A typical example of a Wellington hill country farm, the 500 hectare Battle Hill Farm Forest Park provides for a range of abilities and fitness. A popular access point to the Puketiro Forest, Battle Hill has good parking, camping and picnic spots.

Mountain biking is not permitted in the bush reserve. Parts of the park are closed between August and October for lambing.

Restoration Trail

Distance: 2 km return. Grade: easy. Time: 30 minutes

From the Dell carpark, follow the farm road up to the Gas Line Ridge. Turn right at the top of the ridge and follow the ridgeline south through the paddock for about 500m. Turn right and go through the horse gate and down the hill to the Airstrip. Carry your bike over the creek or cross the culvert at the southern end. Please return to the Dell across the Airstrip paddock.

Battle Hill Summit Loop

Distance: 3 km return. Grade: Medium. Time: 1 hour

From the Airstrip paddock follow the left-hand fence line past the woolshed to a farm gate. Blue trail markers take you across the paddock and up a farm track onto the Battle Hill ridgeline. Two hundred metres short of the summit, the track veers to the right downhill. You can carry on to the summit for great views of Pauatahanui Inlet, otherwise follow the blue markers down through the Swampy Gully paddock and back to the Airstrip.

Transmission Gully-Puketiro Loop

Distance: 10 km return. Grade: medium/hard. Time: 2-4 hours

Following the main farm road from the Airstrip to Transmission Gully, this route crosses the paddock, enters the left-hand gate into the forest and climbs up onto the skyline. You get great views of the South Island on a clear day. Follow the yellow markers south along the ridgeline and return down the hill to Transmission Gully. For safety’s sake all riders must travel in a clockwise direction on the Puketiro Forest Loop.