Tracks and Rides

Round the Bays – Lyttelton to Diamond Harbour

Start: At Lyttelton Harbour
Distance:  39 kilometres.
Difficulty: Moderate

Ride Description:
Awesome views of the harbour, a pint at a country pub, a picnic in a hilltop park and a ferry trip, make this ride one of the regions best kept secrets. Park your car in Lyttelton and head toward Governors Bay – the harbour should be on your left as you bike round the bays. There are three small, five or ten minute hills on the way to Governors as you duck in and out of the bays. As you enter Governors Bay there’s a reasonably major intersection from cars coming down off the Port Hills, so takecare. The hill into Governors Bay is short but a little steeper, so you might need to test out those granny gears. On the way down there’s a hairpin corner near the bottom, so you may want to watch your speed. There’s two more short, sharp hills on the way to Teddington with a couple of tight corners on the way down – stops at the top of these hills provide beautiful views down the harbour. The ride into Teddington is flat and gives you a chance to take it easy for a couple of kilometers.

From the Wheatsheaf, head out on the flat toward Diamond Harbour. The first hill you encounter is the only challenge on the whole trip - take your time and spin in your bottom gears and you’ll get to the top in about 20 minutes. The ride down has nice, rounded corners so freewheel it and pick up a bit of speed.

A couple more hills and some flat riding take you ‘round Charteris’ and Church Bays, which in a quaint way, kind of resemble Cornwell in the South of England. After Church Bay there’s a couple of small hills that build on each other as you climb into Diamond Harbour. The views round these little bays are stunning and a few roadside stops are a must.

At Diamond Harbour keep biking until you see the yellow AA sign that says ‘wharf’. Take a left turn and bike down – there’s a dairy on the right for an ice-cream and to check out the ferry times. Or park on the lawns outside the pub and order a bite to eat. 

Hint and Tips:

• At Teddington is the Wheatsheaf Pub, a great stop for a lime and soda, or a beer on a hot day. On most Sunday’s in summer the publican runs a BBQ in the afternoon for $5 per person, but check first if your counting on it for a meal.
• To catch a ferry, ride down to the wharf – the hill can be steep at times so it is worth breaking occasionally. At the end of the wharf there is a sign with ferry times on it. The ferry costs about $5, including your bike.
• When putting your bike on the ferry wait for all arriving passengers to disembark and new passengers to board before carrying your bike down the steps and putting it onboard. Your bike will need to sit outside, at the back of the ferry, and you will need to stand with it to hold it if the water is rough. The ferry crossing is about ten minutes, and provides stunning views of the harbour and the port.
• At Lyttleton, you will need to disembark first, and carry your bike up about 20 steps and over the bridge that crosses the rail tracks. From here make your way back to the car.