Wainuiomata Connector Ride

Starting at the mouth of the Ōrongorongo River, you’ll head west along the coast to reach the Wainuiomata River mouth. The trail turns inland towards Wainuiomata Valley for a slight climb up Wainuiomata’s Coast Road.

Just under 4km from the start, the route passes the entrance to East Harbour Regional Park. From here, you can detour 20 minutes uphill to Baring Head Lighthouse for magnificent views over the Cook Strait.

Staying on the Coast Road, the Wainuiomata Connector winds through rural valley hills. The valley floor features lush paddocks, livestock, horses, farmhouses, and forest.

At about 8km you can detour into Remutaka Forest Park via Catchpool Valley. You’ll find a camping area and more trails to explore after about 2km.

At 16km the route passes Wainuiomata Golf Club. The café is open on weekends and casual golfers are welcome. A little further on you’ll reach the outskirts of Wainuiomata, a large suburb of Lower Hutt. Continue riding along Main Road to Queen Street to find a spot for food.

From Queen Street, take the cycleway along Wainuiomata Road to the start of Wainuiomata Hill. The 1.7km ride to the top follows the Te Hikoi Ararewa (Wainuiomata Shared Path). This is a wide and smooth dedicated cycle and walking trail that goes up and over the other side. 

In this direction, the trail climbs gradually — put your bike on the lowest gear and you’ll be good to go. If you’re riding over Wainuiomata Hill from the Gracefield Road side, be prepared for a steeper climb to the top. 

If you’re on a mountain bike, you can take a short detour to Waiu Street and ride to the summit via the Wainuiomata Mountain Bike Park. It has a range of mountain biking trails including Jungle Gym which is the easiest uphill alternative.

At the Wainuiomata Hill summit, the pathway crosses a busy main road via the Pukeatua Bridge. It offers great views over Wainuiomata, Wellington Harbour, and the Hutt Valley.

From Pukeatua Bridge, the shared pathway heads downhill. It eventually turns left to shortcut onto Gracefield Road. It then follows Waiwhetu Stream via Bell Road. After crossing Seaview Road, the route follows the stream to meet the estuary of Te Awa Kairangi . It briefly goes upstream to the Waione Bridge. Here you’ll be back to the start of the Remutaka Cycle Trail where it begins its journey up the Hutt Valley.