Marlborough’s mount’n up

Tourism promoters term it “Marlborough’s Brilliant Backyard” - and what better way to explore it than on a mountain bike.

This region may be small in area, but it has a myriad of scattered bike trails designed to suit riders of all abilities. Whether it’s a multi-day wilderness trail, a quick cross-country venture, or an adrenaline-fuelled downhill, you are spoiled for choice when you mount up in Marlborough.

Both recreational and competitive mountain bikers are well catered for. The Marlborough Mountain Bike Club [MMBC] is a vibrant, hard-working group who provide both competitive and non-competitive opportunities for riders of all ages and skill levels all year round.

Looming large above Blenheim, is the Wither Hills Mountain Bike Park, which is accessible, varied and hugely popular with both club and recreational riders.

Although the park is on Marlborough District Council land, many of its trails have been formed and are continually being maintained by the MMBC.

The club has been in operation since 1998 when it split from the Marlborough Multisport Club due to growth in the sport.  The club was “reborn” in 2007 with formal rules and a committee, according to treasurer and committee member Neil Sinclair.

“Mountain biking in the late 1990s was a relatively new thing so, since then, the sport’s growth has been phenomenal,” said Neil. “We now have between 500 to 600 members, including our family members.”

He described the Wither Hills as “our entry-level home”, most tracks being classed as easy or intermediate.

“For certain club races, such as the recent under-12 enduro, we would use the Wither Hills, but when we go to our more advanced racing our main tracks are in the Taylor Pass Forest network or on Homebrook, Graham and Anne Cooper’s property.

“We would probably class Homebrook as our new home. It has our downhill track, which was especially developed for the 2021 national secondary schools champs, and an enduro track, which cater for our members who are probably more at the intermediate, advanced end.”

Access to both the Taylor Pass Forest and Homebrook facilities is limited to MMBC members, explained Neil, being part of an agreement between the club and the landowners.

MMBC has an excellent working relationship with Aussie-owned forestry giant OneFortyOne Plantations, who own various forestry blocks around Marlborough, including the Taylor Pass Forest and generously allow MMBC to build tracks on some plantations.

The MMBC stage around 40 to 50 events annually – including cross country, enduro and downhill races and casual riding opportunities like the Soup and Bun series.  Neil says they offer “something for everyone”, all year round.

Like any sport, participation at teenage level is a firm indicator of popularity and on-going appeal. In recent years, competitive mountain bikers from local schools have enjoyed some serious success, claiming a string of medals at Tasman, South Island and national levels.

After the scheduled Cycling New Zealand Schools Champs in October were canned due to Covid regulations, Marlborough were granted the rights to stage the 2023 champs. Well over 600 individual riders are expected to attend.

“Over the past three years numbers attending the various nationals championships have almost doubled,” explained Neil.

“There has just been a huge, huge increase in interest in mountain biking and, while it is a good problem for the sport to have, it makes running the big events challenging.”

Another exciting development on the MMBC’s radar is the creation of a “Skills Park” in the Gentle Annie area of the Wither Hills Park.

“There is an opportunity to develop what I would consider New Zealand’s best Skills Park for mountain biking … we have resource consent and designs drawn up. It has the potential to be an amazing asset.  We are just waiting on sign off from Council.”

Sales soaring

Brendon Clemett, owner/operator of Blenheim business Cycle World for the past five years, has noticed a distinct shift in the cycling landscape in recent times.

“Mountain bikes make up the vast majority of our business these days,” he says, “with 70 percent of sales coming through e-bikes.

“Turnover in mountain bikes has seen continual growth, with full suspension mountain, hard tail mountain … but e-bikes are definitely taking over.”

There are several reasons for that situation, according to Brendon.

“Baby boomers, Covid … I think when Covid first hit people got their old bikes out of the shed and enjoyed riding again, which has transferred into upgrading to new stuff and that’s taken off.

“Bike technology has also moved on … a modern mountain bike is so easy to pedal. Fifteen years ago you probably wouldn’t have dreamed of riding a mountain bike up Foster’s Clearing, it was a walking trail, now you just go and ride up there.

“The infrastructure around the country is much better now too. There are more tracks and trails opening up all the time, which gets more people involved.

“DOC have also been better, allowing us to take our bikes onto these trails, which has to be good for them because they are getting more people into their areas, using their huts.”

Brendon suggests the arrival of the e-bike has “transformed the lives” of some of the people he meets through the cycle shop.

“So many of our customers have never ridden a bike in their lives. Then they have hopped on an e-bike and it has changed their life – mentally, physically, there are so many other benefits from it.”

