Whakarewarewa Forest Loop PLUS

The Ebike Social Riders Hawkes Bay group embarked on another tour, this time taking in the Whakarewarewa Forest Loop in Rotorua and the Te Awa Trail in Cambridge/Hamilton. There were 32 riders. 4 planned rides. Unfortunately, the wet weather caused the cancellation of the 4th ride, the Hauraki Rail Trail from Paeroa to Waihi.

Day 1. The Whakarewarewa Forest Loop, Rotorua. 34kms. This loop has recently been added to the Great Rides of New Zealand list. It is best suited for mountain bikes, but the group managed it on our regular ebikes with grippy tyres. It requires a large amount of concentration. There is no time to look at the scenery until stopped. There are lookout stopping points along the route, with views across Lake Rotorua, the Green Lake and the Blue Lake.

The trail condition was very good considering the amount of rain that the region has received. We started the ride at the Mountain Bike Carpark. Initially there are several hairpin bends to navigate, before the trail more or less flattens out. It is well signposted. Care to be taken where there are cross-paths. Some parts are narrow. Coffee stop and toilets at the Te Pukake O Tawa Mountain Bike Park enroute.

Our start point was at the Waipa MTB Car Park. It is recommended to have a coffee and a foot soak at the Secret Hot Tubs Rotorua, after the ride.

Days 2 and 3. The Te Awa River Ride. Information here.

This trail runs between Ngaruawahia to Lake Karapiro via Hamilton and Cambridge. Our Day 2 ride was impeded by rain, so we only got to the Perry Bridge before turning around. Our visit to Hamilton Gardens was cancelled. The Day 3 ride had the highlight of the group being shown around the velodrome. Well worth a visit. The new boardwalks along the Te Awa River Ride are just amazing. They are wide and have enjoyable gradients. Much of the Ride through Hamilton is alongside the Waikato River.

One of the many highlights for our Hawkes Bay group, was that there are no gates to dismount for.

Here are 3 short videos that show the Te Awa River Ride.

Day 4. The Group ride on the Hauraki Rail Trail from Paeroa to Waihi return was cancelled due to the very wet weather forecast. However, My husband and I were heading to Waihi Beach, and when we arrived at Waihi we decided that the weather was not as bad as it was forecast. In fact it was similar to the rest of the days, with a mix of heavy rain and sunshine. So we unloaded our bikes and did the Hauraki Rail Trail from Waihi to the tunnel return, with lunch at the Waikino Station Café. We have ridden this trail a number of times. Since our last visit, I was pleased to see that the rough corners at the Waihi end, have been concreted, making it much safer.