Queenstown: Brews and Views

Breakfast and a Brew

Picking a favourite café for breakfast in Queenstown is a bit like choosing your favourite child.

It’s an impossible decision.

But, for the purposes of this itinerary and the sheer practicality of the location – not to mention the seriously good grub – then Bespoke Kitchen on Isle Street is the obvious choice. Just a stone’s throw from the Skyline Gondola and the Queenstown Bike Park it’s the perfect location for pre-ride fuelling and that all essential caffeination.

After all, #NoCoffeeNoRide

Ben Lomond Trails | Queenstown Bike Park

To access the Ben Lomond Trails, you can take the honest approach and ride up Skyline Access Road (2.7km / approx. 45mins) or if you’re still digesting that big breaky from Bespoke Kitchen you can cheat and take the Skyline Gondola to the summit.

With a vertical rise / descent of 450m and with over 40kms of downhill tracks, the Ben Lomond Trails offer some of New Zealand’s best gravity-assisted mountain biking.

After riding up the road take a breather and soak in that iconic vista of the Remarkables mountain range and Lake Whakatipu before a warm up run down the mellow, flowing Hammy’s Track. Once you’ve found your legs and got your eye in, there’s the option for something a bit more adventurous by hooking into the Fernhill Trails and a lap of McNearly Gnarly. McNearly Gnarly starts at the power station on Wynyard Crescent and is accessed via a nice ascent up the Fernhill Loop track which connects to lower Hammy’s Track.

Note: access to these trails is free but download the Queenstown Mountain Bike Club app to become a member and to contribute to trail maintenance and development.

Wharehuanui Trail and Coronet Peak

Following a few laps and once you’ve burnt off the breakfast calories, head to Arthur’s Point for lunch. From Central Queenstown follow the shared pathway along Gorge Road for about 6km to Arthur’s Point where you can connect with the new Wharehuanui Trail.

Arthur’s Point offers some superb lunch options from the sensational pizzas at Rakau, to wholesome pub grub  at Canyon Brewing on the Shotover River or the historic Gantley’s Tavern… and inevitably the opportunity to try a locally brewed craft beer.

After lunch, take the Wharehuanui Trail until you reach the Dan O’Connell Climb at the trail junction on Malaghan’s Road. Ride up Dan O’Connell for 4km (about 35-40mins) and then continue with just a wee bit more climbing for 1.8km along the Coronet Water Race Connector. From here the views a pretty epic, but the flowing descent down Morning Glory and Hot Rod are even better! These two trails are extensions to the legendary Rude Rock Trail which starts further up the hill at the base of Coronet Peak ski area.

NOTE: Hot Rod is rated an intermediate (grade 3) flow trail but there are a couple of dropping corners which are more like an advanced grade 4. It’s generally rideable for intermediate bikers if you take it at a relaxed pace and potentially walk some of the gnarlier sections.

Alternatively, if you had enough downhill action at Skyline and feel like some more cross-country riding, from the top of climb you can follow the Coronet Face Water Race Trail and then the Bush Creek Trail back into Arrowtown. This is part of the Coronet Loop Trail – an awesome 50km circuit through dramatic backcountry landscapes.

Add it to your list for another day!

Arrowtown Brews

Enjoy a couple of laps on Hot Rod, but make sure you leave enough juice in the tank for the second half of the Wharehuanui Trail and then the Countryside Trail which combined are about a 7km ride into Arrowtown from the bottom of Hot Rod.

Head to Arrowtown Brewing Company which you can find at Slow Cuts Restaurant where a cold craft beer paired with a sensational, slow-cooked burger is the perfect finish to your ride. Or the Fork and Tap boasts a wide range of beers from numerous NZ craft breweries, including a selection of excellent local brews. Food-wise, it offers kiwi classics, great pizza and always an interesting choice of seasonal dishes.

Bike shuttles can be arranged to take you safely back to Queenstown.

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- with thanks to Kat Bulk of the Queenstown Trails Trust for her input and expert recommendations.