Hitting the trails by the hundreds

International cruise ship visitors are among those opting for pedal power to see what Hawke's Bay has to offer in the summer holiday season. Lawrence Gullery reports.

Napier man Brian Fisher has high hopes for Hawke's Bay's 187 kilometre cycle network which could be used for more than attracting hundreds of tourists each year.

"It's such a great asset, not just for Napier but for the whole of Hawke's Bay," he said. "It's okay talking about it from a tourism point of view but I think what we need to do now is get Hawke's Bay people to cycle to work every day."

Mr Fisher opened his bike hire business, Fish Bikes, on Marine Parade, next to the Pacific Surf Club in Napier 16 months ago and this summer was shaping up to be a busy time for the new operation.

The popularity of the region's three $5.3 million cycle trails, the Water Ride from Napier, Landscape Ride from Havelock North and Wineries Ride from Hastings, had encouraged the business owner to think how the Hawke's Bay trails could be taken to the next level.

"I'd like to see a bike share programme, like the ones run in Europe, where you can pay with your credit card to rent a bike for a short trip and then lock it up and leave it for the next person to use," Mr Fisher said.

The programme used in cities such as Paris, provided cycle transport for short distances, to give people affordable access to bikes instead of owning one.

This week Mr Fisher and his staff were busy with customers from the Volendam cruise ship, which had docked at the nearby Port of Napier.

"We've also been getting a lot of people from Auckland and Wellington, as well as locals who are bringing their visitors down to hire a bike so they can go cycling together," he said.

Figures he gathered last year reported about 52 per cent of customers were from out of the region, most were over the age of 30 and many were couples.

Fish Bikes runs 60 cycles and recently set up a site in Ahuriri for visitors at the OptiWorlds sailing tournament.

The Marine Parade and Westshore cycle paths as well as the 30km Taradale loop were popular tours.

"We get a lot of comments about the colour of the sea," he said. "They find it fascinating. People also enjoy the short distance between a variety of food stops along the pathway, from Havelock North to Te Awanga for example."

Internationals stepping off the Volendam had also taken on a tour with Takaro Trails this week, cycling along Marine Parade, to Awatoto, on the banks of the Tutaekuri River and on to Taradale to visit Otatara Pa.

Owner Jenny Ryan said she also had a group from the UK on a three-day Hawke's Bay highlights cycle tour this week, while another three-day tour had been booked for a group of Aucklanders. All up it looked like a busy season right through to the end of April 2012.

"Cycle trails are a huge hit and it's going to be amazing for the region," she said. "People have been impressed with the limestone finish of the paths which make it an easy ride while others liked the fact the trails linked all of the towns around Napier and Hastings together."

Funding to start work on the $1.4 million Wineries Ride trail was approved in October this year.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council chipped in $590,260 towards the 36km wine-themed section - adding to a $191,865 funding package from the New Zealand Cycle Trail project. The balance has been secured through Nga Haerenga and several other sources, including the Hastings District and Napier City councils.

The Wineries Ride stretched along the Ngaruroro River between the Expressway and Fernhill, past Roy's Hill Reserve, the Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa, then back through Hastings where it would link into connections to Hastings' iWays network and the Water Ride section.

Malcolm Eves, who operated Good Fun Bikes in Havelock North, had already set up a bike station at Triangle Cellars on Ngatarawa Rd in Bridge Pa, which will be part of the new trail.

"We'd thought we'd set up in the Bridge Pa wine district for the first time and it's certainly showing great promise with the trail taking in Maraekakaho Rd, out towards State Highway 50 and then on to Fernhill," Mr Eves said.

"While the trail hasn't been completed, we anticipate it's really going to take off as far as cycling goes because it's such an easy to-do trail, nice and flat, so many wineries in a close area, a sure five minutes ride in between," he said.

Bike About Tours was one of the first cycle operators to open in 2002 and 18 months ago owner Jenne Leedes opened an accommodation outlet in Taradale to partner with the cycle tour business.

"People are opting to stay in one place rather than in several," she said. "It's ideal because there is the accommodation and people can walk outside with the bikes there ready to go."

Mr Leedes said the councils had worked well to set up the Hawke's Bay Trails which would help businesses like hers become more viable.

Cycle tours

Hawke's Bay Tourism has details on the cycle tour operators and a Hawke's Bay Trails map on its website: http://www.hawkesbaynz.com/Visit/cyclinginhawkesbay/

Water Ride, 68km: Loop from Napier i-SITE to Ahuriri, Westshore, Bay View, Hawke's Bay Airport, Ahuriri Estuary, Church Rd, Pettigrew Green Arena, Puketapu, Awatoto return to Napier i-SITE.

Landscape Ride, 56km: Loop from Havelock North Visitor Info Centre to River Rd, Black Bridge, Haumoana, Te Awanga, Clifton and back via Red Bridge to info centre.

Wineries Ride, 36km: On-road loop through Hawke's Bay's western wine growing area in Bridge Pa, Fernhill taking in the Gimblett Gravels, west of Hastings. This will become off-road from July 2012.

iWay: The Hastings community cycle network linking Flaxmere, Hastings, Havelock North, Whakatu and Clive. The Clive route and Havelock Road will be off-road from June 2012.