Bull-A-Varde

Bull-A-Varde: When Logging Meets a Bull in the Trail

Bull-A-Varde (pronounced boulevard) was first proposed back in mid-July 2011 when Belmont Area Mountain Bike Association (BAMBA) learned of Greater Wellington Regional Council’s plans to log the Danzig pine forest block where all the existing trails resided.

BAMBA had just finished major work extending Big Weta, and now faced losing it all. Worse, it looked like trail development would be halted for years while logging was underway. Rapid conversations with Greater Wellington Regional Council and park ranger Jeremy led to a new plan: build trails elsewhere in the park, starting with a gentle Grade 2 loop near Old Coach Road and Hill Road.

Enter: The Bull

Construction of the new trail began in July 2011. Initially nicknamed Hootenanny, it included a zigzag climbing section that showed real promise. But progress paused – quite literally – when volunteers turned up one morning to find a massive black bull from a neighbouring paddock lounging in the middle of their freshly dug trail.

It did some minor damage, but delivered major inspiration. Names like Raging Bull, Rodeo, and The Bull Run were floated. For several months, the trail was referred to simply as The Bull Run.

Building Momentum (and Crushing Gorse)

A breakthrough came on 9 September 2011, when a large volunteer crew from BNZ joined a working bee and transformed the pilot track into a proper rideable trail. They tore through gorse, tackled rock outcrops, and shifted serious dirt. Many of the BNZers even returned for future build days.

Meanwhile, trailbuilder Marco became obsessed with extending the line to a giant boulder he named Taupō Rock – which he insisted had been flung there by the Taupō volcanic eruption. The science was dubious, but the dream was real. Unfortunately, further complications with DOC and GWRC put an end to the Taupō Rock extension, and Marco’s vision never came to pass.

From Bull Run to Bull-A-Varde

By September’s end, most of the trail was complete except for some gravel surfacing. But as opening day approached, there was growing concern that the name The Bull Run suggested something far gnarlier than the mellow Grade 2 climb it actually was.

So on 20 September 2011, the trail was renamed Bull-A-Varde – a tongue-in-cheek nod to its mellow "boulevard" feel. The name Bull Run was later reused for a steeper descent that Cowboy (Craig McGinnity) was already scoping out nearby.

Bull-A-Varde officially opened on 19 October 2011, and just days later featured in PNP Spring Series Round 4. By then, it was already popular with riders as a better link between Old Coach Road and Sweetacres Walkway.