Trans_NZ_North Island...5. Woodville to Wellington (3 options plus extras)

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Te Mata Peak (Havelock Nth/ Hastings)


When the cruise-ships dock in town to jam their oogling tourist flocks into a long line of coaches to cart them up Te Mata Peak....you KNOW there is something special about the place.
AND THERE IS!!
Just make make sure you can't see any of those sheep-transporters floating around just offshore...

In short...the Te Mata Hills are something SPECIAL, the 360 views are out-of-this-world and the road up is an absolute GEM!
It's a MUST-GO place!




MAP: https://isn.page.link/8j9a

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EYEPOPPER!! Hawkes Bay Northern Wonderland


OK, OK...this one's waaay out there!
And it's a 200km run!
BUT!!!
If you're one of those few who love to dig around the backblocks, avoid major roads at near all cost, LOVE their scenics and photo-stops every 100 meters and are happy to plough some deep, heavy gravel as well as carve some perfectly smooth and deserted race-track twisties before scrabbling up some private farm roads into a valley bowl stunted by a ring of hills with the ocean in the far distance....then.....THEN come along for this one!!



MAP: https://isn.page.link/b4Ce







Tiniroto Rd. turn-off-> Ruakituri Valley twisties






-> Erepeti Rd. through Kokotea Station






-> back on asphalt-twisties at Ohuka for the run to the SH38/ Lake Waikaremoana Rd.





CRUCIAL: FUEL!!
If you do NOT have fuel for approx. 200km from here, a fuel-run is required to top up tanks at the Lake Waikaremoana Resort Shop. Approx 60km/2hrs return of mostly gravel with regular traffic

MAP: https://isn.page.link/3XZj



Otherwise continue south on SH38 for a short stretch -> Ruapapa Rd. climbs quickly before following the ridges , the views are fabulous!!








Back on seal at Putere Rd. -> turning south on the endless swinging twisties to the SH2 highway...or skimming more of the glorious ridges on a roughly parallel course via Cricklewood Rd.





-> SH2 for a short stretch to just past Tutira School -> Waikoau Rd. is another continuation of the same theme: Awesome ride with awesome views!






-> Darkys Spur then crowns the lot with some knife-edge ridge riding mated with breathtaking views to the nearby coast and beaches.

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Te Uri Rd.(Dannevirke/ Ormondville -> Porangahau)


Back-country cruising at its finest.
Views, some tighter stuff, some gravel, some asphalt....then just add more views!
Finish at Porangahau for some food and drink at the store....or the pub, if open. (after 3pm).
https://publocation.co.nz/pubs/hawke...dinburgh-hotel



MAP: https://isn.page.link/1krJ

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Needless to say that there are are many, many others........and then you'd have to ride 'em all the other direction for the different views, light, mood and feel-on-the-day.

As small as what the area seems to be on a map, it's just never-ending and infinite in it's shades and colours.

What a fabulous corner of the world