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Bell Rock & Tiwhanui

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With a recent foray into small trail runs, I started looking for a suitable day to finally get up to Bell Rock. It’s notoriously windy up there, the kind of wind where people my size struggle to stand up. Liking to stay near the ground when running, I patiently waited for a clear day (the views are one of the drawcards) with little wind.

After a week of wintry weather, and while the first park run in months tired me out, I was not wasting a glorious Saturday afternoon. Quite a drive later, I was at the trailhead rather counting on that I’d get back before dark. Only three kilometres out, the trail starts with a steep, rooty and slippery section through native bush. I was slow enough not to injure myself, before emerging onto the ridge – the sheltered side it turned out.

Those hills on the coast became more familiar the following day.

Longer, tussocky grass surrounded and then turned into the route. In the shaded parts of the undulations snow lingered from two days before. That was negotiated slowly, but without incident before a climb over the ridge put me into the wind. I’m glad I chose a stiller day – it was very blowly, and just warm enough to linger without extra layers chatting to a few other daytrippers.

As expected, the views were expansive and I thoroughly enjoyed picking out roads and hills I’d ridden, all the while helping to further piece the jigsaw of Hawke’s Bay together.

The northern face of the Kawekas, with some rare snow.

North over the Mohaka and stretching towards Whirinaki.

Mahia Peninsula in the background, must get back there.

Yup, more hills.

Turning, I followed the ridge line all the way back to the road and then that to the car. Fantastic little run, I await a few spare hours and the weather coinciding again.

After liaising with farmers for access across three farms to reach my favourite Hawke’s Bay views for this year’s HBAT, Sunday was the day to scout it out. The first farm was a bit of a long shot, and is not really necessary for the route – but it would add variety. I also suspect I’d be roundly cursed – the other two farms are steep enough, this was another level. Having said that, it was absolutely brilliant – steep climbs on mostly-dry grassed tracks, frequent views of so many Hawke’s Bay landmarks, remote and deserted as far as people went (the stock were numerous, and mystified).

Partway up the first climb, looking down on the farmhouse; Cape Kidnappers on the horizon.

My path was level, briefly – but still surrounded by hills.

Welcoming party to another farmhouse, now unused, and with no road access. Private beach is pretty good, but.

Fair warning of the start of the next climb.

I missed a track turning left and when I realised, it made more sense to just forge ahead on the track I was on and get back on route. Sure it was hilly, but how hard could eight hundred metres be. I need the hike-a-bike practice after all.

I found myself atop cliffs earlier than expected.

They may have been subsiding a little; looking toward Wairoa.

That’s the way I was heading, after the summit.

Those twelve kilometres only took two hours. Eight hundred metres of climbing, with a fair bit of descent (some of that also hike-a-bike), was a solid start to the day’s loop. Napier just visible in the centre, the three peaks behind Havelock North also just there.

One of the reasons I love being up there.

There starts a screaming descent on a not too-rough, but hardly smooth, farm track. Most enjoyable, especially as everything had dried out after the week’s rain.

A few more, littler, hills.

Bell Rock is up in the cloud covered hills.

Out of the farms, that was a fraction of the distance for the day. I only had to continue battling the northerly briefly before turning to have it at my back. After a late lunch at my most-frequented country store, I ambled up Darky’s Spur as shadows lengthened. A single motorbike passed me before I hit the seal, crossed the highway, found the gravel again for some lovely ridge riding before the plunge back to sea level and my car. Gracious hospitality at the first farmhouse had many bike and travel stories shared; they thought I was nuts, but it’s all relative – they’d also seen people biking the Canning Stock Route, that sounds far more nuts to me.

bikepacking, bikes, GPS, NZ

Scouting and Kopiko greeting from Frasertown

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There was one section of Kopiko Aotearoa (the Cape to Cape ride that I was due to do, but ended up doing NITT instead) up near Wairoa that I’d never ridden. So I went up that way for the weekend to ride that, see how many Kopiki West to East riders I could find, ride a few other favourite gravel roads and do a bit of scouting for this year’s HBAT.

