10 minute read
HAWKE'S BAY Trails
BEST FOR: Easy day rides that will satisfy both your taste buds and your bike tyres.
WINERIES RIDE, WATER RIDE and LANDSCAPES RIDE
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1-4 days/200km
Celebrated for its vineyards, Hawke’s Bay doesn’t solely accommodate wine aficionados; whatever your deposition, this region delivers.
From handmade cheese to the richest of ice cream, the coffee is to die for, and long, languid lunches are almost a condition of entry. Even if your interests lie in the arts, nature and outdoors, Hawke’s Bay has that covered, too. With mile upon mile of flat gentle terrain, coastal trails, picnic spots, great surf and idyllic swimming holes, you’re invited to really indulge.
Easiness prevails here. With 200km of year-round trails to pick and choose from, most are flat, off-road and don’t go above Grades 1 and 2. Even the littlest of legs (here’s looking at you, kid) can give it a whirl and playgrounds litter the route. Most trails can be conquered in one day but there are endless ways to expand your voyage into a multi-day adventure by utilising the region’s vast accommodation options.
The city of Napier features in a handful of trail itineraries, allowing for stop-offs at the National Aquarium, mini-golf and shopping centres – such is the luxury of big-town cycling. You can even take your bike on the bus between Hastings and Napier to access even more.
© Hawke’s Bay Trails
TRAIL INFO
TRAIL GRADES:
WINERIES RIDE, 36-47KM GRADE 1 (EASIEST)
PUKETAPU LOOP, 18KM GRADE 1-2 (EASIEST-EASY)
WATER RIDE, 35KM GRADE 1 (EASIEST)
CLIVE TO CLIFTON (SECTION OF LANDSCAPES RIDE), 15KM GRADE 1-2 (EASIEST-EASY)
MOBILE PHONE COVERAGE: Available on whole trail network.
DRINKING WATER: Water bottles can be filled at various settlements along the way.
TYPE OF BIKE: Suitable for everything from children’s bikes and uprights, to tourers, mountain bikes and e-bikes. Trikes, tandems and wheelchairs are also suitable for many sections, especially the 20km waterfront stretch from Bay View to Waitangi Regional Park.
Riding the trail
WINERIES RIDE, 36-47KM
This 36km loop around the Gimblett Gravels, Ngatarawa Triangle and Bridge Pā is a great way to get a taste of some of the Bay’s world-class chardonnays, Bordeaux-style reds and syrah. Around a dozen wineries line the route; some have cellar-door dining. The 11km return option to Sileni Estate is worth the extra effort. Refreshing craft beer is also available at Roosters Brewery on Omahu Rd just off the trail. Roys Hill Reserve or Hastings Golf Club are good places to start, or access the ride from Hastings via the iWay city cycling route, or Clive by riding along the Ngaruroro River trail.
PUKETAPU LOOP, 18KM
The Puketapu pub is a major feature of this excellent short loop from Taradale on the outskirts of Napier. The trail follows the banks of the pretty Tutaekuri River (with some short on-road sections), with attractions including a historic church, pā (Māori fortified village), gallery and chocolate factory café, plus plenty of spots for picnics and swimming. Around the halfway point, Puketapu village is a rewarding pit-stop with its popular country pub, and a store next door serving ice creams. On the way back to Taradale the ride passes elegant Ormlie Lodge with a restaurant and accommodation. Riders wanting a longer outing can start at Awatoto on the coast and cycle upstream for 10km beside the Tutaekuri River to Taradale.
WATER RIDE, 35KM
This section starts from Ahuriri in Napier and runs along the coast towards Bayview, before heading into the wetlands. It returns past the airport with an optional loop extension to the base of the Poraiti foothills. Explore the Ahuriri fishing precinct, cafés, restaurants, playgrounds, coffee houses and bird hides. The popular trail from Ahuriri to Bay View is concrete, about 7km in length and suitable for all recreational users including wheelchairs.
Hastings © Getty Images
After the concrete, the trail is only suitable for standard bikes, due to gates on the lime sand section as it crosses a working farm. At Bay View, an intersection means you can stay on Ferguson Rd to the end and ride through the campground to Snapper Café or cross at the railway crossing, and over the main road to head down Onehunga Rd. This is where the trail leads to wetlands and the marked Whakamaharatanga Walkway – previously an island of Ahuriri estuary. The trail buffers conservation land teeming with birdlife and crosses a working farm.
Once past the airport, there is an underpass crossing at the expressway/ railway bridges where the trail continues to natural wetlands of the upper harbour. The trail then exits across and beside Prebensen Dr, returning to the bridges, creating a loop and connecting back to Ahuriri.
CLIVE TO CLIFTON (SECTION OF LANDSCAPES RIDE), 15KM
Starting at the township of Clive, this short but intensely picturesque section of the Landscapes Ride hugs the Pacific Ocean, passing through coastal communities along the way. Highlights of the trail include wetlands, informative local heritage art installations, wineries, burger bars, dairies, cafés, a museum, a popular surfing spot and even a farmyard zoo. Arguably the ride’s best feature, however, is accessed from the seaside hamlet of Clifton – gateway to Cape Kidnappers. The gannet colony, with the birds in residence from October to March, is viewable on either a 3–4hr guided tour; or by hiring fat bikes from a depot at Clifton.
Craggy Range wine © Hawke’s Bay Tourism
Highlights of the trail
• Magnet Café operates from an adorable shipping container off Marine Parade in Napier and boasts a glorious position on the beach.
• Origin Earth is an artisan cheese factory in Havelock North. Pop in for cheese tasting and a wedge of something punchy for your picnic.
