As featured in the Pohutukawa Coast Times, 9 August 2025
For cycle coach Janet Stark, being able to ride out of her driveway for a weekend away on her bike was something quite special.
Janet recently spent a weekend cycling from Beachlands to Kaiaua via road, before returning the next day via the Hūnua Traverse cycle trail which follows Watercare tracks through the Hūnua Ranges.
“The weather was absolutely stunning for winter, wall to wall blue sky,” says Janet. “It was so good to bike out the front gate – an easy-as start to a mini holiday escape.”
On her first day of cycling, Janet rode from Beachlands via Te Puru, Omana and Maraetai to Clevedon via the Coast and North Roads. After stopping for a break at With Relish Cafe in Clevedon, she continued through Kawakawa Bay and Ōrere, stopping at Tapapakanga Regional Park to warm up some soup on her cooker.
From there it was on to Kaiaua for a well earned dinner at Kaiaua Fisheries Takeaways.
“I feel very comfortable riding on the road, using flashing front and back bike lights aimed to attract drivers’ attention, I often have a clashing bright vest on as well, my ‘look at me’ vest!
“I do find the section from Clevedon to Kawakawa Bay probably the worst road section if riding when boaties are towing their boats out to Kawakawa Bay. Some don’t seem to realise how long they are and cut in a bit soon. I didn’t have this problem this time though. Occasionally you get a truck and car passing you very closely which can give you a bit of a fright,” says Janet.
At the end of day one’s 75km, 6-hour ride, Janet says she slept well at Kaiaua’s Seaview Charm Air B & B, just a short stroll from the start/finish of the Hūnua Traverse.
“Not for the faint hearted, and not for beginners,” is how Janet describes tackling the 45km Hūnua Traverse trail which links Kaiaua to Clevedon. “The hill climbs are long and steep but the route is not technical if you take the descents at a controlled speed.
“The hills climbs are totally worth the effort – the views of the ranges, reservoirs and valleys are to die for. You feel like you are in the middle of nowhere – very peaceful and a great place to let the world’s worries disappear and just be you.”
The route through the Hūnua Ranges follows gravel roads with a small section of easy single track. Janet tackled it on a specialized Diverge gravel bike which she has named Wild Thing.
The trail offers the best gravel riding in Auckland – if you love hill climbs, says Janet.
“The website lists it as a Grade 4 rating with attention to steep climbs and sharp corners,” says Janet. “It’s not like a grade 4 mountain bike trail. The route is a gravel road, so very ridable. It boils down to fitness and being sensible riding down the hills. It’s a great place for those training for an event, who want to improve their hill climbing or just love a crazy challenge. This place is made for ebikes but you do need to be sensible with your battery usage. The last thing you would want is to run out of battery juice – nowhere to charge!”
There was evidence of mishaps along the trail. “I saw some massive skids where people have taken a corner too fast and ended up having to brake heavily and not made it around the corner. This is a common issue on the descent on Mangatangi Hill Rd.”
After completing the Traverse, Janet says she stopped in at Clevedon to “inhale” some lunch before the final stretch back to Beachlands. She rates it as a great way to spend a weekend, but advises people to go prepared with wet weather gear, a Personal Locator Beacon, bike tools including a pump and spare tube, phone, charger and power bank, and plenty of water.
“This trip was all about adding a bit of load to my bike and tackling some hill climbs. I love riding in the Hūnua’s – the bird life, bush and the feeling of being far away. I feel totally safe and relaxed. It makes me work out and push myself, feeling very satisfied when you get to the top on the next climb. I feel very privileged being able to ride in there and make sure I use the wash stations – doing my bit for stopping the spread of kauri die back disease.”
The weekend trip provided Janet with a great opportunity to train for her next adventure – riding from Vancouver BC to the Mexico Border via the West Coast of USA including the Olympic Peninsula this month.
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