To the coast
Date: 17 Feb 2024
There’s a gentle cycleway between Greytown and Featherston, partly cycles only, and mostly very quiet gravel roads, with a lovely new swingbridge over the Tauwharenikau River.
From Featherston you follow the Western Lake Road which has a cycleway beside it, for about 20 km, to the turnoff to the Remutaka Incline trail. The road is quite narrow and the occasional traffic quite fast, but the trail is a bit bumpy, so take your pick. Beyond that you’re biking on the road beside the large but shallow Lake Wairarapa.
We were very lucky to have the help of a stiff nor’wester for most of the way, making it an easy day.
James Cameron owns a few thousand hectares in the hills above our destination; Te Rakau cabins. We’re staying in the bunkhouse which is a converted old train carriage. The outdoor bath is filled with a hose and heated by a gas burner underneath, the donkey’s name is Ruby and she “appreciates a snack”, and the kitchen, like Ruatiti, is in an open-sided shed. We can’t fault the place.
Supplies: None. Stock up in Featherston.
Accommodation: Te Rakau Bunkhouse
These videos are best viewed on a computer screen. Turning your phone sideways helps.
Max elevation: 92 m
Min elevation: 4 m
Total climbing: 442 m
Total descent: -481 m
Total time: 04:04:36
Battery use: 38% | 240Wh Tail wind and mostly downhill.