Hawke's Bay Trails
Well located bike tour and hire depots and an excellent map with themed rides – Water, Landscapes & Wineries – make it easy to plan the perfect sightseeing tour from an hour to all day, with nearly 200km of trails to choose from.
Highlights
- beautiful coastal & country scenery
- art deco architecture
- winery tastings & dining at cellar-door restaurants
- Cape Kidnappers gannet colony
- Te Mata Peak lookout & walks
- Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market
- cafes, pubs, breweries, ice cream shops & more
- riverside picnics & swimming
- bird-filled wetlands
The 200km Hawke’s Bay Trails have been created with day rides in mind, all of which are easy to reach from destinations throughout the region. They’re also easy to adapt, link, or ride consecutively staying overnight in accommodation along the way. Here are the most popular rides.
Wineries Ride
- 36 – 47 km
- Grade 1 / easiest
- 3 – 5 hours
No visit to Hawke’s Bay is complete without knocking on at least a couple of cellar doors. 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 of which have cellar door dining. The 11km there-and-back option to Sileni Estate is worth the extra effort. Refreshing craft beer is also available at Roosters Brewery on Omahu Road just off the trail.
Roys Hill Reserve or Hastings Golf Club are good places to start, or the ride can be accessed from Hastings via the iWay city cycling route, or Clive by riding along the Ngaruroro River trail. Bike hire is available at convenient locations.
Puketapu Loop
- 18 km
- Grade 1 – 2 / easiest to easy
- 1.5 – 3 hours
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, 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. Bike hire is available in Taradale and nearby Greenmeadows.
The Water Ride
- 35 km
- Grade 1 / easiest
- 2 – 3 hours
The scenic ride starts on Napier’s shoreline at Ahuriri, close to several bike hire depots. It follows the coast on a concrete path towards Bay View, before heading inland and south into rural wetlands that used to form part of the inner harbour. The trail winds around historic Te Roro o Kuri Island, the site of a sacred pā site. Eagle-eyed riders may spot ancient shell middens and fossilised shells around here.
After passing the airport, the trail continues through wetlands where viewing hides encourage bird spotting – around 70 species live or visit here. The trail finishes back in Ahuriri, where seaside cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops await.
The full 35km loop can easily be split into shorter sections, or extended to include the Taradale loop that takes in the renowned Mission Estate and Church Road wineries.
Clive—Clifton
- 15km
- Grade 1 – 2 / easiest – easy
- 1 – 2 hours
Starting at the township of Clive, this short but intensely picturesque section of the Landscapes Ride hugs the Pacific Ocean, passing through quaint coastal communities along the way.
Highlights of the trail include picturesque wetlands, informative local heritage art installations, wineries offering meals and cellar-door tastings, burger bars, dairies, cafes, 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 – the gateway to Cape Kidnappers. The gannet colony at the end of the Cape is an iconic Hawke’s Bay site, with the birds in residence from October to March and viewable on either on a 3–4 hour guided tour; a walking trail (5 hours return); or by hiring fat bikes from a depot at Clifton (the terrain being too rough for a normal mountain bike). By bike, it will take 3–4 hours.
Source: The New Zealand Cycle Trail