Leaving the house (where I’d been welcomed by friends of a friend with exceeding warmth and generosity) just before dawn, it was a warm enough start. The lights weren’t needed for long as a still day brightened.

Easy, flattish seal to start.

The Mangapoike, just before it flows into the Wairoa.

Nearing the turn-off, I’d be into those hills soon – new roads for me!

Up and over a little hill, I left Tiniroto Rd at Te Reinga – and promptly stopped to see the falls. The viewing platform could have been placed in a better position – perhaps where one can see the falls. No matter, I met my first KAers for the day and there started many episodes of stopping and chatting. The sealed road beside the Ruakituri River was pretty flat and easygoing. A perfect morning for cycling, no wind, warm but never hot or cold, no burning sunlight – it was excellent to be out; however, not the greatest for inspiring plenty of photo snapping.

Near the end of the seal, I spotted a little sign pointing KA riders in – a local farm had opened up their shearers’ quarters for accommodation, food and water. I checked it out, HBAT in mind, and managed to miss a passing shower. The light rain helped to dampen any dust on the gravel, I could see recently set deep bike tracks in the surface – the east to west riders didn’t have it so good up here.

A good climb up to four hundred metres had constant iterations one of my favourite bikepacking ponderings – “How does this road get out of this valley?” (catchy title, I know). Over the next couple of hours, there was a flurry of riders heading in the opposite direction – easily over a dozen. All were happy to stop, rest and chat – strangely they seemed more interested in what I was doing out there with little kit than answering my queries about their own adventures; perhaps after a week of explaining what they were doing, it was a welcome change to ask someone the same question. Or maybe I just like to talk about bike trips too much.

My obsession with seeing Panekiri Bluff from differing angles and distances continued. It’s so close here!

A long descent to Ohuka ensued before more chatting and onto seal – steep! It tried to rain again, but that was more cooling than wetting and most welcome. It really was a steep descent down to Lake Rd, I now appreciate a little all the comments I’d seen in the KA group and heard from the riders I’d passed. Still, what a road from Te Reinga – just fantastic.

Ten flat kilometres back towards where I came from, it was only a little tempting to head home to my excellent hosts. But, another new road – more exploring! Ruapapa Rd served up a surprising amount of pine forest – a big wide gravel road with more traffic than I was expecting and no views. Suddenly, a little hydro scheme that I didn’t know existed – fascinating.

Sun out by now and the westerly rising, the steep climb away from the dam and the Waiau River was a bit of shock. The descent to the river was fast, steep and heavily corrugated.

I stopped most of the way down and chatted to a farmer moving some of his 35,000 sheep.

A good thing I did too – I now have a contact which should enable HBAT to avoid more highway and cover more hills, and he pointed me towards water at a local community hall – also handy to know for HBAT.

It’s quite a gateway to the hall – from the old bridge over the Waiau. Coincidentally, the grandparents of my host for the weekend used to live in that house.

Over the river, the road was sealed again up what I’ve learnt the locals call the “staircase”. It’s only four hundred metres to ascend to the start of one of my favourite roads.

Finally, I snapped a photo of this cute little house I’ve notice many times before.

Again, Cricklewood Road did not disappoint. With the westerly stronger up here, the rolling climbs were there to be attacked – in amongst stopping to look over the terrain I was now slightly more familiar with. Deserted on a Saturday afternoon, there wasn’t even a huge flock of sheep to negotiate.

Towards where I’d spent the previous few hours.

No sheep this time – c.f.

I mean, look at it…

Over northern Hawke Bay to Mahia Peninsula.

Eventually, the big descent to sea level and the quick blast back into town were done and I was welcomed with a big barbecue dinner. Fantastic day, odd to be riding so far with an unloaded bike – that certainly makes 2000 m/100 km easier.

Sunday had a far more leisurely start – sleep-in, drive to Tiniroto and set off on a far shorter loop at half-nine. Mostly I was extremely keen to ride Parikanapa Rd again – it being so stunning on NITT, I wanted to know how it rode in the opposite direction. I’d love to see it in a course route, so this was important to find out. The steep climbing was done quickly and the bit that was rough and loose gravel while descending at speed, was really quite placid when climbing slowly.

