5 minute read
GET AWAY TO IT ALL
It’s home to some of our bestloved vineyards, our oldest river-side tavern and a great little brewery, as well as a cracking local market and stunning scenery - but it’s not Marlborough or Blenheim, it’s Kumeu, just a hop, skip and a jump from Auckland. Here’s why you should make it your next day trip out of the City of Sails.
Do something new, New Zealand, it’s the right thing to do and we live in paradise, and sometimes that something new can be just up the road. Take Kumeu, only 25 kilometres from Auckland; a short drive gets you out of the hustle and bustle of the big smoke and into rolling green farm-lands, orchards and vineyards, where things are a little more relaxed and you can slow down and smell the roses. There is also a ferry service from Auckland, which is a great way to make a day of it, and which takes you right to where any trip to Kumeu should start or finish: The Riverhead historic tavern.
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For around 150 years this grand old dame has been serving food and refreshments beside the river, and the story goes that back in the day it played host to countryfolk and townspeople, fishermen and farmers, smugglers, clergymen and the local constabulary. These days it attracts lovers of fine food, with a great restaurant serving local produce on a deck surrounded by 100 year old oaks, and there is also a classic Kiwi bar serving up cold ones to boot.
And if you like a cold one, then in Kumeu you’ve come to the right place. The Hallertau brewery is a craft beer lovers nirvana, with a fantastic mix of their very own beers and a menu that goes above and beyond the usual pub grub. Check out a Pale Ale or Pilsnah, or push the boat out with a Berliner Weisse Sour Ale, one of their fruit beers, or the wonderfully titled Mr Yakimoto Rice Lager - this is quality beer made with passion, and they have one of the best beer gardens around to enjoy it all in.
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The Hunting Lodge
If wine is more your speed then you’re also in for a treat, as some of New Zealand’s best-known wine makers call Kumeu home - and are located in some stunning locations. European wine makers who emigrated to New Zealand last century saw the potential of Kumeu’s soil and climate, and they have been perfecting their art there ever since. The result is that there are almost too many great wineries to choose from: West Brook Winery is one of the most picturesque, with a great view right from the cellar door; Coopers Creek has a reputation for producing some classic Kiwi wines and is right in the heart of Kumeu wine county; Kumeu River Wines was established back in 1944 and rightfully deserves credit for making our Chardonnays world renowned; Babich have been a New Zealand institution for over a hundred years and set themselves apart by providing a fantastic picnic area in the winery where you can relax in addition to wine tasting; Mazuran’s have been making award winning fortified and premium wines here for generations; The Hunting Lodge has a fantastic restaurant with an outstanding menu as well as cellar door; Twin Totara is a relative new comer already making a name for itself; and last but by no means least is Souljans, established in 1937 and maker of New Zealand’s most awarded sparkling wine. Pay a visit to your favourite for a cellar door tasting, make a meal of it at one of the vineyards with onsite eateries, or better still sign up for one of the winery tours that take in Kumeu’s finest and take out the hassle of having to get yourself around; they do all the planning, you just sit back and enjoy the ride.
One thing you do want to plan around however is the Kumeu Market. Held at the Kumeu Show-grounds every third Sunday this is a great way to spend the morning, with excellent food, baking and home-made crafts, some of the top buskers in Auckland, pony rides and even a walk-in aviary! Pick up some of the great local produce to take home to add flavour to your own kitchen creations, take the easy option and forage the food stalls for taste treats, or to pick up some picnic supplies. Either way you’re winning.
If all this is sounding kinda calorie intensive, rest assured Kumeu has the answer to that too. There is a treetop rope course and flying foxes to get the adrenalin going, golf, mountain biking and horse trekking courses, and outstanding walking tracks to help you work off lunch.
Kumeu - just up the road, with everything going for it, just don’t be surprised if it gets a little addictive.
Spend the morning, with great food, baking and home-made crafts, some of the top buskers in Auckland, pony rides and even a walk-in aviary! Consider us for your minor and major capital equipment needs.
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