Riding the West Coast Wilderness Trail - one of three dual use trails on the Coast. Photo: Cycle Journeys

Pioneering a new kind of trail

Features, West Coast

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

By Kathy Ombler

West Coast dual cycle and walking trails are boosting the West Coast economy but come with different fee structures, systems and rules. Does this matter and are dual-use trails working?

On the West Coast, mountain biking is going off. Riders are pedalling into the three big wilderness trails already in the region, while, months before it even opened, bookings were all but full for the new dual walking/biking Paparoa Track Great Walk. The trails are a boost for the entire region says Geoff Gabites, Cycle […]

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.