A tour through the Waimakariri district
Cycling the eastern cycle trails
I’ve written before about the shared path along the Christchurch Northern Corridor and how the clip-on cycle bridge over the Waimakariri River has provided cyclists with safe passage between Christchurch and the small towns north of the city. Crossing the old Main North Road bridge with the traffic was (and still is) an option but only the most dedicated cycle commuters made the trip.
I use the new bridge as part of a brisk ride to Kaiapoi or Rangiora almost every week. And for a more leisurely Sunday ride, I sometimes do a big loop through the small coastal settlements of the Waimakariri district and back along the Ashley/Rakahuri River and Rangiora. It’s a flat and easy ride.
My ride starts with a warm-up along the sealed shared path by the Christchurch Northern Corridor and on to a connecting path to Kaiapoi on the other side of the Waimakariri River. Arriving in Kaiapoi, it’s a short ride through quiet back streets to the centre of town.
Kaiapoi is named after the pā established in the area by Tūrākautahi around 1700, and was once a major trading centre for Ngāi Tahu. The pā site itself is further north and was a large Ngāi Tahu settlement until attacked by Te Rauparaha in 1831.
The town centre occupies a pretty spot by the banks of the Kaiapoi River. The town was badly damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. While many people lost their homes, the earthquakes also provided the opportunity for rejuvenation. There’s a new museum and library, several new cafés and restaurants, and walking and cycling tracks all designed to make the most of the river setting. For many Christchurch cyclists, Kaiapoi is the destination.
The shared path on the northern stopbanks of the river heads out past the confluence with the Waimakariri River towards the river mouth and the sea. This is one of the most scenic parts of the ride - with sweeping views of the river and beyond to the Port Hills of Christchurch. Looking back (to the west), you get a great view of the Southern Alps - looking particularly stunning at this time of year with their snow caps on.
The river mouth is a popular fishing spot, and there’ll often be people with fishing rods lined up all the way along the northern side at Kairaki (and dotted around other places along the riverbank). There’s a small sailing club at Kairaki and, in summer, there’ll be jetskis on the water too.
From Kairaki (or the nearby Pines Beach settlement), you can take the cycle track through the Tūhaitara Coastal Park all the way north to Waikuku Beach, passing by Woodend Beach and Pegasus along the way. While a coastal track, it’s set back from the sand dunes so you can’t see the sea while you’re cycling. However, there are plenty of places you can access the beach.
The terrain and surroundings vary - initially, it’s an easy (but sometimes mucky) dirt track through pine forest. From Woodend Beach, it’s a chunky gravel path through low scrubby bush and past a pretty lagoon (Tūtaepatu Lagoon). North of Pegasus, it’s a finer gravel track all the way to Waikuku Beach.
Kairaki, Pines Beach, Woodend Beach and Waikuku Beach are small beach settlements, with camping grounds, recreational areas and a mix of baches (small holiday homes) and permanent housing. Pegasus is set further back from the coast and is a new town, with modern housing and a golf course. It also has a few shops and makes a good detour for coffee.
I usually carry on to the Ashley/Rakahuri estuary at the northern end of the Waikuku Beach settlement, and make do with water and an oat bar. It’s a relaxing spot to take a break before heading inland along the Ashley/Rakahuri River to Rangiora.
From the estuary to Rangiora, there is a choice of cycling along the stopbanks or taking a mountain bike trail through the bush by the river. Chris prefers the stopbanks, which provide a quicker and easier route. It’s a wide open space, with a great outlook over the surrounding farmland. I like taking the mountain bike path, which requires more concentration and is more fun, with lots of ups and downs and corners. Fortunately, there are plenty of connection points so we usually do a bit of both.
Arriving on the northern edge of Rangiora, the Ashley Picnic Ground makes another good stopping point (jetplanes this time). Then it’s back on the main road through Rangiora to the other end of town, where we connect up to a shared path (the Passchendaele Memorial Path) back to Kaiapoi.
Cycling through Rangiora is probably my least favourite part of the ride because it’s a busy place with lots of traffic. It's the biggest town in the Waimakariri district, servicing the surrounding rural area and hosting many residents who work in Christchurch - another consequence of the Canterbury earthquakes.
But there is an on-road cycle lane for most of the way and it’s possible to take quieter back roads instead. There are also plenty of cafés and shops (and a movie theatre) if you want to take the time to look around Rangiora. It's a lot more relaxed once you're off the roads and wandering around the town centre.
The Passchendaele Memorial Path to Kaiapoi is a separate shared path that runs next to the railway line and passes through farmland. There are lots of pukeko and hares (and cows) in the paddocks. It's an easy sealed ride, with the main hazard being a flock of chickens that like to hang out on the path.
Close to Kaiapoi, the path veers in towards the river and follows the river back into town. From there, it's a gentle ride through the back streets and on to the path back to Christchurch.
All up, it's about a 75 kilometre loop from home, and takes me about three and a half hours (depending on how energetic I’m feeling). In my view, it's up there with many of the Great Rides available in other New Zealand centres. There's lots of open space, diverse terrain, and a relaxed ride in a scenic setting.