peter must have looked to have needed it because a local offered him a lift to the top. Peter had doubts about the wisdom of this when it turned out that the affable driver was totally drunk and Peter had to hold the wheel for part of the way up.

From the top and on the descent there were great views of rolling downland which reminded Martin of Dorset.

Further on the descent we met the local who gave Peter a lift. He was driving back clutching the bottle of whiskey he had purchased in town. He stopped to chat and advised that our destination for the day wasn't worth going to with a lot of Billy Connelly phraseology thrown in.

See the next post for the rest of the day and some dramatic events.