Cycle The City: Wellington

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cycle the city wellingtonFrom easy-going city cruising to hilly, bush-clad landscapes and coastal trails, Wellington offers plenty of cycling opportunities.

The waterfront
For a scenic city spin, point your bike towards the waterfront. Start at downtown Queen’s Wharf, then follow the cycle path along Frank Kitts Park, Waitangi Park, Oriental Parade and Evans Bay Parade. Stop and admire the numerous artworks and sculptures that dot the route, or fuel up in one of the many cafes, restaurants and bars.

Makara Peak
A popular choice for Wellington mountain bikers, Makara Peak is just 15 minutes from the city and offers 30 km of trails. Some are relatively flat and gentle, while others are more challenging!

Skyline Track
12 kilometres long, but it can be broken down into stages thanks to the many entry and exit points along the route. The track runs from Carmichael Street in Johnsonville and goes across to Makara Saddle. On a clear day, you’ll get stunning views of the Kaikoura Ranges, Malborough Sounds and the Wellington Harbour.

Pencarrow Coast Road
A pleasant 16 kilometre return journey that starts at Eastbourne and ends at the Pencarrow Lighthouse – famous for being the first permanent lighthouse installed in New Zealand. Keep an eye out for coastal wildlife as you pedal – the area is renowned for penguins and other sea creatures

Rimutaka Cycle Trail
115 kilometres in total, the Rimutaku Cycle Trail takes two to three days to complete and passes through the Petone foreshore, Wellington Harbour and Wairarapa coast. Shorter, more manageable sections include:

  • Petone to Maymorn. Starting out in historic Petone, just south of Hutt Valley, this route follows an easy cycling route, running along parkland and through various sealed and gravel paths on the Hutt River Trail.
  • Maymorn to Cross Creek. The second part of the trail eases into the Rimutaka Ranges and includes a mixture of bush tracks and rail trails.

We can help with bike hire for any of these routes – send us an email and we’ll get you sorted.

Have a good week,
Steve

Image: Wellington by Andrea Schaffer. CC BY 2.0.