Honeysuckle Ridge

Belmont Regional Park, Wellington, New Zealand

Quad bike access to the Horokiwi valley from Belmont Trig.

Intermediate (or Advanced if ascending)

Bike and Foot

This track was constructed in late 2008 to provide the Ranger and contractors with quad bike access to the Horokiwi valley by avoiding the steepest parts of Horokiwi Bridleway. It is a two-way track so expect traffic in either direction - though ascending cyclists are likely to be walking.

Like other tracks in this part of Belmont Regional Park, this track is very steep. The total altitude change is 330m, with a typical grade of 15%-20%, a couple of short uphill bits, and an especially steep final section at the Horokiwi Bridleway end that has a grade approaching 30%.

Much of the upper section coincides with Horokiwi Bridleway. The two tracks have separate entrances and they diverge along different ridges about half way down the hill.

About 50m north from the intersection of Belmont Trig and Dress Circle, just below the summit of the trig, there is a grassy track heading north over a low ridge. This track continues under the transmission line, through a gate marked with a "Private property" sign. Forty metres before getting to that gate, veer left (west) towards the treeline and through another gate that is at the bottom of a small gully. Thereafter the track is clearly defined.

The track ends when it meets Horokiwi Valley, around 0.5km north of the intersection of Belmont Trig South and Baked Beans Bend.

2.09km

Double track

22 Dec 2008 by Ian

Ian