Cycling river trail to World Rowing Champs
20 Oct 2010
Cycling or walking a scenic route along the Waikato river is an attractive option for visitors wanting to get to and from the 2010 World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro.
A newly opened cycle and walkway, a five-kilometre stretch between Cambridge and the Mighty River Domain at Lake Karapiro, offers a picturesque alternative to riding shuttle buses along the main highway.
Completed in time for the World Rowing Championships, the pathway is the first stage of Te Awa - the Great New Zealand River Ride, which will eventually snake down the Waikato river from Ngaruawahia to Horahora.
Cycling /walking trail
Most of the trail, which begins at Leamington on the southern side of Cambridge, is a three-metre wide concrete track and can be shared by cyclists and walkers.
The pathway follows Maungatautari Road, past Crows Nest - a military redoubt dating back to 1864 - where a boardwalk offers spectacular views of the Karapiro dam.
The last dam on the Waikato hydro system, Karapiro produces power for the Waikato region.
Spectators will be able to walk or ride safely to the world championship event and leave their bikes securely locked on bike racks at the venue. It is estimated the ride from Cambridge will take about 20 minutes or about an hour on foot.
Cycleway opening
The new cycleway is already proving popular with locals, and former Olympic gold medal-winning rower and Te Awa trustee Rob Waddell says that even before the official opening on 16 October many locals had been trying out the route.
"It's been a really positive response," Waddell said. "We've had a lot of people out here already."
The NZ$1.5 million cycleway is a local project that's been largely funded by the Waipa District Council and the Brian Perry Charitable Trust. The Cambridge Rotary Club was involved in landscaping and planting.
The second stretch of cycleway from Ngaruawahia to Hamilton, currently under development, is set for completion in early 2011.
Eventually it is hoped that a 350km cycle and walking trail will run from Ngaruawahia to Lake Taupo.
Nga Haerenga - NZ Cycle Trail
The Waikato River cycle and walkway forms part of Nga Haerenga - New Zealand Cycle Trail, a series of 18 ‘Great Rides’ that will eventually provide a nationwide cycle network.
All 18 trails have had funding approved, and the aim is to have the entire New Zealand cycle trail finished by the summer of 2012 / 2013.
The 18 ‘Great Rides’ have been chosen to showcase the best of New Zealand’s countryside and scenery, and to connect cyclists with cultural and historical highlights along the way.
More information
New Zealand cycleway offers off-road appeal
Cycling trails in New Zealand’s North Island
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