Next Sunday you will have an excellent reason to take your bike out of the garage and head to Wakefield for the opening of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail from Wakefield to Hoult Valley.
This new section of trail is 3.8km long and follows the Wai-iti River from Pigeon Valley Road to Hoult Valley Road.
“This has been the missing link in the Great Taste Trail for a number of years while new sections of trail have been developed from Wai-iti Domain to Kohatu,” says Josh Aldridge, trail manager from Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust Josh Aldridge.
Until now, riders have had to ride along State Highway 6 south of Wakefield to Wai-iti Domain, where the off-road trail continues to Spooners Tunnel. Josh says it is a popular feature of the trail and at 1.35km long is the longest tunnel in the southern hemisphere that you can ride your bike through.
People can now ride Tasman’s Great Taste Trail from Nelson to Kohatu almost entirely off-road. “A lot of locals are riding the trail from Richmond to Brightwater or Wakefield for coffee or lunch before returning home”, he says.
“This is mainly because they don’t want to ride on the highway,” says Josh.
From September 29, riders of all ages and abilities will be able to enjoy the ride from Wakefield to Spooners Tunnel or Kohatu, Josh says.
“Currently tour operators are driving visitors to the Tasman region out to Wai-iti, Belgrove, or Kohatu so that their customers can ride through Spooners Tunnel.”
Josh says the vision for the Great Taste Trail is a complete loop showcasing the region’s best tastes including scenery, food and wine, arts and history. The next stage of development will take riders from Kohatu to Tapawera along the historic railway alignment before following the Motueka River to Riwaka.
The total cost of the Wakefield to Hoult Valley Road section of trail is $620,000, which is part of a $4.8m investment in the trail over three years. The project is funded 50 percent by Tasman District Council and local businesses with the remaining 50 percent coming from central government, through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust is managing the project with the aim of completing the 175km loop by 2021.
The Wakefield to Hoult Valley Road section will remain closed until September 29. There will be a ribbon-cutting at the entrance to the trail by Pigeon Valley Road bridge at 1.30pm, followed by a group ride to Hoult Valley Road (4 km) for refreshments before returning to Wakefield.
“In the meantime, we ask that you respect the signs and do not attempt to ride this section of the trail while the contractors are still working,” says Josh.
More details about the event and all information regarding the Grand Taste Trial can be found at www.heartofbiking.org.nz. The website includes maps and tips to guarantee a safe trip.