Tour Aotearoa: North Island
Bike
18 Feb 2024
Tour Aotearoa (TA) is a 3000 kilometre journey across the two mainland islands of New Zealand, from the most northerly point of Cape Reinga, down to the southern coastal town of Bluff. Aotearoa is the Māori name for New Zealand, translating most closely to “the land of the long white cloud”, and the route was conceptualised and designed by Jonathan and Simon Kennett, two well-known New Zealand cycling guidebook writers. Jonathan linked together the collection of Great Rides with the Heartland Rides to make a route that traverses the length of the country, and having ridden the Tour Divide in the States in 2008, Simon wanted to bring that concept back home to New Zealand. Four years later the TA was born, and since its inception in 2016 the route has attracted international attention and is now regarded as one of the world’s great cycling journeys.
Riding surfaces vary and cover the full spectrum, making this a real all-conditions ride. From gravel roads and single track to a sandy beach and lumpy double track, to dirt paths and trails, with tarmac to link this all together, plus a healthy dose of hike-a-bike. There are also five boat trips to take, also of varying forms, which help link the terrain and allow for access in-to or out-of remote areas.
The TA route is a public, open course that can be ridden at any time, but there is also the TA Brevet. This is a self-supported, group event and not a race, currently run annually in February. It is a ride following the set course, including 30 photo checkpoints, which need to be completed between 10 and 30 days. This timeframe aims to avoid people racing the route too quickly, but also riding with determination is required to make it to the end before the cut-off.
Cycle trails and investment in infrastructure is progressing quickly in New Zealand, so there are tweaks to the route most years. There’s often diversions too, as the harsh weather across the country causes landslides and alters tracks. The 2024 edition of the mass start event which I’m taking part in sets riders off in waves of 100 people per day. There are also plenty of riders spread out across the country who aren’t officially part of the Brevet, or who are riding a smaller section of the full route, so there’s plenty of riders out on the course at any time during the summer.
The end-to-end route requires some logistical planning as the start and finish are in fairly remote places in New Zealand. I made plans to drive up to Auckland from Wellington, where I’ll join other riders on a shuttle to the far Northland. Living in Wellington is ideal for this ride, as it’s halfway through the route, and where the North-South Island ferry runs from. I’ll be able to sleep in my bed at the halfway mark, swap kit if needed, and wait for a ferry to be confirmed if the weather is unstable and causes delays, which is often the case.
Due to the length of the route, plus the remoteness of the start and finish points, I planned to be on the road, living on my bike, for around four weeks. I’ve found myself in a unique situation and have the opportunity to join this ride whilst in-between jobs. The timing worked out that I could join the Brevet, so I’m pleased to be riding alongside many others. This style of ride is my preference, I am not one for racing, but I do want to ride with purpose and cover ground efficiently, alongside others.
This is a long route with loads happening along the way, so for the purposes of this Journal, I’ve split the route most naturally into the North and South Island. The riding and conditions of the two islands vary quite significantly, plus often riders only have time to cover one of the islands, so this makes the reading more useful and specific to those needs.
My main aim at the beginning of this journey is to stick to riding in the daylight and as little in the dark as possible, to not miss any scenery riding in the dark. It will also limit my sleep deprivation and ensure I recover well so can maximise enjoyment. Weather events in New Zealand can roll in quickly and when they do, can be very intense, so if considerable rain is forecast, I’ll adjust my plans as necessary. When the weather is good though, it’s game on.
Preparation in the form of riding fitness for this trip hasn’t been as extensive as I’d like, as I’ve been travelling around the country over the last three months, having loads of fun, but I’ve only been on a handful of long rides. However, I have been doing lots of hiking, running, sailing, kayaking, and surfing, so I’m feeling pretty fit, I’ve just not had as much time conditioning in the saddle as I’d like. Nevertheless, having just moved to the country, what better way to start my life here than riding from one end of the country to the other?!
