Route Description
Ngunguru Old Coach Road is approximately 15 kilometers from Whangarei. You can ride as a one-way ride starting at either end, Ngunguru or Scow Landing, as an out-and-back ride, or turn it into a loop, if you return via the main Ngunguru Road.
Riding one way will require a vehicle at either end. We suggest you park at the Ngunguru Sports and Recreation Centre on Kopipi Crescent if starting at Ngunguru. If starting from the Scow Landing (closest to town), there is parking a few hundred meters up Waipoka Road. Turn left off Ngunguru Road as you head towards the coast immediately after a bridge crossing the Ngunguru River into Waipoka Road. Alternatively, you can park on the right at Scow Landing and cross Ngunguru Road and head up Waipoka road.
It is an uphill gravel road to the end. At the end of the road, a track heads off to the right; it is signposted. From here it is a gentle climb to the end of the trail. You pop out onto a gravel road (Old Kaiatea Road). Ride downhill to the Kaiatea Road intersection. Turn left onto the sealed road and follow this up until To Te Toiora Road on your right. Another gravel road; follow this along and down all the way to Waiotoi Road and into Ngunguru. If you are finishing here you can grab a coffee at Salt Air Café, fish and chips from the takeaways, or have a swim in the estuary.
If riding a loop, you head back towards Whangarei along the main road to Scow Landing. Note: This road does not have any shoulder, and traffic can be traveling very fast. It is a more pleasant riding experience to return the same way you came.
Starting and finishing in Ngunguru makes a coffee or a swim a little more feasible.
Distance: 15 km one-way or 30 km return.
Surface: Gravel, some clay 4WD tracks, sealed
Bikes: Suitable for MTB, Gravel Bikes, eBikes
Level: Moderate or Advanced (if riding the main road)
Time: 1–2 hours each way
