National Tweed Ride with Blackwell and Sons

New Zealand’s National Easter Tweed Ride, heartily encouraged by Blackwell and Sons, is a relaxed two-wheeled ramble through the historic tree-lined boulevards, country lanes and gentle cycling trails of beautiful Greytown in the South Wairarapa. Assemble your well-pressed best outfits, bring your velocipede, and join us for a bell-ringing jaunt of jolly good fun this Easter.

Unlike its London city-based counterpart, the National Tweed Ride is a country outing. In keeping with international Tweed Ride erudition, participants will don a personalised interpretation of tweed couture, before saddling up on their favourite velocipede. And when the ride’s complete, a very jaunty knees-up follows at The Cobblestones Tweed Ride Tea Dance. How frightfully jolly.

Schedule of The Day

As a stylish rider you will have plenty of time for Hot Cross Buns lashed with butter from one of the Village’s cafes, before assembling in your best-pressed dress at Soldiers Memorial Park, Greytown from 11 am. Registration includes the collection of an exquisite Tweed Ride Rosette. Starting time is at 1 pm sharp where a short encouragement from an enthusiastic bugler and a wave of the Tweed Ride flag by The Organisers sets you off onto one of Greytown’s most prestigious streets.

We’re off, without a bead of perspiration. It’s a ride, not a race. Imagine hundreds of gorgeously attired masters, countesses, Ladies, noblemen, Lords, Baronesses and extremely distinguished gentlemen, bicycle bells a-ding-donging, on a gentle jaunt through the country lanes and gentle trails of Greytown.

We’ll pause briefly to take refreshments at Woodside Railway station, the halfway point of our 10km expedition. Greytown’s beautiful Woodside Trail will be our return path to the Village where we will be welcomed back at the delightful Cobblestones Museum for our concluding soiree. Refreshments on offer will be refreshing, and a short ceremony will see The Organisers dish out frightfully fun prizes, like $500 to splurge at Blackwell and Sons. Talk about a knees-up. What a lovely opportunity to mingle with your fellow riders.

Prize Giving And Tea Dance

Cobblestones Museum is delighted to be part of this, the Inaugural National Tweed Ride, as they move into this, their 50th anniversary year. Having the Ride finish and the Prize Giving held in their lovely grounds is a fitting end to a lovely heritage occasion. Entrance to Tweed Riders is free of charge with a special $5 entry price for your entourage, friends and family (entry is free for kids under 15).
Spectators – and the Tweed Ride is a spectator sport – are very welcome to join the hijinks at the Tea Dance. Let the children enjoy an Easter Egg hunt and old-school family games from 1pm and Tea Dance entertainment and refreshments (vital) begin at 2.30pm.
You’ll be able to buy delicious afternoon tea, wine, beer, and even some 1930s style cocktails, while you celebrate with music from jazz trio “Gypsy Jam”. Watch as The Organisers stylishly try all available cocktails. Over acheivers are then acknowledged at The Prize Giving. An event in itself.

All about the ride, what to wear and bookings are on the website.