Again, it was great riding weather and there was no traffic – well, I saw some quad bikes on farms and a car. I was curious to see how all the hills would look without the amazing evening light I got on NITT. While they weren’t quite as spectacular, the beauty of all the folds and creases in the hills surrounding that road was still apparent.

Another two wonderful hours up on the ridges of Parikanapi Rd over and I was back on the lower Tiniroto Road – my, it was comparatively boring. Although I did meet two more pairs of KA riders while I was riding downhill – I quickly u-turned and spun up hill chatting all the way until I started going down the other side.

Grass up the middle and very skinny road – only sealed as just around the corner were a lot of tight switchbacks dropping to the Hangaroa River.

Incidentally, it’s the meeting of the Hangaroa and Ruakituri Rivers that form the Wairoa – glad I’ve finally got that sorted in my mind. The Wairoa always seemed to me improbably large for such a short river; it seems to me that some of the tributaries are far bigger than the two rivers that start the Wairoa off. There’s a nice big park just over the bridge that crosses the Hangaroa there – a good spot for families, camping and for me to have my lunch.

Back onto gravel, the lunch-legs appeared – but the climbing was mostly slight, the views and surface pleasing. Only after crossing back over the river did a decent climb appear, but that was easily surmounted. Even less traffic on Ruakaka Road than in the morning – that is, no vehicles on the road. The twenty kilometres after lunch was quickly over to complete a lovely few hours of riding. Seemed a shame not to pop in and support the pub (they fed many hungry bikepackers over the week just gone) before heading south. I’d love to get both of these roads on my HBAT route, but that’s not likely – but, happily enough, more exploring is called for in these parts.

Saturday’s route, somehow I lost the ride – it was only about 3700 m of climbing:

around home, bikepacking, bikes, GPS, NZ

NITT 9 – Tiniroto to Napier

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Gone by six, unusually there was a little rain – cool on the descent from Tiniroto, and pleasantly so on the following climb. Now on the home straight and with only two percent of the day’s route roads new to my bike, the 180 km back to my front door turned into a bit of a celebration of the week’s most excellent trip.

Celebrations started in style with the best meal of the week (copious numbers of mushrooms in there) – East End Cafe in Wairoa is exceptional. What a find (thanks Keiko) for breakfast, and so close to home.

Out of Wairoa on the highway, I was a little disappointed to have to, poorly, sing “Goodbye Cricklewood Road” as I passed one of my favourite gravel roads (I’d be back three weeks later). Sunday morning, the highway was quiet and with only a day’s riding left and all batteries fully charged, music from my phone was a regular accompaniment of the day. The four kilometres of Mohaka Coach Rd down to the township were new – and provided the first blackberry stop of the day.

And views across to the cliffs towards the Waikare mouth.

And across the lower reaches of the Mohaka, towards hills that get more and more familiar.

Climbing Mohaka Coach Road towards Kotemaori, I found it may ride just as well as it does down towards the coast. That is to say, it was a very pleasant Sunday midday ride with absolutely no traffic. Back on the highway, traffic had increased – but it was mostly of the boat towing and carrying surfboards variety as a long weekend ended.

As the afternoon warmed, it was time for a spell at my most-frequented country store. How many pies, milkshakes and ice creams I’ve consumed at the Tutira store? I’d not like to hazard a guess. Off the highway, the roads just got more familiar. Another prolonged blackberry stop eventually had to be cut short or I’d never make it home.

A kind wind pushed me up Darkys Spur and onto Waipunga Road – where it was time for another stop. This time dropping in to congratulate newlyweds (a workmate) and hear how the wedding on the farm went; there may have also been giant cookies and other refreshments. Waipunga was riding far better than it was on HBAT, so that was pleasing.

Home, just over there! With a bit of over-zoom.

In no time I was back on my bike-commute route, savouring a very successful week of riding, seeing much of the central North Island, great company and food, fine weather, averaging over two hundred kilometres per day on mostly hilly terrain (with little riding at night when the views aren’t so good). Most importantly I found I could ride such distances day after day and thoroughly enjoy it – fantastic; the weather may have helped a lot there. Thanks for following along.

