Wineries Ride
Take a leisurely spin through New Zealand’s oldest wine region.
Distance: 30km or 60k
Trail Status: Open
Surface: Lime sand and short on-road sections
Traffic: Light
Grade: 1
There are 10 cellar doors dotted along this smooth trail. They serve not only fine wines but also non-alcoholic drinks and delicious food.
As this is a loop ride, you can start from a number of places. If you have your own bike, you can start from the Hastings Golf Club (they welcome cyclists and have a cafe, bike racks and toilets) or Roys Hill near Fernhill. Roys Hill is only 20 metres high but offers great views of the wine region. You can also follow iWay paths from Hastings.
If you don’t do any of the side trips, then this is a 33-km loop. If you ride all the side trips, then it is 47 km. It is all flat, except for the option of riding up Roys Hill for the view.
From wherever you start, we recommend going in a clockwise direction. Most of the wineries are on the western half of the loop.
For a longer version starting at FishBike, 12km to Clive, you will then be rewarded with open river sections on the way, a winery loop returning via the short on-road section via Stock Rd and Wilson Road, then through historic ‘Oak Avenue’ – majestic any time of year.
Distance: 30km or 60k
Trail Status: Open
Surface: Lime sand and short on-road sections
Traffic: Light
Grade: 1