Plan Your Perfect Cycling Weekend in Hawke’s Bay
Plan Your Perfect Cycling Weekend in Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay is one of New Zealand’s great cycling destinations, home to the largest network of easy, off-road trails in the country: more than 200 kilometres of mostly flat, lime-sand pathways winding past vineyards, rivers, wetlands and coastline. For a weekend on two wheels, Porters Boutique Hotel in the heart of Havelock North village is the ideal base. Two of the region’s most scenic rides begin right at the village edge, and the hotel is genuinely set up for cyclists, with secure parking, dedicated bike storage and trail maps on hand, so you can ride straight from the door and return to relaxed, personalised comfort each evening.
Day 1: Arrival and the Landscapes Ride
Settle in at Porters, then set out on the Landscapes Ride, arguably the Bay’s most beautiful trail, and one you can join straight from the village. Following Te Mata Road past Black Barn Vineyards and historic Te Mata Estate, the trail drops onto the lime-sand path along the Tukituki River stopbank, with Te Mata Peak rising on one side and orchards and vineyards on the other. Ride out towards the coast through Clive, Haumoana and Te Awanga, the cliffs of Cape Kidnappers in view, before turning for home. Pause for a long lunch at Clearview Estate or Hygge at Clifton Bay, then return to Havelock North for dinner among the village’s restaurants and wine bars.
Day 2: The Water Ride
Spend your second day on the Water Ride, Napier’s flat, easy loop along the coast, estuary and wetlands. It is a short drive over to the start, or a ride out through Clive for those feeling strong. From Ahuriri, the trail follows the shoreline north past Westshore towards Bay View, with bird hides and the rare migrating birds of the upper harbour along the way, before looping back inland through Taradale, passing Church Road and Mission Estate. The run home along the Tutaekuri River stopbank makes a satisfying finish. Ridden in full it is a big day, which makes it the perfect outing for an e-bike: charge up overnight in Porters’ secure bike storage, and you will have the range to enjoy every kilometre.
Day 3: Cellar Doors or a Hilltop Finish
On your final day, choose your pace. If you are after cellar doors, the Wineries Ride is an easy, almost entirely off-road loop through the Gimblett Gravels, Bridge Pa and the Ngatarawa Triangle behind Hastings, linking a dozen or so tasting rooms including Trinity Hill, Unison Vineyard and Ash Ridge. Prefer a challenge with a payoff? The Tukituki Loop climbs onto Tukituki Road for sweeping views of Te Mata Peak, Craggy Range and the valley below, the only real hills in the network and worth every metre. Either way, ease back into Havelock North in the afternoon to wander the village, browse its boutiques, or simply unwind at Porters before you head home.
Planning Tips for a Hawke’s Bay Cycling Weekend
Match the ride to your group: most trails are Grade 1-2 and beginner- and family-friendly; only the Tukituki Loop (Grade 3) involves real hills.
Hire a bike on arrival: there is no need to bring your own. The Porters team can help arrange casual hire, and there is e-bike hire at Revolution Bikes, right here in Havelock North village. Local trail operators including Takaro Trails, Bike About Tours, Napier City Bike Hire and On Yer Bike (on the Wineries Ride) also offer standard and e-bikes, with delivery and pick-up available.
Go electric: e-bikes make light work of the longer loops, and Porter’s bike storage includes power-points for overnight charging.
Store and park securely: as a listed Hawke’s Bay Trails accomodation partner, Porters offers secure car parking and dedicated bike storage, with trail maps on hand.
Book your lunch stops: cellar-door restaurants and cafés along the trails can be busy in summer, so reserve ahead, especially for groups.
Check trail status before you ride: upgrades and seasonal detours apply across parts of the network through 2026; the team can point you to the latest updates.
Stay central: Porters’ position in the heart of the village keeps the best rides, dining and the airport all within easy reach.
With more than 200 kilometres of easy trails, world-class wineries and the personalised service of Porters Boutique Hotel, a cycling weekend in Hawke’s Bay is as simple to plan as it is rewarding to ride. Whether you’re chasing coastal views, cellar doors or a gentle family loop, Porters offers the perfect central base: roll out from the village in the morning, and return to comfort and a good glass of local wine each evening.
