Kidnappers Coast - Clive to Clifton

This section of the Landscapes Ride teems with creativity and activities to do. Affectionately known as Cape Coast, stop and explore on the way or nearby including cycle hire, wineries, restaurants, dairies, cute cafes, gannet safari, art studios, museums, Haumoana farmyard zoo, and the legendary Cape Kidnappers golf course. Of interest is new, developing art installations from Cape Coast Arts & Heritage Trust - find out about the history and heritage through enthralling art installations.

Start from Clive, where there is plenty of parking, toilets, coffee, and supplies. If looking for accommodation check out the bike-friendly Clive Studios, Clive Colonial Cottages, or Te Awanga Cottages or desperate for that first coffee, then you must check out the Clive Pub. Follow the trail beside the Waitangi Regional Park wetlands and along the coastal corridor before passing under Black Bridge at Tukituki River and over the clip-on crossing.

As you reach Haumoana, remember to check out the native breeding ground for whitebait and if you need a toilet you'll find one in the domain at the river mouth. You then leave the limesand section and follow a short section of road, here you will find your first coffee stop at Haumoana Coffee. Look out for signposts and follow the green bikes on the short road section to connect back to the off-road coastal trail. Here you ride beside Pohutukawa trees and pass (or stop) Brown Dog Espresso, a great coffee stop. From here follow the trail to Te Awanga and through the quaint back streets of this popular surf spot before getting back on the limesand section for the final stretch to Clifton - the gateway to Cape Kidnappers.  

For an adventure check out Gannet Bikes - try taking a fat bike out to along the beach to Cape Kidnappers and the gannet colony. If you feel like a cruise around the area, hire classic beach-cruiser bikes from Coastal Wine Cycles in Haumoana. We also recommend the following Official Partners. A must check out Clearview Estate Winery, Restaurant and Cellar Door is perfect for a well-deserved lunch under the vines.  Or go right to the end of the trail to Clifton and enjoy a stop the new cafe - Hygge at Clifton Bay. 

Local Tip

If you plan to stop and have lunch at any of the superb winery restaurants, we absolutely recommend booking in advance.

Good to Know

• Phone coverage is good on this section of the trail.
• Go slow and use care with underpass areas - bridge approaches and trail edges can be steep and uneven.
• When trail surface changes from the trail to short sections of road, always look for the cycle trail signposts and markings.

Source: Hawke's Bay Trail