Vandy Road is off Waitetuna Valley Road and is really a enduro bike only trail. Popular with the local 4wd community Vandy Road is very muddy and heavily rutted with the first 30 metres being a serious enough challenge with 2 bogs and a ledge to deal with straight off.
In theory Vandy Road goes right through to MakoMako Road off the Kawhia to Raglan Road and it could be worth trying to enter from that direction.
As the track is so rough we haven’t managed to get far up so if anyone gives it a go take a gps and a camera and show us whats further in.
Contributed by: @xdodox
Track type: Dirt Track
Track composition: Rough, Muddy, Steep
Slippery when wet?: Yes
Suitable for bikes > 650cc Experienced
Suitable for bikes < 650cc Only if your name is Chris Birch
River crossings? No
https://www.google.co.nz/maps/@-37.8914626,175.020921,16z?hl=en
But not sure, is that the real vandy road
I found that one too but it’s too far North, Pureora Forest is a bit east and South of that.
If i have time on Sunday and the waether is fine, i will check it out. Then we know it. First tomorrow change my chain and spocket. New Swing arm bearings as well and a progressiv spring, rear shock.
Did you check out Vandy Road?
No, bike is finished but no time today to go so far south. But i found few new tracks noth from aucklad. I will post it.
OK, now for sure. It is the real Vandy Road. I checked it out today. But for me, no way. Maybe not the right bike to ride it.
Hard slippery, mud everywhere. deep ruts, closely road.
I was alone today and te risk to stuck with my dakar was to big. As well hard worn rear tyre. SO, no chance for me.
Cool!, it looks like a mission for later in summer when it’s possibly dried out a bit. Might have to get a few of us together, proper knobblies required.
Yes, knobblies are requiered. Make sense to wait for later summer time.
But i would try it.
shite sorry mate somehow missed this thread, me and mxnut eyed that some time ago with thoughts of getting back there in dryer months, never did get around to it. have seen dodgy fellas coming out of there a couple of times. couple of locals from makomako rd do it on atvs in summer for a laugh, apparently the paper rd goes right through to makomako but ya have to go through farmland to do that, would be good to hook it all up for a mega loop around the mountain
A couple of us checked out the beginning of Vandy road tonight, it’s definately a late summer one when it’s much dryer.
@Jake Maryniak at the start of the offroad section of Vandy Road
Just around the corner you can see in pic 1, looking back to the start
Looking further up the track from the same spot as pic 2
Looks a beauty, can’t wait to give it a whirl.
I went out that way today. From Te Pahue rd onto Fillery rd which is really the end of Waitetuna Valley road. A stop at Goulds quarry to get some photos, then onto Vandy road (just to see where exactly it goes). I pulled the pin at the start of the mud track. Even I’m not that stupid with the scooter.
Doing a ride report on my scooter thread on kiwibiker.
Misspelt Te Pahu. Now I think I have mis spelt misspelt, AH buggar it.
Ok, so it wasn’t on the bike. Took the new truck out for a blast today, and went up to have a nosy up Vandy Rd. Unfortunately this is the state of it after yesterdays rain. Not really passable. Following two photos are of its victim, who got stuck. He had to be wintched outof the mud hole. (This is only about 5-10 metres into the track itself). Needless to say, he will need a new wheel alligment or more……
The victim
I Popped past Vandy’s Road last weekend and had a look at the track. I had heard a bit of work had been done to the entrance to make it a bit nicer so wanted to have look.
The first bog just at the start the entrance has been built up so there’s no huge hole there but it’s still very very muddy and wet, the 2nd bog 10 metres past that is still there with a decent step out of it.
It’s definately a small bike with full knobblies ride.
A burnt out Van up the side of Vandys Road
The 2nd bog.
‘@Sharn, @Mark Baigent, @Mark Claasen etc, summer is coming again.
‘@Hadrian Haine this could also be interesting for you.
‘@Chris Cole went into Vandy Road before lockdown and sent me some pics that have been added to the info above.