SMELL THE SHRED
Sniffing out some sweet trails in sleepy Pirongia
Words Lester Perry Images Thomas Falconer
From issue 86 2023
Formed by a succession of eruptions, Te Pirongia-o-Te Aroaro-o-Kahu Mt Pirongia (the scented pathway of Kahu) burst into existence about 2.5 million years ago.
Pirongia village, which sits at the foot of the mountain, came about 158 years ago in much less dramatic fashion, and with less of an olfactory announcement.
Beginning life as a garrison village during the Waikato wars, Pirongia is now a sleepy spot with a bustling bakery, a couple of cafes that may or may not be open, and a pub that’s only open two or three nights each week—if you’re lucky.
It’s fair to say the village isn’t a hive of activity, but if you strike it right, you’ll find a queue at the local Four Square, which is the only place to grab an iceblock after a ride on the hill.
Established in 2008, the Waipa Mountain Bike Club (now Pirongia MTB Club) began the process of chipping away at the top of Sainsbury Road (15 minutes from the centre of the village), with the lofty goal of turning it into a fully-fledged bike park. Progress was slow, but once the bureaucracy was dealt with, the small band of volunteers set to work building tracks. Five years later, they still only had a couple of tracks to show for their hard graft.
Fortunately, Waipa District Council funding came to the party. With funds secured, commercial trail builders started work in mid-2014 and, within a couple of years, they’d built a more complete MTB trail system.
Thanks to a couple of Covid-19 lockdown builds, the park now boasts more than 17km of trail, ranging from Grade 2 flow trails to top quality Grade 4 and 5 hand-builds, and even a couple of decent off-piste options if you know where to look.
The park is easily accessed from the top of Sainsbury Road, just behind the village. There’s plenty of car parking, but if you’re visiting for a summer afternoon session, expect to find the carpark full and lines of cars parked down the road.
A stream splits the park into two main areas. The “main side”, right by the carpark, is where you’ll find the easier, Grade 2 and 3 trails. The more advanced tracks are found on the “far side” of the park.
A convenient gravel ring-road encircles the network, making it a cinch to do multiple laps and loops, and helps take care of most of the climbing.
There’s something for everyone at Sainsbury Road. Take the kids for a lap down Home and Away, which is a cruisy trail that can be shuttled by car (no kid likes riding uphill!). If you’re getting the hang of things and want to stretch the limit a little, then The Sorcerer could do the trick.
Looking for something a bit more technical? Pedal over to the far side of the park to hit Delta and Lockdown—there’re no points for guessing when these two were built! A delightful mix of native tech and pine tree flow, both trails have become favourites for regulars looking to be kept on their toes.
If you’re keen for a bit more of an adventure, head through the Douglas firs and out the top of the park, up Arekahanara (aka hike-a-bike). With an old-school, walking track vibe, this trail could be in the middle of nowhere, but it’s just a 15-minute downhill coast to the pub.
Logging scheduled for February 2023 has paused any further trail development, but the club is champing at the bit to roll out some new trails in fresh zones, where there’s a great variety of terrain and bush to work with.
Sainsbury Road is well worth a stop for a ride if you’re on a road-trip through Pirongia, or, better still, make it a destination and experience small-town New Zealand at its finest.
For more info on the Sainsbury Mountain Bike Park, check out the club’s website at pirongiamtb.co.nz.