Northland
Day 1: Cape Reinga - Broadwood. 132 km | 1050 m+ | 7.5/9 hours
Day 2: Broadwood - Dargaville. 150 km | 2300 m+ | 8/11.5 hours
Day 3: Dargaville - Auckland. 117 km | 1500 m+ | 6/13.5 hours
I found myself at Cape Reinga two days before my wave of riders would be set off, due to how timings worked with the shuttle, but I was pleased I could relax on the beach and meet other riders casually and take in my surroundings fully. Cape Reinga, where the Pacific meets the Tasman Sea, was a special place, and in the 30 degree sunshine I swam in the sea and let myself be distracted from my pre-ride apprehension. I’d had a fairly frantic few weeks leading up to getting here, as it was a bit of a last-minute decision to ride the Brevet, but I felt hugely appreciative to be here and setting off on this epic journey.
Waking at 4am to get to the starting line for my set-off time, the first day was somewhat time-critical. The route begins with a tarmac road to access the lighthouse at the very end of the island, but when riding south soon veers off down to 90 Mile Beach. There’s a four-ish hour window when you can ride along this beach with relative ease, which shifts as the tide time does. There’s 80 kilometres of riding on the beach, and you’re very much at the mercy of the elements, mainly the wind, which can drastically impact your progression.
The dread of a strong headwind and soft sand had everyone more than a little apprehensive, although the weather seemed on our side and there was a universal sense of awe at the morning’s sunrise and bright red sky. Heading south, I had an hour of steady road riding to settle myself before riding through the Te Paki stream and beginning the sandy beach section. The tide was still falling when I arrived and the sand was firm under my tyres, the wind also low. I was keen to get this stage behind me as it had been weighing on my mind for some time now, I really didn’t fancy an eventful first day battling the elements and retreating to the dunes if I didn’t make the other end in time.
It was a hot and sweaty start, though, and the misty beach brought some atmosphere. At first, I enjoyed the novelty of riding on the beach, but this soon wore off and the sound of the sand grinding on my chain and through my disk brake rotors for multiple hours wasn’t all too pleasant. But it could have been a lot worse, and I soon had a gentle tailwind pushing me along. The beach is in fact around 60 miles long, the misleading name rumored to be a result of early settlers relating it to three days of horse riding which on average was 30 miles a day.
I rode the beach as quickly as I felt was necessary, without overheating or running out of water. I was on the beach from around 8.30 to 13.30, so five hours in total. I’ve never been so keen to wash my bike, and after trying to remove as much of the sand as possible, then refeuling, it was 14.30, so I continued riding for a few hours and camped at Broadwood where I found a convenient spot to cook some dinner and continue my efforts to rid my bike, bags and kit of sand.
My second day of riding took me along many kilometres of prime, dry, dusty double track, and over multiple long climbs in the Waipoua Forest, plus on my first ferry of the trip, which was just a few minutes long, landing me in Rawene. Temperatures rose quickly and I felt the sun burning the back of my calves, keeping my pace gentle. After a brief pitstop in the shade under the canopy of the Waipoua forest and Täne Mahuta (God of the Forest), the largest known Kauri tree, which is estimated to be between 1,250 and 4,500 years old, I was on my way again heading for Dargaville.
Rolling into a campsite at dusk, I experienced some first-hand Kiwi hospitality, and had a tent pitch, a pizza and a shower sorted within minutes. I caught up with a few familiar faces I’d met at the campsite pre-start in Cape Reinga, quickly reminding me of the fun, community feel of taking part in the Brevet.
Leaving Dargaville the following morning would be somewhat time-critical, as I was prebooked onto the second ferry of the ride that afternoon. If I missed it, there wasn’t availability for two days. It was a sweaty, lumpy 70 kilometres but thankfully I made it with enough time to rinse my shorts and air-dry the condensation from my tent, whilst eating plenty of ice cream. The Kaipara ferry is chartered for TA riders, and is an interesting setup. The boat remains running and sticks its bow into the sand, and bikes are passed onboard along a plank up to the top deck, where they’re stacked.
Arriving in Helensville at the other end, four or so hours later, the situation soon became a bit manic. Sixty riders simultaneously disembarking and repacking their bags spread across the car park, all eager to get away to their accommodation for the night, was entertaining to watch. Typically my bike was one of the last to come off, so I stood back watching everyone else get sorted. There were a few casualties from the bike stacking on the boat strewn along the road out of the harbour, I would soon find out I would also be one of them. From here though the ride into Auckland joins a nicely segregated cycle path that delivers you directly into the city centre under streetlamps on fresh, fast rolling tarmac, so thankfully little thinking is required. The increased buildings and traffic signalled the end of the Northland section, despite still finding sand in my bags three days on since riding down 90 Mile Beach. But thankfully so far there were no other major dramas for me, and my legs were coming good. Tomorrow I’m into the big city, up Mount Eden and out the other side.
