Fernhill Between Cycling Routes and Wineries

Fernhill offers specific ways to plan a stay focused on cycling and wine. The cycling routes range from challenging sections to a longer version of the Hawke’s Bay Trails Wineries Ride. Wineries add gardens, wine tastings, and food to the mix. If you’re looking for a hotel in Fernhill, you can start by considering whether your plans will focus more on cycling tours or wine experiences.

Cycling Routes and Distances

The Gentle Annie is a challenging but rewarding cycling route through remote hill country between Taihape on State Highway 1 and Fernhill in Hawke’s Bay. A section of the Hawke’s Bay Trails Wineries Ride follows the right bank of the Ngaruroro from Fernhill to the Waitangi Estuary. The longer version passes through open river sections to Fernhill.

The starting point also helps with planning the Wineries Ride: the tour can begin at Roys Hill, near Fernhill. The longer version is about 33 kilometres long; from Clive, the route is about 60 kilometres. There are ten cellar doors along the tour. Many offer food and non-alcoholic drinks as well as wine. The longer version reaches Fernhill, but the ten cellar doors are spread along the route.

Route lengths are approximate. Check current route conditions before setting out. This lets you plan the distance based on the route option and starting point, without treating the figures as exact route lengths.

Wineries and Tastings

In Fernhill, Trinity Hill has an architecturally designed winery with extensive gardens. Visitors can relax there with a glass of award-winning wine. Swift Wines offers tastings; you can put together your own snack platter from the deli fridge. The two wineries offer different focuses: Trinity Hill is known for its winery and gardens, while Swift Wines focuses on tastings and a self-assembled snack. Check with Swift Wines for its current arrangements.

More Things to Discover in Hastings District

In the wider destination of Hastings District, the Heritage Trails of Hastings take visitors through cultural, historical, and scenic highlights. A Hastings District Council article dated 4 May 2026 describes the trails as open year-round, free to access, and available without booking. The Hawke’s Bay Trails are another point of reference for exploring the region: they are among New Zealand’s 23 Great Rides and comprise 200 kilometres of easy cycling trails through Hastings District and Napier.

Visiting a garden is another way to explore Hastings District. Osmanthus Garden is located in Cornwall Park in Hastings District and is designed in the traditional Chinese style. Its features include a large pond, pavilions, the Friendship Bridge and the Crooked Bridge, as well as bamboo and fragrant osmanthus plants. Together with the Heritage Trails and regional cycling routes, this garden offers a different focus from the routes and wineries described for Fernhill.

Discover more destinations: Bridge Pa, Porangahau, Waipukurau, Puketapu, Wallingford, Waipawa, Eskdale, Urewera National Park.

View the wider travel overview: Hawkes Bay.