Bike to the Top
– Mountainbiking for the Whole Family
The return of the Martinborough Skyline Challenge during ANZAC weekend in April will give the whole family a chance to experience mountainbike riding around the local hills on local farms.
Set on the historic Huangarua, Puruatanga and Oystershell farms, the 3 courses are at varying levels of difficulty, a range of distances and across all types of terrain. There is a 30+ K grade 3 ride for those looking for a mountainbike challenge, a demanding and quite hilly 16 K ride for the slightly less capable rider, and an 8 K family fun ride to get you and the kids onto your bikes and into the countryside.
Grade 3
The 30+ kilometre ride really does take you to the “skyline” to the north of Martinborough affording magnificent panoramic views of the South Wairarapa, from Ocean Beach to Rangitumau, from Featherston to the Hinakura hills. The undulating sheep and beef farm terrain is steep in places, rough and rugged in others and delivers both uphill and downhill experiences. There will be extra challenges for anyone who wants to really push it – tracks aren’t always necessary, are they? From the top you will traverse the ridges for a while before plunging down into Oystershell Valley, eventually (after a few more “undulations”!) tracking back to the start/finish.
Intermediate
The 16 K ride doesn’t quite get to the top of the skyline, but you will go a long way up. The turn-around point is a plateau from where you can see the Autumn vines of the Martinborough vineyards, Te Muna valley, Lake Wairarapa, the Mountains to the West and right around towards the Longbush valley. The ride itself takes you through a range of terrain, and you will need to be reasonably fit to handle the hills. Test rides have shown that parts of the track will are too steep for intermediate riders to ride up – but you get to fly down on the way home!
Novice
The 8 K ride will be a loop around the lower reaches of the hills, providing challenge-enough for novice and younger riders – we really do intend to make this suitable to all the family. Even from here you can get unprecedented views of Martinborough – usually only seen by sheep and cattle and some lucky farm workers.
Walk
And if riding a mountain bike isn’t your thing, we are offering a chance to walk the 8 K course. The track undulates, the terrain offers plenty of variety and, as we said above, the views are unprecedented.
We are planning a family fun day – after the ride there will be a barbeque, food and drink. There will also be a chance to win with spot prizes galore. Sit and relax under the oak trees, relax and wait for the rest of the family to return from their challenge.
Check out all the information on our new website: www.martinboroughskylinechallenge.co.nz. Not only will be you able to register and enter online, but you will be able to see profiles of the rides and photos of recent test rides.
Photo Caption: Ed, Jane and Sharon enjoying the ride up to the Skyline. Behind them, laid out like a map, is the beautiful South Wairarapa, with Martinborough in the foreground and Lake Wairarapa in the distance at the foot of the Rimutakas.
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