Explore your Town by Bike this Autumn
- Written by
- Marion Ross
While Destination Great Lake Taupō’s autumn campaign is all about showing potential visitors how easy it is to cycle in the region, they would also love to see locals taking advantage of the cycling opportunities that surround them.
The beauty of cycling around the Taupō region is that you don’t have to be an experienced cyclist to get out and enjoy the trails. Anna McLaren from Destination Great Lake Taupō says there are a range of places beginner cyclists can ride that are scenic and easy to get to.
“A great place to start is the lakefront Great Lake Walkway, known locally as the Lion’s Walk, which has been voted New Zealand’s best urban ride two years in a row. It’s an easy, paved walking and cycling path that stretches all the way from Taupo’s Boat Harbour to Five Mile Bay.
We’re so lucky to have this asset on our doorstep and it would be great to see more locals out there enjoying it. Even if you don’t own a bike, it’s easy to pop into town, hire a bike and helmet from one of our local bike shops and ride down to the lakefront.”
Beyond urban rides
For those who want to venture further off the beaten track, the Tongariro River Trail is a great introduction to mountain biking. Suitable for beginners, the 15 kilometre loop trail traverses the banks of the Tongariro River between Turangi and Red Hut bridge, taking in native bush, farmland and river views.
School holiday treasure hunt
To encourage locals to get out on their bikes, especially with the whole family, Towncentre Taupō will be setting up a ‘Red Bike Treasure Hunt’ to coincide with the April school holidays. Ten red bikes will be hidden along a cycling route on and around the Great Lake Walkway. Treasure hunters will need to cycle the route, collect the ten unique codes from each bike, then write these on an entry form to go in the draw to win a range of prizes. Details of the Red Bike Treasure Hunt will be on GreatLakeTaupo.com closer to the time.