• Venture a little off trail to find the Waiohiki Creative Arts Village: an art studio, workshop and gallery. The community is home to artists-in-residence so you’ll also meet various creatives.
• With over 70 wineries in the region, vineyard bike hopping is top of most people’s to-do list.
• If you prefer heady hops over a robust red, a small detour will lead to Roosters Craft Brewery. Hearty pub meals are also found at this relaxed tavern.
• Head to the coastal suburb of Awatoto and watch the model airplanes soar overhead.
• Large swells rolling in from the east make the surf at Te Awanga fantastic. Grab a coffee at a nearby café or feed the alpacas at Hawke’s Bay Farmyard petting zoo.
• Discover Wetlands rich in native birds. Stop off at the bird hides and spy a myriad of species.
• Cape Kidnappers peninsula is home to the largest gannet colony in the world (gannets can be seen from September to early April). Visit at your own risk and check warning signs.
• The sunny Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s oldest wine regions and home to a multitude of vineyards. The wine region produces numerous grape varieties, with chardonnay being the most widely planted.
• Stop for a break in the little settlement of Puketapu. Home to The Puketapu, a traditional country pub with excellent meals, a general store with delicious ice creams and a great kids’ playground.
• All sorts of chocolate marvels are made in front of patron’s eyes at Silky Oak Chocolates.
Café at Clifton © Hawke’s Bay Trails
More mountain biking, please
Hawke’s Bay is notoriously flat but there are still plenty of places for mountain bikers.
Pan Pac Eskdale Mountain Bike Park With more than 100km of tracks and five different sections for every skill level, this is one of New Zealand’s largest mountain bike parks.
Taradale Dirt Park and Pump Track Located beside the Pettigrew Green Arena in Taradale, this small dirt jump park is free to use and best for beginners and intermediates.
Napier Pump Track Stationed on Marine Parade next to the Rotary Pathway, this all-weather park is both free to use and super convenient for those staying in central Napier.
Te Mata Peak What goes up, must come down. At the top of Te Mata Peak there is a sign indicating a 2km downhill mountain bike track. As you can imagine, it’s steep, fast and if you’re a thrillseeker, a lot of fun.
6 unique experiences in Napier
Following a 1931 earthquake, Napier rebuilt itself into the cool coastal city that you see today.
1. Unique wine tasting
Marvel at the giant-sized fermenters at The Urban Winery. Home to Tony Bish Wines, his cellar, located in the National Tobacco CompanyArt Deco building (known as the ‘Rothmans’ building) harbours huge egg-shaped wine barrels made from concrete and French oak.
2. Vintage Art Deco tours
Almost as plentiful as the wine is Napier’s art deco scene. For the ultimate experience, book a guided tour around town in a striking 1930s classic car.
3. Do time
Provided with an audio device, you’ll be hanging on the narrator’s every word at Napier Prison. Built in 1862,this former penitentiary has stories to tingle your every vertebrae. Finger printing and mugshot photographers keep the mood light for children.
4. Walk it out
Stroll along Marine Parade. Jutting into the water is the Napier Viewing Platform with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. For something strenuous, Bluff Hill Lookout is a steep 35-minute walk from the city centre, but the views are worth the puff.
5. Attend Napier Art Deco Festival
If you’ve ever yearned to live in a glitzy, glamorous Great Gatsby era, here’s your chance. Every year, over five fabulous days in February, Napier’s streets erupt with hundreds of art deco events.
6. Get artsy
Admire the public art installations that speckle Te Matau-a-Maui Art and Heritage Trail. The pathway traces the cycleway to Cape Kidnappers, passing the coastal communities of Haumoana and Te Awanga.
Napier buildings on the esplanade © Hawke’s Bay Tourism
72 hours in Hastings
The largest town in Hawke’s Bay is a lively mecca of seaside charm, art deco and sunshine.
FRIDAY
Take a short drive (or cycle if you’re still in the lycra) to Cape Kidnappers. The jagged white bluffs that define this landmark slide into the Pacific Ocean cliff-by-cliff, leaving great toothy boulders exposed, much like the jagged spine of a sleeping dinosaur. Come September, the clifftops are seized by the world’s largest mainland colony of gannets, where they stay – squabbling, squawking and breeding – until early April.
SATURDAY
Catching the sunrise from the summit of Te Mata Peak is well worth the shrill of your alarm. This great swathe of rippled land stands 399km high, with an enchanting Redwood Forest at its nape. Seek out the small township of Havelock North, where Keirunga Gardens boasts a 846m-long miniature train winding through tiny tunnels and bridges. Back in Hastings, a self-guided walks’ brochure can be picked up from the Information Centre or you can head to Civic Square where the free City Art Gallery is stoically guarded by Nga Pou O Heretaung: 18 Māori carvings. After dinner, catch a film at Focal Point Cinema. With its fabulous art deco façade, a date here feels fun and retro.
SUNDAY
Hastings is home to Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market: the longest running market in New Zealand. Buzzing every Sunday from 8.30am, sample the region’s freshest produce. Afterward, head 10-minutes out of town to Arataki Honey Visitor Centre and discover what makes a Queen Bee tick. Before leaving Hastings today, grab a bag of sugar-loaded lollies from Birdwoods Gallery and Sweet Shop in Havelock North. This will ensure your journey home is sweet-as.
Hastings Farmers’ Market © Hawke’s Bay Tourism
Add-on Heartland Trails
GENTLE ANNIE: 136km/2 days Linking to the Hawke’s Bay Trails (as well as two other Heartland Rides: Route 52 and the -Taihape Trail), this remote winding road was originally used by Māori.
ROUTE 52: 202km/2 days Linking Hawke’s Bay to the Wairarapa region, long stretches of riding pass through farm and towns.