Auckland & Waikato
Day 4: Auckland - Miranda. 117 km | 1600 m+ | 7/10 hours
Day 5: Miranda - Waikato Reserve. 174 km | 370 m+ | 7.5/12 hours
Day 6: Waikato Reserve - Mangakino. 64 km | 1100 m+ | 4/5.5 hours
A slight oversight in timings when setting off left me mixing in with the school run and local commuters on the main cycle path through the city at 8am. There were other TA riders mixed in though, and as I wasn’t in a rush I enjoyed seeing how popular cycling through the city was here. It was another bright and sunny morning and I enjoyed the change of scenery, reaching the top of Mount Eden at around 9am. Cycling from here took me out of the city through residential areas and on to Clevedon, where I opted for a new section of route for this year’s TA - a traverse of the Hūnua Ranges.
This National Park had several long climbs and steep, loose descents, but was generally a fast-rolling, light gravel track with the odd section of chunk in there to keep you on your toes. Thankfully most of it is in the shade, under a thick canopy, which was welcome after the heat of the north, and temperatures would continue to fall as I moved south over the coming weeks. I rode in a far more comfortable 23 degrees, rather than the 32+ of the previous few days.
There’s a sizeable sting in the tail of the traverse, a hill which was the biggest I’ve ridden up in quite some time. I quickly got off to walk, with my loaded bike pushing 35 kilograms its not worth the struggle, and I embraced the change of motion and pushed my bike, dripping with sweat. The downhill on the other side cooked my brakes and I could feel that something more sinister was wrong with my back brake, but after this side of the National Park and down through the centre of the island the terrain is completely flat, so knew that I likely wouldn’t be asking for the same power from my brakes for a while.
I finished up the day in the hot pools or Miranda, at a campsite with 20+ other TA riders, chatting through our first few days on the ride. For me, the Hūnua Ranges Regional Park is a gravel paradise and was a highlight of the ride so far. The whole traverse had a very remote feel, despite being minutes away from the country’s largest city of nearly two million people, and all I heard for the afternoon was the buzz of cicadas and crackling gravel under my tyres.
Rolling out of Miranda the following day I was aware my bike was now making several unwelcome noises. The dreaded bottom bracket creak had began, and my rear brake was make a strange noise when I pulled the lever. Approaching the centre of the North Island, there would be very little in the form of bike shops for the next few days, so after a few phone calls, I made the unwelcome decision to detour off the route to a bigger town with a more established bike shop that could hopefully help me out before the problem got worse. In the workshop, the mechanic used an air compressor to blow out the sand from 90 Mile Beach which had worked its way in over the last few days and was crunching with each pedal turn. I got a new rear disk brake rotor too, as it turned out mine was quite bent, most likely from having another bike leant on it during the Kaipara ferry crossing. Patched up and on my way, I’d lost around five hours to the detour, but that was nothing to worry about in the grand scheme of things and I was hopeful that I’d not have any more issues.
The afternoons’ riding was on gravel paths through cattle fields which allowed quick and direct progress south, reaching my camp for the evening in the dark and still a few hours behind the group I’d been with at Miranda the previous night. As it turned out, I wouldn’t see some of them again right until the end of the ride in a few weeks’ time.
I planned to have my first short day of the trip the following day, and had a leisurely morning, enjoying the trail switchbacks and rugged section of forest riding which took me into the town of Mangakino where I stayed in a smart lodge. I had time to rinse my clothes and book the next few day’s logistics, including a much anticipated jet boat ride. Tomorrow was set to be a big day, leaving the Waikato for Central North Island and deep into the bush.