Yearly upgrades are commonplace, to keep pace with the latest technology, although some e-bikers are getting the most out of their current rides.

He cites the case of an 84-year-old customer who came in to get his speedo fixed.

“His speedo was fine. Basically what had happened was that he had run out of zeroes,” explained Brendon. “It had flicked over 10,000km, and he did that in nine months.”

“It’s totally addictive too. People are going out on group rides, then they have a coffee together … some are doing it every day of the week, some three days a week, but it’s definitely addictive.”

A recreational and sometimes-competitive mountain biker over the past decade, Brendon says “the adrenaline rush associated with going fast” is what draws him back.

“Then you get the buzz of trying out new places around the country and being out in the fresh air. Some of the races I have done have been in areas that you would never think you could get to, which is pretty cool.”

He also points to the eco-benefits associated with travelling by bike and envisages that being another factor in the growth of two-wheeled transport.

“In Marlborough everything is pretty close at hand, so it is actually easier to get around town in some cases. We are getting cycle paths and the [proposed] Whale Trail from Picton to Kaikoura will be incredible.

“I think we will eventually get people commuting from Picton on e-bikes, which should take them around half an hour. It would be quite a good wind-down after work,” he added with a smile.

Marlborough mountain biking venues:

Wither Hills Farm Park (various tracks - council-owned, maintained by MMC).  Mainly beginner and intermediate single track up hill and downhill trails.  Maximum elevation 220m

Mt Vernon Loop.  Accessed via Wither Hills MTB Park or the Mapp Track.  Intermediate loop with great views over Blenheim.  An intermediate 11km loop with 600m of climbing

Homebrook (privately-owned – MMBC members only).  Advanced Enduro and Downhill tracks.

Taylor Pass Forest (privately-owned – MMBC members only).  A network of Intermediate to Advanced tracks.

Queen Charlotte Track (Ship Cove to Anakiwa - 72km).  Mainly Intermediate level with some steep ascents and descents.  Approximately 2500m of climbing for the full track, but there are options to join the track at different locations.  Note that a QC Pass is required to ride some sections of this track.

Link Pathway (42km – Picton to Havelock): Beginner level, but some challenging climbs.  Approximately 700m of climbing along the whole track

Waikakaho (33km).  Intermediate multi-use track with some rocky sections and 850m of climbing.  There are some abandoned gold mining tunnels to explore

Wakamarina Track (45km). Advanced track with technical sections and steep switchbacks.  Best written from South to North.  An intermediate option is to ride to Fosters Clearing which is Intermediate.  Avoid when wet due to clay corners.

Nydia Track (Kaiuma Bay to Tennyson Inlet - 27km).  Advanced track with technical sections and steep climbs.  1,300m of climbing.  Avoid when wet if possible.

Opouri Bridle Track (Opouri Saddle to Duncan Bay 0 5km).  A fun intermediate descent with great views over the Marlborough Sounds.  Often ridden before starting the Nydia Track.

Whites Bay Loop (12km). An advanced 20km loop track which demands a good level of fitness and confidence due to technical descents.  A steep 600m climb.  There is also an Expert Downhill Track Double Eagle for the adventurous.

Victoria Domain (including the Kanuka Trail) (Picton). A small network of beginner and Intermediate Tracks on the Snout.  Tracks include some technical downhills or easier single track descends.  Intermediate riders will enjoy the intermediate Kanuka Trial which allows riding to the end of the Snout.

Rainbow Track (St Arnaud to Hanmer Springs - 112km, 1,400 vertical climbing).  A touring route mainly down roads.

Teetotal Tracks (St Arnaud).  A small network of intermediate and advanced tracks in native bush near to St Arnaud.  Great riding in native bush.

Archer Track (Penzance Bay to Elaine Bay – 9km). An intermediate track with great views into the Marlborough Sounds.

Pukaka Valley : An advanced Downhill track which requires permission from Merill and Ring to access.

Havelock Downhill.  An Intermediate to Advanced Downhill track with descents of 550m.

Conder’s Bend.  A fun beginners family friend loop next to the Wairau River.  Great entry level single riding for families or beginners.  A flat 5km loop.

Awapiri Station (Awatere Valley).  A mixture of Farm Tracks.  Only open during advertised open days.

Black Birch Track (Awatere Valley).  A challenging beginner ride 13km long with 1,500m of vertical ascent.

Middle Hill MTB Park (near Waipapa Bay, 40km from Kaikoura).  A mixture of intermediate, advanced and expert hand build single track.  Best shuttled with bookings via the Middle Hill website.

More details on most tracks including photos and video footage is available via the Trail Forks app.