Photo: Michael Lay

A decade on the Old Ghost Road

Features

A long-time Wilderness contributor and freelance author, Kathy writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation.

By Kathy Ombler

As the Old Ghost Road turns 10 it’s time to celebrate its journey, from an old map and a community that dared to dream to the creation of New Zealand’s longest and arguably most iconic single-track trail.

The Old Ghost Road is like no other trail in Aotearoa. It’s one of New Zealand’s 23 Great Rides, yet half the users are now trampers. Although it’s on conservation land, it is managed by a trust, and hundreds of volunteers worked alongside professional contractors to build it. Planning and construction of the OGR took […]

About the author

Kathy Ombler

Freelance author Kathy Ombler mostly writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation, and has contributed to Wilderness for many years. She has also written and edited for other publications and websites, most recently Federated Mountain Club’s Backcountry, Forest & Bird, and the Backcountry Trust. Books she has authored include Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand, Walking Wellington and New Zealand National Parks and Other Wild Places. She is currently a trustee for Wellington’s Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust.