Trans_NZ_North Island...4B-EASTERN routes_Clevedon to Woodville (2 options + Extras)

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Touring The Trans-NZ ADV Route _ North Island

Segment 1. CAPE REINGA / AHIPARA *** SPECIAL ***
Segment 2. AHIPARA TO WAIPU (3 options)
Segment 3. WAIPU TO CLEVEDON
Segment 4A-WESTERN Routes_Clevedon to Woodville (2 options + Extras)
Segment 4B-EASTERN Routes_Clevedon to Woodville (2 options + Extras)
Segment 5. WOODVILLE TO WELLINGTON (3 options plus south-eastern gems!)



Touring The Trans-NZ ADV Route _ South Island...5334km

Segment 1. PICTON-TO-HANMER/CULVERDEN
Segment 2. HANMER/ CULVERDEN TO FAIRLIE
Segment 3. FAIRLIE TO NASEBY
Segment 4. NASEBY TO CROMWELL
Segment 5. CROMWELL TO MANAPOURI
Segment 6. MANAPOURI TO THE CATLINS (SOUTH COAST)



Touring The Trans-NZ ADV Route...the WHAT, WHY, WHERE + HOW



General NZ info and links


While the Waikato and Taranaki down the Mid-WestCoast are an ADV-Route-Mecca, the eastern side doesn't offer anywhere near the fill-of-thrill.
Still....there are some sweet spots and stretches around, if dotted far more sparsely. Therefore it's rather a matter of knitting the highlights together by the least-busy backroads than trying to squash in as many gems as possible.
The Coromandel, Gentle Annie, East Cape etc. will fill an "Extras"-section further down these listings as they are too far off the main north-south line to be part of the main routes.

 

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Re: Trans_NZ_North Island....4-EAST_Clevedon to Woodville

OPTION A


This is the longest single segment of the entire routing-project with just under 1100km from Clevedon to Woodville, NOT including the multitude of possible variations and optional Extras.
Minimum time requirement is about 3 days, with one day each covering the mostly sealed road stretches in the north and south. The center part around Putere, Tiniroto and Motu will easily consume one day...if in a rush!
Suggested time frame is 4 days, add more days for Extras like Coromandel, East Cape or branching via Gentle Annie and Taihape.



Pt 1: Clevedon -> Opotiki/ Tirohanga



CLEVEDON -> SEABIRD COAST -> OHINEWAI RD -> SKIRTING ROTORUA -> OPOTIKI FOR FUEL, SUPPLIES, ACCOM, DAY-LOOPS, ETC


MAP 1 OF 2 : https://goo.gl/r9g3aW

CLEVEDON-> KAWAKAWA -> WAITI BAY (Coromandel Peninsula across the water)

SEABIRD COAST

STOP AT THE OLD ROCK CRUSHER AT THE KAIMAI TRAIL

GREAT SPOT TO SPEND A NIGHT...THE TOWER ROAD MOTEL AT THE MATAMATA OUTSKIRTS...AND JUST UP FROM THE THERMAL POOLS!


KAREN AND TERRY ARE GREAT HOSTS:

ROTORUA ACCOM, APPROX 10KM OUT OF TOWN AT BLUE LAKE https://goo.gl/bhkAwh

BACKROADS AROUND ROTORUA DISTRICT

OPOTIKI COAST

 

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Re: Trans_NZ_North Island....4-EAST_Clevedon to Woodville

Pt 2: Opotiki -> Woodville




OPOTIKI -> MOTU RD -> MOTU FALLS -> WHAKARAU RD -> WHAREKOPAE -> PEHIRI -> DONNERAILLE FALLS -> RUAKITURI -> OHUKA -> PUTERE -> LAKE ROTONUIAHA -> SH2 AND SH50 TO WOODVILLE


MAP 2 OF 2 https://goo.gl/Sc7V8Y

FUEL AND PROVISIONS IN OPOTIKI
-> MOTU RD

-> MOTU FALLS

-> WHAKARAU RD

RAKAUROA RD/ SH2 JUNCTION ....fuel is 8km away in Matawai



-> WHAREKOPAE -> PEHIRI

IF FUEL IS AN ISSUE @ PEHIRI RD/ TINIROTO RD JUNCTION ....GO TOWARDS GISBORNE/ FIRST ROUNDABOUT TOWARDS NAPIER, MANUTUKE, 50km return!!


-> DONNERAILLE FALLS -> RUAKITURI

-> OHUKA -> PUTERE

-> LAKE ROTONUIAHA

-> SH2 AND SH50 TO WOODVILLE

 

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Re: Trans_NZ_North Island....4-EAST_Clevedon to Woodville

EXTRAS.......COROMANDEL PENINSULA....THAMES-TO-FLETCHER BAY

A 230km return ride (incl. 65km gravel) of outstanding scenery and lots of "wowww-moments", this coastal gem can still be added to by the racetrack-smooth twisties of the SH25A from Thames across the spine of the Coromandel to the eastern shores. Stay at Whitianga and throw in a dip at Hot Water Beach or the Black Jack "curlies" for even more coastal delights to Opito Bay.
The final 32km from Colville past Port Jachson to the road's end at Fletcher Bay are usually good gravel....with a small beach and Campsite at the end.




MAP: https://goo.gl/Y9YSjb

 

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EXTRAS.......COROMANDEL PENINSULA....DRIVING CREEK


DRIVING CREEK RAILWAY isn't your little tourist gizmo railway thing!
Nor a Puffing Billy or other "historic" choof-choof...

Instead, it's an outstanding engineering exercise (and NOT built by an engineer, but by that well-known Kiwi-knack to make something incredible from NOTHING!), it's a landscaping bonanza, it's one hell of a quirky thing where ever one cares to look, it's arty-crafty at a headshakin' scale, it's funny, it's impossible, and it started with the search for a pot of clay.
Bloody brilliant stuff...and occasionally hair-raising in its dare-do.




MAP: https://goo.gl/c9BRwA

Just north of the town of Coromandel

Great vistas from the Eyefull-Tower

 

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EXTRAS...EASTERN CAPE


Bays, Beaches, Hot Springs, Capes, Gorges and breathtaking coastal vistas...there's a loop of gems around the Eastern Cape, yeah!
From the Historic Tauranga Bridge south of Opotiki on the SH2 to the East Cape itself, Cape Runaway to fishing villages, the little white church in the middle of no-where, Waipiro Bay and Captain Cook's Landing Place, yesteryear's Hot Springs resort at Te Puia....it's a heady ~450k's around the Eastern Cape from Opotiki to Gisborne.
Oh...and there's a million bends....most of them sealed!


MAP: https://goo.gl/ry4VUs

Just past Waioeka Gorge, south of Opotiki

Cruizin the Cape

The "Bath-House" behind the old Te Puia Springs Hotel
It ain't flash...but it's got The Springs!

"Gizzy"....(Gisborne)

 

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OPTION B


A faster route with more sealed stretches than Option A, but still using secondary roads and some gravel....and bypassing most of the Rotorua tourist circus.
Keep checking for fuel here...Waikaremoana Rd hasn't got fuel for ~250km between Murupara in the north and Napier in the south.
Considering the ~ 90km gravel section in "the guts" of the route, the 800km total might be a bit of a rush if attempted over 2 days....maybe 3 days and overnighters at Murupara and somewhere around Napier are a good idea (try the cabins at Clive, the owners are riders and great folks! http://www.theclivemotelsandvilla.co.nz/ )



Part. 1 Clevedon -> Napier



MAP: https://goo.gl/UFq3QF

CLEVEDON -> SH27 TO MATAMATA -> PARADISE VLY RD. TO BYPASS THE WORST OF ROTORUA


Aratiatia Rapids

-> SH 5-> FUEL AT MURUPARA-> SH38 (~ 40KM GRAVEL)

-> PUTERE (~ANOTHER 40KM GRAVEL)

-> SH2 TWISTIES AND SWEEPERS INTO NAPIER

 

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Part 2 Napier -> Woodville

MAP: https://goo.gl/5ZikiX

NAPIER-> GENTLE ANNIE -> MOAWHANGO VALLEY RD./ TAIHAPE BYPASS-> RIDGE RD. -> SADDLE RD / APITI WIND FARM -> WOODVILLE
(fuel reqd. ~300km...if short, duck into Taihape)

NAPIER-> GENTLE ANNIE


OOPS!

-> MOAWHANGO VALLEY RD./ TAIHAPE BYPASS-> RIDGE RD. -> SADDLE RD / APITI WIND FARM -> WOODVILLE
(fuel reqd. ~300km...if short, duck into Taihape)