Jane and Dave Fenna's Tours

A bit of an infamous part of the TA .  Gravel track, up a beautiful valley to begin with, then a  long and winding jeep road to the top. Probably cycled 3/4 of it. The downhill the other side was a disappointment + usually effort going up is rewarded by a great descent, but this…

After a couple of  days exploring Wellington and getting the ferry to Picton , a pleasant cycle around the coast to Pelorus Bridge. Great to follow the coast after most of the time so far being inland. Some stunning coves. Time to swim in the river at Pelorus Bridge too!

Over the Remutaka rail trail , and then down the River Hutt trail to Lower Hutt and then onto Wellington Hot and windy day – Jane was blown off her bike three times going up the old rail trail . The recently reopened  suspension bridge  ‘Siberia bridge”  was swinging quite a bit! I managed to…

Again lovely undulating hills , and passing a colonial looking Martinborough with its beautiful town square. Then a windy ride across the plains  to Featherstone, which proved a good stop : a great , simple motel at the west end of town  and a supermarket.

Down lovely undulating  back roads to Masterton, which was a bit of a disappointing end – quite a functional place with most places shut due to Whakaiti day holiday. But still got a Macdonald’s for cold drinks and a bike shop for some spares we needed.

Decided to catch up a day by heading cross country to Palmerston North and rejoining the TA there , and onto Pahiatua which is a very  pleasant place to stop,  at the carnival campground. The carnival campground is so called from a settlers era festival to drum up money to buy the local woodland, I…

Rolling, hilly back roads eastwards to Hunterville, which is an odd sort of place , a stop basically on highway 1. But it has an amazing looking festival once a year , sort of a fell race with dogs , attracts thousands. We got stuck there for a further day due to a storm –…

Easy day, decent mileage though . Following the river to the sea. One steep pull over a river bend with good views back to the hills. Then into ice cream shop land! Had a test day in Whanganui.

After a day in Taumarunui to sit out a tropical storm, we went across the Whanganui National park over back roads to begin with then on a slippy track over a high pass, the infamous Mangapurua track  stopping at Johnsons camp. Hard day! The next day got a jet boat ride to Piripriki, so pretty…