The Landscapes Ride
Distance: 53-56 km full loop (shorter out-and-back sections possible)
Grade: 1-2 (Easy)
Surface: Lime-sand path & sealed cycle lanes, some road crossings
Start: Havelock North village, at Porters’ doorstep
Best lunch stops: Black Barn Bistro, Clearview Estate, Hygge at Clifton Bay
The Landscapes Ride is the signature Hawke’s Bay trail, and the one you can join straight from Havelock North. Riding out along Te Mata Road, it passes Black Barn Vineyards and Te Mata Estate before following the Tukituki River stopbank towards the coast, with Te Mata Peak rising behind and orchards, vineyards and farmland spread out below.
Mostly flat, off-road and well signposted, it carries you through Clive, Haumoana, Te Awanga and Clifton, with near-constant views of the Pacific and the dramatic cliffs of Cape Kidnappers. It’s an easy, rewarding day in the saddle, and just as enjoyable ridden as a shorter out-and-back.
Because it begins at the village edge, it’s the perfect first ride of a weekend at Porters: roll out after breakfast, lunch at a coastal cellar door, and be back in time for dinner in the village.
The Wineries Ride
Distance: 30 km from Roy’s Hill Reserve, up to 60 km via Oak Avenue from Clive.
Grade: 1 (Easiest)
Surface: Lime-sand off-road with short on-road sections
Start: Roy’s Hill Reserve or Hastings Golf Club, about 15 minutes from Porters
Best lunch stops: Oak Estate Cellar Door & Kitchen, Trinity Hall, Fairways Café
The Wineries Ride is the most relaxed way to experience Hawke’s Bay’s renowned wine country, looping through the Gimblett Gravels, Bridge Pa and the Ngatarawa Triangle behind Hastings. Flat and almost entirely off-road, it threads between a dozen or so cellar doors, including Trinity Hill, Unison Vineyard and Ash Ridge.
Riders can tackle the longer leg from Clive via historic, tree-lined Oak Avenue, or start from Roy’s Hill Reserve for a shorter circuit, picking their own selection of tasting rooms along the way. Vineyard dining at Oak Estate and coffee at Fairways Café make natural stops.
A short drive from Havelock North, it’s an easy ride to fold into a weekend at Porters, whose team can help arrange bike hire to get you out on the trail.
The Tukituki Loop
Distance: 30 km loop (or ~58 km ridden from Havelock North)
Grade: 3 (Intermediate)
Surface: Lime-sand off-road plus on-road hill sections and road crossings
Start: River Road, Havelock North, or Black Bridge
Good to know: Ride anti-clockwise; the network’s only real climbs
For riders wanting a little more, the Tukituki Loop is the most scenic challenge in the network. From River Road in Havelock North, the trail runs beside Te Mata Peak to Red Bridge, then climbs onto Tukituki Road for a stretch of on-road riding, the only genuine hills on the Hawke’s Bay Trails.
The effort is repaid with sweeping views of Te Mata Peak, Craggy Range and the Tukituki Valley before the descent reconnects with the lime-sand trail along the river. It’s best ridden anti-clockwise, and rewards a steady pace.
Close enough to begin with a gentle ride from Porters, it’s an ideal half-day for confident cyclists, with the village’s cafés and bars waiting at the finish.
The Napier Water Ride
Distance: 35 km loop (sections from ~7 km; full loop up to 76 km)
Grade: 1-2 (Easy)
Surface: Concrete & lime-sand; the Ahuriri to Bay View section suits wheelchairs, trikes and hand-bikes
Start: Ahuriri or Westshore, Napier, about 20 minutes from Porters
Best lunch stops: Snapper Café, Westshore Beach Inn, Ahuriri Waterfront
For a change of scene, the Water Ride loops along Napier’s coast, estuary and wetlands, a flat, family-friendly trail rich in birdlife and history. Starting from Ahuriri or Westshore, it follows the shoreline past Westshore Beach towards Bay View before turning inland to the wetlands of the former inner harbour.
Bird hides, story boards and the rare migrating birds of the upper harbour make it as much a nature ride as a cycle, while the smooth concrete section between Ahuriri and Bay View is suitable for wheelchairs, trikes and hand-bikes. Art Deco Napier and the cafés of the Ahuriri waterfront are an easy add-on.
About twenty minutes from Havelock North, it’s a worthwhile excursion for a weekend at Porters. Bookend the ride with a coffee at Snapper Café and a relaxed lunch by the water.
