The Wharehuanui trail opened in October and links Arrowtown to Arthur’s Point. Photo / Will Nelson
The Wharehuanui trail opened in October and links Arrowtown to Arthur’s Point. Photo / Will Nelson
Thinking of getting back on the bike? This gentle trail makes for the perfect return, writes Rebecca Crowe
While I consider myself a fairly active and adventurous person, it had been a while since I’d been on a bike tour. After an accident knocked me off my bike a few years ago, it was safe to say I’d been hesitant to get back in the saddle, especially where road cycling was concerned.
However, when I heard about Around The Basin’s Bike To A Brewery tour, it was undeniably up my alley – for me, a good hike always ends at a pub.
This relatively new cycle trail, the Wharehuanui trail, opened in October, linking Arrowtown and Arthur’s Point with scenic views the whole way around. After Around The Basin’s successful Bike the Wineries tours in Gibbston Valley, a cycle and brewery tour was a no-brainer.
Starting in the historic Arrowtown, you’re dropped off with your bikes (or e-bikes), a map, some words of wisdom from the friendly Around the Basin team and sent on your way. In total, the route snakes 16km from Arrowtown to Arthur’s Point, ending at the wonderful Canyon Brewing overlooking the Shotover River.
One of the best things about this self-guided biking tour is how long you have before the shuttle picks you and your bike up at Canyon Brewing to return to Queenstown. The ride itself should take 1.5-2 hours, but there’s also the allowance of an hour for exploring Arrowtown and 1-1.5 hours given for the breweries at the other end. With the shuttle service from the start and end of the route back to Queenstown included in the experience price, it’s easy and convenient.
When I set off from the carpark in Arrowtown, the weekend market was on. Filled with artisans, it’s a great way to see local crafts and grab a gift or two. Of course, Arrowtown is also the perfect place to grab a pre-ride coffee and pastry before hitting the trails.
You can choose a standard bike, e-bike or bring your own – options for every cyclist. Photo / Destination Queenstown
Realistically, this is the only section where road cycling is required. After you come up from the carpark to the main drag of Arrowtown, you head down through the public carpark to reach the cycle trail (Countryside Trail) along the Arrow River. After a quick dip back on to the road, you’ll reach Millbrook Resort and Country Club. While you’re technically cycling along the road here, the vehicles are few and far between and the speed bumps mean no one is rushing past you. Also, the helpful sights of the bright-blue Wharehuanui trail signs keep you on the right track – no pun intended.
From here, there is a mix of gravel paths and tarmac bike paths along the main roads heading up towards Coronet Peak. This is the trickiest part of the cycle and the section where my unfit legs were happy to have the assistance of an e-bike.
Strolling through Arrowtown. Photo / Around The Basin
You pedal up the incline of Coronet Peak Station Rd, riding across with spectacular views of the 2000m Remarkables in the distance. This is classic New Zealand countryside and this vista makes the burn in your legs worth it.
You cycle on the road only briefly – most of the trail is off-road and scenic. Photo / Destination Queenstown
After you’ve climbed, the next part is a slightly technical downhill switchback section. It’s pretty steep and had me riding the brakes a lot, but I saw plenty of seasoned cyclists take it in their stride. Given how flat the rest of the route is, it was cool to test myself with something a little more challenging towards the end.
From this section by Downey’s Dam, it’s a straight shoot to Arthur’s Point. You can stop at the historic Gantley’s Tavern for a well-earned pint before continuing to Canyon Brewing, or pedal straight to the brewery taproom.
I headed straight to Canyon Brewing where a flight of delicious, locally brewed beers awaited alongside some seasonal sliders. With an expansive outdoor seating area overlooking the Shotover River and the Edith Cavell Bridge, it’s the perfect spot to rest and relax after a satisfying 16km cycle.
The ride ends at Canyon Brewing, which overlooks the stunning Shotover River. Photo / Destination Queenstown
Starring a menu and ethos grounded in sustainability, Canyon Brewing is an ideal place for a weekend pint. Tasting the various brews, it’s interesting to see the use of locally sourced ingredients, including the fact its Canyon Gold lager is the first Central Otago-brewed-and-grown lager, using Queenstown-grown barley grown by the brewery director, James Paterson.
There’s something beautiful and unbelievably satisfying about spending time cycling through the New Zealand countryside, exploring under your own steam and then settling in for local food and sustainably sourced beer. Add in the sunshine on the deck area and you have a 10/10 weekend activity day.
Despite this trail being relatively new, it’s already getting a lot of use, as is the rest of the Queenstown Trails network, with 402,544 riders hitting the trails in the 2023-24 period. A new section of the Wharehuanui trail is scheduled to open in April, connecting to the new Shotover Gorge Trail.
The brewery uses barley grown locally by its own director. Photo / Destination Queenstown
This new cycle route, as the name suggests, follows the Shotover Gorge from Arthur’s Point for 7km before connecting with the Tucker Beach Trail, which goes for a further 3.5km to the Old Shotover Bridge. From here, the route also interconnects with the Twin Rivers Trail and the Countryside Trail, opening up day and multi-day route options across the Wakatipu Basin and the wider Queenstown area.
Developing the Shotover Gorge Trail hasn’t been an easy task, with the construction of the Kimi-ākau bridge to cross the Shotover River and the renovation of the historic Hugo Tunnel at Big Beach made possible through donations by the Hugo Charitable Trust.
The Hugo Tunnel is a mining tunnel that spans an incredible 108m at the mouth of the Shotover Gorge. Although construction was planned during the Gold Rush, it wasn’t built until 1962, and since then has fallen into disrepair. However, it’s set to offer a historic and impressive addition to the new trail from this month onwards.
A new section of the trail connects to the historic Hugo Tunnel, dating back to 1962. Photo / Geoff Marks
However, if cycling to Central Otago’s most beloved vineyards is more your speed, there’s a new route, the Kawarau Gorge Trail, set to open in summer 2025-26. This 32km trail connects the vineyards of Bannockburn, near Cromwell, with the popular Gibbston Valley wineries near Queenstown. Connected by two spectacular suspension bridges, the route promises amazing valley views and plenty of tasty cellar-door experiences.
So, despite being apprehensive about cycling again in general, let alone being left to my own devices armed with a paper route map, this self-guided bike-to-brewery tour is the perfect way to spend a weekend in and around Queenstown.
The scenic Kawarau George Suspension Bridge. Photo / Destination Queenstown
If you’ve never done a cycle tour before and want to dip your toe in the water, this is a great route to start on. It’s relatively short, well signposted and has beautiful scenery and enough of a challenge to make you feel like you’ve earned the pint at the end. What’s not to love about that?
Details
The Arrowtown-to-Arthur’s Point Bike To A Brewery experience costs $95 for a standard bike hire with maps and shuttles, $145 for an electric bike, and $40 if you bring your own bike from Queenstown.
Children’s bikes (ages 5-14) are $75 for a standard bike and $125 for an e-bike. Infant bikes and equipment are also available (ages 0-4) for $65.