Pretending that the commute-route is new to me.

bikepacking, bikes, GPS, NZ

NITT 8 – Whakawhitira to Tiniroto

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I must have been to close to some water, as there were enough mosquitos buzzing around through the warm night to keep me from deep sleep. Still, the main road was quiet and, despite the broken sleep, I felt good setting off before six o’clock. A warm-up and a few little hills later and I was crossing the river into Ruatoria for breakfast.

Early morning over the Waiapu.

The pub had seen better days.

A couple of stores opened at seven, so that was worth waiting for. The Ruatoria pies, even more so; so started a cruisy day of riding between food stops and more outstanding bays. This East Coast road is notorious among touring cyclists for logging trucks – but thanks to the coronavirus and the region’s log exports grinding to a sudden halt, I didn’t see a single one on the road.

With a norwester blowing, there was a gently helping hand as I tackled only the occasional climb – much of the day being pretty flat and easy. There were plenty of hills to be seen, but the region being so refreshingly undeveloped there are few roads to explore those hills. It was an easy first half of the commute home; after the previous week, that sat just fine with me.

Enjoying a Coastie Toastie at Tokomaru Bay.

Following a big lunch at Tolaga Bay, there were finally some more wee hills to summit before joining a lot of holiday and beach traffic into Gisborne.

Can’t imagine why people find this place appealing for a relaxed holiday.

Seeing the coast stretch to the Mahia Peninsula, I again chastised myself for taking four and a half years to get up here. I just keep finding more places to explore close to home. It was nice to get off the road for the first time that day on a cycle path into Gisborne. As it took me so long to get there, perhaps I should have had a better look around – but an early dinner called before heading west out of town.

Late in the afternoon, the wind had got up and was really whipping across the plains – that twenty kilometres with increased traffic was tough. On the quieter road to Tiniroto, I started to climb. The first real one of the day was another Gentle Annie – mercifully smaller than the one on the first day of the trip. Steepening, I spied a lot of blackberries on the side of the road – those could not be easily passed and provided a little boost to get up and over to Waerengaokuri

Gisborne just visible on the coast.

Long since closed.

Way back when I was looking for a good way to get home from East Cape and I spied what looked like a gravel alternative to a section of the sealed Tiniroto Rd that I’d ridden a couple of times before. I was eager to check it out, my only concerns were that I might drop a lot of altitude and have to grovel back up to Tiniroto, or worse yet – the road might not go through for some reason.

Always pleasing to see decades old sign styles surviving.

That was far from the case, it began to climb straight away and was interestingly steep in parts. Absolutely deserted in the early evening, every couple of kilometres I’d be surprised to see a house. Short stretches of seal indicated it was a bit steeper, but mostly it was good gravel. Soon after the turn off I was following the ridge line up, so there were views in both directions.

These got better as dusk approached. I thought the climbing was done for a while at six hundred metres elevation, but after a steep descent it wound its way back up again. The road was challenging in parts, but my – with the views, solitude and challenge at the end of a long day of sealed road – it was one of the standouts of the entire trip. I loved it and am very much looking forward to riding it again this weekend, only three weeks later. I shouldn’t go on, so here’s a few of the photos I took over the two hours and twenty-five kilometres.

Looking west, wondering what it’ll be like when the sun drops a little lower.

Getting some idea as the sun dips; looking north.

Breath taken from me looking towards Waikaremoana, marvelling at all the folds in the hills.

Sometimes it’s a bit easier to imagine where the gravel might go next.

Whakapunake.

My evening companion for the week made another sudden appearance. About this time, I also saw a vehicle and shortly after, a wild boar – both I was surprised to see.

Back on Tiniroto Rd, it was time to drop down to the settlement and see if the pub was still open. Buzzing from such a fantastic find, a little climb hardly dampened my spirits as the sun finally set on the eighth day of my little tour. The last few hours made it one of the more memorable for a while; that the pub and its kitchen were still open were an unexpected bonus as the fifth meal of the day was savoured before laying my head for the night in the community hall.