Around the bottom of the Rimutaka Ranges?

[Stella]

A friend and I are suddenly and very spontaneously planning a trip away together this weekend: The Great Circumnavigation of the Ruahine/Rimutaka Ranges!

The idea being we travel from Palmy/Levin down the west coast, through Petone to Wainuiomata then down towards the coast, round the bottom of the Rimutaka Ranges and up through to Masterton and probably home via the Pahiatua Track.


It is going to be extremely losely thrown together. We will stay over somewhere... wherever we happen to be at the time. We don't really know the area at all, but being women we are quite capable of asking directions. Should be.... entertaining, hopefully for us! We are very excited anyway!!

So the point of this is, I need a bit more detail on getting down below the Rimutakas.
According to my map there is a Coast Road which heads south from Wainuiomata and goes around the bottom of the lumpy bit (Turakirae Head?) then along to Lake Ferry/Onoke. Mainly I want to know what that bit is like.....

Thanks in advance!

[Hitcher]

There is no road through there. Even a motocross bike would make hard work of it. Private property, rugged terrain and rock-strewn roads.

[Deano]

Better off heading over Paekakariki Hill Road, or via Pauahatanui, or Whitby Inlet.

Then catch up with Sketchy and I at Caltex Rimutaka/Upper Hutt at 11.00am. (That sounds dodgy, but should be fun)

[Nasty]

Better off heading over Paekakariki Hill Road, or via Pauahatanui, or Whitby Inlet.

Then catch up with Sketchy and I at Caltex Rimutaka/Upper Hutt at 11.00am. (That sounds dodgy, but should be fun)

I agree Stella ... meet these guys ... they will ensure you
1. don't get lost
2. are well looked after
3. don't get lost

[Stella]

Bugger........

My map is officially untrustworthy.

Oh no it isn't... turns out that shade of yellow, which is very similar to the normal 'road' shade of yellow, is a 4WD track.

I went over the Rimutakas once during summer. Scared me silly! I remain astounded that I made it down alive, let alone shiny side up. It was reasonable weather down the bottom but blowing a gale up the top. I am now officially trying to find any way of avoiding it........!

We were both quite keen to check out Lake Ferry/Onoke and the Putangirua Pinnacles, so maybe just shooting down the Wairarapa side alone would be better, timewise.

[Ryan432]

The roads to Lake Ferry/Cape Palliser are a great ride, the views are spectacular. There is a book called the motorcycle atlas of NZ which is super helpful for these kinds of impromtu adventures. The road is paved almost all the way down except for the very last bit which is classed as "4X4 track" but really its just a gravel road, just let down you tyres a bit and you'll be sorted. I did a trip around the country on a GN (don't even get me started on why I did it on a GN) but that days riding was one of the best on the whole trip! We rode with a Cruiser, a fully faired race bike and the GN, so a wide range of bikes were able to get through without any troubles.