14-18 November 2025

Leader: Chris Keating

This trip involved 2 days of travel and three days of biking on the Karapiro, Maraetai, Whakamaru, and Te Awa cycle trails.

The Waikato Cycle Trails are officially a set of grade 1 to 4 trails following the Waikato River from Cambridge southwards. The grade 2 Te Awa trail from Ngaruawahia in the north to Hamilton Gardens and onto Cambridge / Lake Karapiro can also be regarded as part of the “Waikato” trails.

There were 9 of us on this trip using the Cambridge Top 10 holiday park as our base. We were joined by Sue (Pate) for the day ride on the Te Awa trail.

Day 1 cycling: Karapiro Trail - Pokaiwhenua Bridge to Arapuni Dam and return, 26 km, grade 3.
The day started with a wait under shelter for a very heavy rain shower to pass over. The ride mostly followed the Waikato River south to the spectacular Arapuni swingbridge and power station. Some of us also carried on to the Arapuni Dam. The Rhubard Café in Arapuni Village provided a very pleasant break before the return to the cars.

After lunch at the Cambridge Top 10, a few of us biked on a concrete trail to Lake Karapiro and watched some of the secondary school rowing races.

Day 2 cycling: Maraetai and Whakamaru Trails, one way 38km, grade 3.
This involved a long car trip south from Cambridge to Atiamuri Village and dam followed by a car shuffle to Mangakino Village with a stop at the Dam Café in Whakamaru on the way. Once again most of the ride followed the Waikato River.

Day 3 cycling: Te Awa Trail from Ngaruawahia to Hamilton Gardens and on to Cambridge 58km, grade 2.
This involved a car shuffle from Cambridge to Ngaruawahia. This was the longest ride but mostly flat and on sealed, concrete, paved, and boardwalk surfaces. The trail included sections along the Waikato River and other sections through countryside and through the suburbs of Hamilton. A very pleasant ride. We split into two groups along the way for stops at the Ginger and Honey Café, Hamilton Gardens Café, and Tamahere Punnet Eatery (for ice creams).

Those on the trip were:

Bryan Wild, Chris Keating, Glenda Robb, Marian Cox, Mark Robertson, Owen Cox, Paul Michl, Robert Adams, Sue Sparkes, Sue Pate