In early December 2019 5 Men on Bikes returned to Nelson/Tasman to finally complete the full circuit of the Great Taste Tasman Trail. Our previous attempts had been frustrated by the closure of the Spooners Tunnel. With the tunnel reopened, we agreed on one last attempt to ride through New Zealand’s longest cycle trail tunnel.

Because of the late posting of this record (I have no excuse other than my own tardiness), this record is confined to two parts:

• This brief record of the itinerary, including accommodation and support
• A gallery of photos taken throughout the ride

I apologise to those few supporters looking for the more detailed narrative of our adventures, however in this case providing a quick record is more important than providing a detailed one! Hopefully the gallery will provide some indication of some of the options on this easy to ride trail are. There is a reason it is called the Great Taste Trail!

Bike Hire and Accommodation

For this ride we arranged the hire of four electric bikes from Kiwi Journeys in Nelson. Although there were five of us riding, Paul surprised us all by turning up at the airport with his own brand new Trek “gravel bike” all packed and ready for transport. Kiwi Journeys therefore provided two eMTBs (gratefully accepted by Steve and Dale) and two hybrid e-tourer bikes, elegantly ridden by Kev and Kem. Although these latter bikes looked as though they would be more at home in a city environment, they were perfectly adequate for the well- maintained trails and road work on the GTT.

Kiwi Journeys also booked all accommodation and the tickets for the one-way Mapua – Rabbit Island ferry ride. So if you are planning a ride in this area, you won’t go wrong in talking to the friendly staff at Kiwi Journeys.

Itinerary

Day 1: Nelson to Wakefield

Having previously ridden the coastal path via Rocks Road, we opted to ride the inland circuit to Wakefield, via the Railway Reserve. The initial part of this trail passes directly behind the house I grew up in, and I can still recall sitting in the back yard as a child watching the last trains pass by. Unfortunately, that house no longer stands, and at the time of our visit was just an empty section.

Dale also spent time in the area in his youth, and at Bishopdale he and Paul took off up the Ridgeway to try to locate his former residence, while Steve, Kev and I continued on the trail, finally catching up with the others on the outskirts of Richmond.

Accommodation that night was in shared rooms at the Wakefield Hotel, where once again we enjoyed the ambience of the bar, and the quality of the evening meal.

One change since our last visit was the construction of a locked bike shed behind the hotel, offering secure storage and – importantly – recharge points for e-bikes. A real benefit for a hotel sitting right on the GTT.

Day2: Wakefield to Kaiteriteri, via Spooners Tunnel

As usual there is one long day on our weekend rides. This time it was the ride to Spooners Tunnel via Belgrove, then onward through Kohatu (for coffee), Tapawera (lunch) and the West Motueka Valley Road to Riwaka, them onward to Kaiteriteri. At the time we rode (December 2019) the off-road trail between Kohatu and Tapawera was still under construction, so this section was ridden on road. I understand the trail has recently opened, making for a far safer off-road ride for this section.

Beyond Tapawera the trail is all on-road, but given that it little traffic this is not a difficult ride.

Or it wouldn’t have been had it not been for the heavy rain we “welcomed” shortly after we passed through Woodstock. A short respite at Dunbar Estates Café for a platter and Pinot Gris, then back into the rain for the final 18 km push to Kaiteriteri.

Accommodation here was in the en-suite cabins at the caravan park, which are comfortable and clean. As previously, after ride drinks and evening meal were taken at the Beached Whale Restaurant and Bar.

Day 3: Kaiteriteri to Mapua

A short ride this time, at just 35 km, but with several hills to climb the extra assistance from the e-bikes was certainly appreciated. This section also included a coffee stop at the Jester House, one-time NZ top café, and a favourite resting place on our previous two rides in the  area. I understand that the café is now operating on limited hours however, so check the website if you are planning a visit.

Accommodation was again at the Mapua Leisure Park on the estuary. This time Steve, Kev and I scored the desirable option, with a quiet cabin with its own deck overlooking the estuary. Very comfortable.

And for drinks and dinner that night, a visit to the Sprig and Fern in Mapua township was a must.  Fine craft beer and good food using local ingredients.

Day 4: Mapua to Nelson (and back to Wellington)

Another relatively easy day – this time in fine sunshine – starting with the short ferry ride from Mapua to Rabbit Island. Then around the coastal trail to Richmond and Stoke, before diverting around the waterfront for a late lunch at the Boatshed Café, recently refurbished after sustaining serious wave damage in unusually high tides and storm conditions.

After returning to the Nelson CBD and dropping the bikes off (and repacking Paul’s bike for the journey home) into a shuttle and back to the airport for the flight back to Wellington.

Mission (finally) accomplished: the Spooners Tunnel conquered!