Day 7 – Oturehua to Clyde: Hayes Engineering

 

We started with a hearty breakfast before heading off quite early toward Clyde.  It had been suggested to us by our host that it would be a worthwhile detour to look at Hayes Engineering.  It no longer operates there as it shifted to Christchurch.  However located a couple of kilometres from our accommodation  were the old engineering works and the homestead,  being purchased by Heritage NZ about 40 years ago.  Hayes invented the wire strainer and I remember my father using one when he was fencing our home.

Inside the factory

The homestead - inside a hint of the twenties

They were even warning people about them at Hayes!

The factory

They were just opening as we arrived.  We paid our money and spent the next hour and a half exploring the place.  It was fascinating to see how manufacturing was done at the turn of the 20^th century. Compared to light bright factories nowadays, it was full of dangerous machinery with nothing to prevent someone having an injury.  Nonetheless there were health and safety notices.  It felt like they had just walked out of the place and left as it was.  The house was just as fascinating.  We were able to walk through all the rooms and they had restored them close to their original state.

 

The second highlight of the day was going through the Poolburn tunnels and over a viaduct. 

After a long stretch of similar scenes of the Ida Valley it was a welcome relief.

Poolburn viaduct

About to enter the first of two Poolburn tunnels

We stopped at Lauder for a coffee and ploughmans platter which was delicious.  The owners had just bought the place and they were delightful. It was nice to see in the sunlight.  Ten years ago we sheltered from the rain having coffee and date scones.

 

Engaging with the locals

From then on while the terrain was beautiful, but from a riding perspective it was a bit boring with long flat sections.  Not only that it was very warm.  Just out of Alexandra Bev tired, having run out of energy.  We were also out of water having lost our second bottle on some bumpy terrain, I suspect. 

Beautiful but a little monotonous to ride along

 

It was really hard work for Bev for the final seven or eight kilometres to the Clyde terminus where we were able to get some water which helped to revive us. 

 

And finally part one of the trails ended

After just a  couple more kilometres of riding and we were at our accommodation. 

 

That night we ate at the Post Office Café.  We both had fish but my eyes were too big for my stomach and I overate. 

 

Distance covered: 72kms