Cycling around Motueka: Summer wine cycling
January 2012
[by Ian Miller]
Now that you're only a hundred or so Kilometers of riding away from becoming a cycling enthusiast and your delicate regions are starting to toughen up, I think it's time I led you out of town on a pleasant rural excursion.
This is an enjoyable route and can be the beginning of several different trips, both long and not so long, into the countryside. In fact along this route, if you turn left instead of right at one intersection you'll find yourself heading for the steepest little hill anywhere around here. Once you can ride up this hill without having to dismount and walk you can call yourself a cyclist.
But for now we won't go near a hill of any sort, steep or otherwise, but concentrate on getting a few enjoyable kilometers under your belt. The route starts in Motueka and you need to find your way into Thorps Bush to begin this trip. From inside the Thorps Bush reserve ride east into the bush and come out beside Motueka's grand canal.
The track along side the ditch ends at the Rec Center but watch out as most of it is grass and it can be muddy. On wet days cycle along Woodlands Avenue instead and use the little alley at the very end to pop out in Monahan Street.
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Young hops twirl upwards towards their afterlife
as brewers magic
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From there cross Old Wharf Road opposite the State Cinema and meander through the site of the sawdust dump from the long gone Baigents timber mill on High Street.
Keep Motueka Beautiful are doing and an amazing job of turning this waste land into a beautiful reserve and dog walking area and whatever route you take through it you will end up at the roundabout at the southern entrance to town.
(Don't turn off into Courtney Street East and its tempting café for this trip. Steel yourself to be coffee free for a little while longer as you've only just started and don't deserve coffee yet.)
The track comes out on Wharf Road where you have to turn right and briefly take your life in your hands while you get around the round-about and into High Street South. Then head off to see what progress has been made in cleaning up the mess of scrub and weeds at the Company Ditch end of Bachelor Ford Road.
I will tell you now, so you won't be disappointed, that Council has done nothing despite talking about doing a tidy up there for years. It is a potentially beautiful reserve area and perhaps even a freedom camping site, but it seems to be permanently on the back burner for Council development.
Now that I've had my whinge you can turn around and head to Wildman Road, turn left and then left again and take the cycle track through Lower Moutere and keep going until you get to Riverside. You can take a break there for coffee now if you are desperate (The coffee's great by the way) but I have another plan.
Cross the road and go over Company Ditch by way of the blue swing bridge, watching your head doesn't hit the guy rope on the western end, then head west along Chings Road.
A short way along Chings Road turn into the reserve on the right and wander over and have a sit on the veranda of the pavilion. If you were wise enough to bring a flask of coffee this is a good place to stop and have a chat. There are toilets here too.
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The bridge over Company Ditch
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The Memorial Domain on Chings Road
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From there the route takes you left and along Central Road to Edwards Road where you turn right and head west again. What's that in front of you? Oop's - I lied. Typical. There is a hill, but relax it's only a small one, and you can do it.
It's up and over and carry on until a 'T' intersection appears. Turn right into Waiwhero Road which goes through a pretty area and the unsealed road is usually relatively smooth. Keep going until you hit Chings Road again. Now it's left onto Central road and ride north until you come to McBrydie Road on your left. Turn into McBrydie Road.
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The first turn right on McBrydie will take you into Chamberlain Street and a flat easy ride home - or if you still have some steam left you might go ahead and slightly uphill to turn right into Starnes Road which is gravel, has some small easy undulations but affords you great view across the countryside to the east.
Either way you will end up in Hursthouse Street so turn north into (or carry on along) Chamberlain Street and keep heading north until you come to Te Uma Urupa or Maori cemetery sign on your left. It's worth going to have a look at this.
If the gate is shut leave your bikes and walk up the short rise following the walking track just over the gate to the right to admire the carvings at the cemetery entrance and the fantastic view over the plains of Motueka and beyond. There is a seat waiting there for you.
The cemetery is under development and at the time I write this there have been no burials there. I spoke to a bloke working up there recently and asked when the cemetery was going to start being used. He tolerantly replied, "No one is dying to get here" to which I responded, "I thought someone might oblige just to get it going".
When the cemetery development is complete it will be one of Motueka's special places and the vista from there will always be impressive.
If you are still capable of more, carry on north along Chamberlain Street, cross over the main road (College Street) turn right into Whakarewa Street, left into Pamarika Street and follow your nose around the corners until you come out on Pah Street and from there you can find your own way home.
At home give the bike chain a wash with hot water and detergent to clean the grit from the gravel roads out, give it a light oil and park the bike up so it can have a well deserved rest. Now it's your turn - it's time for a glass of summer wine.
This has been a long ride for someone new to perching on a bicycle seat but there are plenty of opportunities along the way to cut the ride short and head for home. The next ride I will take you on is really short, very picturesque and not many people know about its almost secret destination.
MORE CYCLING TRIPS: This is the second of a series of articles written by Ian Miller about various suggested cycle routes in and around Motueka for recreational cyclists. Read his other articles here »
