Two new mountain bike trails at Bannockburn inlet ‘About Thyme’ and ‘Pretty Dicey’ are nearing completion thanks to the hard work of locals at the Cromwell Mountain Biking Club (Cromtbc). 

Cromtbc president Damon Leitch said there was a cattle-stop coming and a few more finishing touches, before its official opening would be celebrated with a barbecue.

“Bannockburn inlet has been the club's focus; digging and building for the past year or so,” he said.

Volunteer dig nights are Wednesdays, 5.30pm at Bannockburn Inlet, which involves two hours of work and finishes with complimentary pizza and cold drinks at Five Stags.

Damon said they would love more helpers on dig nights as they could get more done with more hands on deck.

“There’s still multiple trails we can add onto, and it’s going to be a bit of an ongoing project.”

About Thyme is an uphill climb of 650m up to a water race, and then about another 1km along the water race. Pretty Dicey is a downhill trail approximately 1 km long and has some more technical terrain.

“We’re touching it up at the moment and it will become more intermediate level . . . we want to make it so everyone can ride it.”

Damon said later this year they hoped to be turning dirt at the Shannon Farm mountain bike park. 

The resource consent for the subdivision and bike park is approved, he said.

"We’re in a bit of a holding pattern until the developers have done a bit more around the orchard and the infrastructure for the development.”

Damon said the first thing to build would be a nice flowy climb trail to the very top, and then the other trails would be marked out and potentially dug out by hand.

“The Cromtbc committee has spent time with Elevate trail network, and it’s all drafted up . . . it involves multiple stages and different trails.”

The Central App asked Damon, who recently took up the president role, why he did so.

“It’s something to give back to the community we live in . . . I enjoy it, I love biking and I ride a huge amount.” 

Dig night for club members. PHOTO: Supplied

Crombtc, currently has 60 members and welcomes more new members.

New in 2024 is a local organised ride on the last Wednesday of each month, instead of the dig night, to showcase the area and encourage Cromwell riders to experience neighbouring mountain bike spots such as Wānaka and Alexandra.

Everyone is welcome to take part in the ride, even visitors or non-members.

Damon thanked committee members, along with local businesses Cromwell Placemakers, Bike It Now and Five Stags for their support and help with the club's projects.

Where to find the two new trails, halfway around the Bannockburn inlet area, just before the bridge over the Dunstan trail. Look out for signage in the car park area. PHOTO: Supplied 

Read more: Mountain bike season shows off Central’s backyard.

To find out more about the club email: [email protected]