South Canterbury on bike maps

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

PEDAL POWER: American Peter Seed, along with wife and keen cyclist Linda, have created the Great Southern Cycle Route, which takes cyclists from Christchurch to Dunedin and features a lot of South Canterbury.

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South Canterbury already has a bike trail.

With the Prime Minister's push for a national cycleway, regions have been putting forward trails to get funding from the Government. Meanwhile, American visitor Peter Seed has already created one for South Canterbury.

He has spent hours compiling the Great Southern Cycle Route, a series of 11 maps taking cyclists from Christchurch to Dunedin. The 577-kilometre tour meanders through the region on back-country roads taking in Geraldine, Pleasant Point, Timaru, St Andrews and Waimate.

With his wife Linda, the retired lawyer has spent the past 10 years based in Dunedin for the first third of the year and the rest in Florida and Minnesota.

Both keen cyclists in their early 70s, they felt the maps, which include accommodation and regional information, were a way to give something back.

"We have had so many happy times here and been so well received we thought it would be a great way to give back," Mr Seed said. "It is just such a beautiful area that is largely untapped. Timaru is the perfect landscape for this [cycling tours] and you visit all these wonderful communities. It is a fun way to holiday without killing yourself in the process."

He is on the Park and Trail Council of Minnesota and has co-written a bicycle touring book for Minnesota-Wisconsin and a walking book about England's South West Coast Path.

"Sealed roads are a lot easier and more enjoyable to cycle on and more suited for families.

"The Otago Rail Trail is spectacular but the track can be quite hard to bike on."

The proposed Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail from Mt Cook is one of 13 cycle trails selected from 54 to proceed to a feasibility study by the Government.

Mr Seed supported the Mt Cook trail but believed it would be 10 years before it happened.

"It will take a long time to implement."

"Meanwhile, there is my trip, which takes you past all the communities where you can eat and get accommodation and support the town."

The 11 Great Southern Cycle Route maps cover 40km to 60km a day. Maps have been distributed to information centres and can be downloaded free from seftonhomestay.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News