Whanganui National Park & Manuwatu
Day 7: Mangakino - Tauramanui. 155 km | 2500 m+ | 10.5/12.5 hours
Day 8: Tauramanui - Whakahoro. 66 km | 1080 m+ | 4/4.5 hours
Day 9: Whakahoro - Parikino. 107 km | 1100 m+ | 7/13 hours
Day 10: Parikino - Apiti. 141 km | 2030 m+ | 7/10.5 hours
Hoping to ride the Timber Trail in the dry, it was time to race the weather, as I’d heard many reports of challenging, claggy mud when riding the trail after a deluge. Leaving the Mangakino lodge at 05.15, it was cold, damp and dark, and I pedaled hard on misty lanes to keep warm. Picking up the lumpy, rocky Araki Trail, I was led to a nice gravel track through the forest to the Centre of the North Island. From there, it was on to the start of the Timber Trail, where I’d spend the whole day riding over 85 kilometers of purpose-built singletrack through deep native forest through the middle of the island. I was pleased to make it to the trail at 09.15, with just enough time for a second breakfast and coffee before the first shuttle bus dropped the first round of one-way day riders off.
Twisting and turning, with gentle gradients, on sand and compact mud, meant the riding was smooth and engaging, gradually topping out at the top of Mount Pureora at just under 1000 metres. There are eight huge swinging suspension bridges throughout the route, with a total of 35 bridges that link sections of trail across deep valleys. Riding under good tree coverage I was sheltered from the sun for most of the day, and the miles ticked by quickly. The surface type varied a lot, and the riding was fun. It was clear this was man-made trail and was much more relaxing to ride than some of the backcountry access roads and paths which were put in for 4x4s and quad bikes. A particular highlight is the descent after the Ongaru Spiral tunnel which I hoped would continue for many kilometres. From here I cruised down into Tauramanui and into a cabin to round off a long day. The days riding was a real highlight of the whole route for me, and it went smoothly and I rode well, covering a big chunk of remote riding. This was the first time covering purpose-built bike trails on the TA so far, and boy did it make a difference. The riding had continuous flow and gradients were nice to allow speed to be maintained, even on a loaded, 35kg bike. A storm came in that evening which I was relieved to have missed, but I decided to wait out the remnants of it the following morning in the warm of a cafe in Tauramanui. For the first time I’d not have to wake up early in a long time, although the day wasn’t without drama as I locked myself out of my cabin when going to the toilet in the night, so had to wake the owner up at 2am to let me back in. Thankfully they were understanding and neither of us lost much sleep.
The following morning I sheltered from the heavy rain until midday, sitting in a cafe catching up on some serious calorie consumption, and updated my jet boat and ferry bookings. The sun pushed through in the afternoon and temperatures soared, meaning I headed off in moist, humid conditions. The rain had soaked the gravel roads, clagging them up which felt like pedalling through thick mud. They dried out soon enough though and I enjoyed more relaxing riding through lumpy, lush, green fields and farmland.
Arriving at the Blue Duck Cafe in Whakahoro with some other riders, temperatures were now in the mid 20s, so we drank juice and relaxed in the shade, leading me to decide to call it a day and take on the next challenging section in the cool of the early morning in the cool. The DOC cabin opposite had bunks available, so after a stunning purple sunset I had an early night, the Mangapurua Track would be waiting for me in the morning.
Leaving at 06.30, I allowed enough time to get across the track to Mangapurua Landing in time for the jet boat that would take groups of riders south down the Whanganui River, covering 70 kilometres of the river in around a 40 minute ride. After a couple of hours climbing gently on a rugged track, undulating across bridges, the track flattens out and becomes double track to the trig point. From here there’s a long descent, the profile suggesting a lengthy, fun downhill. The top few kilometres were that indeed, and a highlight of the whole route for me, but then the track crosses multiple awkward bridges and lumpy, messy, exposed sections, slowing progress to the Landing drastically. Thankfully I had dry conditions for this section, as more reports from riders behind me that rode this after subsequent rain, it had quickly descended into a mud fest. Eventually, after carrying my bike over many swing bridges, I reached and crossed the Bridge to Nowhere and got to the Landing, where I had a few hours in hand until my prebooked jetboat would take me down the river and onto the next stage. I got my stove out and made some coffee, and chatted to friends I’d made along the way about our ride so far.
Shooting down the Whanganui River with around 10 bikes loaded to the back of the jet boat made for a fairly anxiety-inducing journey, and we all repeatedly craned our necks and heads over our shoulders to check our bikes hadn’t dropped off and gone for a swim after a section of rapids. Reaching Pipiriki, we all could breathe a sigh of relief, refuel and wash our bikes, then continue riding south towards Whanganui. With the major operational concerns of the ride done with for the time being, I continued riding south down Whanganui River Road, where I dodged a lot of wildlife that ran in front of me, with warthogs, peacocks, cows, sheep, and goats all over road, keeping me alert!
