Climbing from Home Hills Runs Road, this narrow, rough track winds steeply up onto the Hawkdun Range in Otago's high country, topping out around 1620 metres with spectacular 360-degree views over the Ida Valley and surrounds. On a clear day you can see for miles. It connects through to the Mt Buster track and down towards St Bathans.

It's a genuinely tough route: a steep, shaley ascent with long undulating sections, deep washouts, sharp rocks, tight going and steep drop-offs, plus sharp switchbacks on the descents. There are a few river crossings, one of them often quite deep, so be prepared to turn back if water levels are too high. The shaley undulations work a vehicle hard, so this is not a mechanically sympathetic drive — treat it as a hard track, not medium.

The track passes the infamous Ida Railway Hut, an amazing place to spend the night on your way through, and plenty of inviting side tracks branch off up top if you have time to explore. Allow 3-4 hours, as it's slow going, and check the weather before heading in — conditions change quickly in these exposed ranges, and the track is officially closed over winter.