The area encompassing Eastern Bay of Plenty through to Motu and Tairāwhiti has so much naturally special, from stunning white-sand beaches and beautiful harbours to majestic forests and spectacular rivers.
This is a place not just for cycling, but for walking, trail-running, surfing, rafting, fishing, hunting and more. Equally, it's a place to pause and reflect amongst huge and wonderful trees many hundreds of years old. Walk in Gray's Bush (Gisborne), Whinray Scenic Reserve (Motu), Hukutaia Domain (Opotiki) or Onekawa Te Mawhai Regional Park (Ohiwa).
To fuel you on your outdoor endeavours, be sure to sample the local cuisine. This area is renowned as a food basket and our fertile lands produce kiwifruit, citrus, avocado, berry fruit, manuka honey, dairy and meat. The ocean is abundant with marine species including some of the best mussels in the world. Hukuwai beach, on the Dunes Trail, directly translates as ‘Tail Water’, recalling oral stories of Whakatōhea about how the splashing of water would signal the arrival of a large school of fish—food for the whole tribe.
The area is rich in important places and histories of iwi Whakatōhea, Ngati Porou, Ngāi Tuhoe to the European settlers who came later... stories of love, battle, fortitude, challenge and success. The Motu Trails introduce you to some of these stories, as you ride through areas steeped in fascinating history.