From Whanganui I traversed from the west to the east side of the island, riding on the road all day. I enjoyed a day of straightforward and predictable riding, plus cooler temperatures. Reaching Apiti, now three-quarters of the way down the North Island at 16.00, I felt the cold for the first time on the trip and took shelter in an abandoned sheep sheering farm outbuilding with a few other riders. Now ten days in, my bike was feeling lighter, I cruised along sitting lower in my cassette and wasn’t using my first gear so much when climbing, so my fitness was building nicely.
Wairarapa & Wellington
Day 11: Apiti - Martinborough. 233 km | 2175 m+ | 12/15.5 hours
Day 12: Martinborough - Wellington. 101 km | 615 m+ | 5.5/7 hours
Day 13: Wellington - Picton. 0 km | 0 m+ | 4 hours
The four of us left the sheep shearing shed early, still in the dark, with our thoughts of a cooked breakfast pushing us on. A morning of drizzle slowed the pace to Ashhurst and then a headwind through the valley into Palmerston North meant grinding out some wet miles. My riding so far had been pretty civilised, mostly day riding, taking it easy and not pushing hard, but I was feeling fitter and more motivated to clock up some miles now, and thought it would be nice to finish off the North Island section with a double century, and get home earlier the following day, avoiding rush hour traffic through the Hutt Valley into Wellington. Once the wind died down, the road riding in this section allowed for fairly quick progression, passing through nicely spaced towns to keep refuelled. So, I persisted through the strong headwind that had been building and considered stopping in Masterton, but convinced myself to continue another 50 kilometres to Martinborough. Finding a patch of grass to pitch my tent just outside of the town centre, I slept well as it had been a long day and I’d spent most of it cold, trying to warm up by keeping the pedals turning.
I woke up the following morning confused, sleepy due to the effort of the previous day, unsure what had woken me, my tent shaking violently. It took me some time to realise that the shaking wasn’t a local resident trying to kick me out my tent, but a sizeable 4.7 magnitude earthquake, and one of three that reached me at around 05.00. After a cafe fry up I rode the gentle gradients of the Rail Trail through the Remetaka mountains and along the Hutt River Trail into Wellington. At home I washed my clothes properly for the first time in a few weeks, deep cleaned my bike, had a long sleep, and then headed for the ferry the following day. The sun shone and the crossing was smooth sailing, escorted out of the bay by a pod of dolphins in the sunshine. The day of no riding brought welcome rest and my body felt all the more stronger for it. Bring on the South Island!
Additional thoughts
Arriving in Wellington and finishing the North Island section of the route, I’d ridden in a relaxed but decent pace, covering around 1,559 kilometers and over 18,000 metres of climbing over twelve days. My 35 kilogram loaded bike was feeling lighter as my legs grew into the ride.
So far, this had been a real all-terrain ride, with a huge variety of surfaces, keeping me excited for what was to come. I’d also spent my nights in a variety of places, seven in my tent and four in a bunk house or motel of some sort. I’d come to learn that the warm, damp air in New Zealand makes it impossible not to have a sopping wet tent in the morning. My highlight of the ride so far was the ride to Mangapurua Landing. The track up was rideable and tricky enough to require concentration, but nothing too ridiculous. The descent down the other side was fast, fun and engaging.
Continuing south from here, the weather will undoubtedly get increasingly changeable, and temperatures will drop significantly. I’ll continue to keep my days flexible and shorter or longer as per the conditions. I have covered the bulk of the kilometres and the ascent, plus the main operational concerns, so now I’ll enjoy more remote and open landscapes on the South Island.
Misc iPhone photos
Further info
See more at: touraotearoa.nz
Useful links: Tour Aotearoa General Forum, Going your own way: Two months across New Zealand.
Related reading:
- Tour Aotearoa Official Guide - North Island, The Kennett Brothers
- Bikepacking Aotearoa, The Kennett Brothers
- Grand Bikepacking Journeys - Riding Iconic Routes around the World, Stefan Amato
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15 Sep 2024