Horse riding

Battle Hill is a very popular horse riding destination with a great variety of terrain, good parking and easy access from the main highways.

Park your horsefloat in the Dell loop carpark. Horses can be led over the stream to the paddock behind the homestead for grooming if required. Please remove all hay, twine and horse manure from the area around your float.

The jumps are for organised equestrian events only and casual use is not permitted. No horse riding is allowed in the front paddocks or the bush reserve.

The park may be closed to horseriding when the ground conditions are wet.

Several pony clubs and other organisations often use Battle Hill for their activities. For more information on the clubs and groups that use these facilities check out our Parks Interest Groups page. 

Multi-use trails

Wetlands Walk

• Distance:
• Grade: Easy/medium
• Time: 1 hour return

Follow the farm road up through the Airstrip between the wetlands and the deer paddocks. Go through the gate into the Swampy Gully Paddock and follow the farm track up the gully.  Climb the main track to the left before looping back to the south and through the gate into the Spring Paddock. Follow the farm track down the paddock and back to the Airstrip and carpark.

Farm Loop

• Distance: 3 km return
• Grade: easy/medium
• Time: 1 hour return

Follow the farm road up the Airstrip, then take the track north through the Oak Paddock, into the Battle Hill Paddock and up the hill.  Approximately 200 metres short of the Battle Hill summit a track forks to the right down the hill. Follow this track back to the carpark through the Swampy Gully Paddock, past the wetland area and the deer paddocks.

Transmission Gully-Puketiro Loop

• Distance: 10.2 km return 
• Grade: medium/hard
• Time: 2-3 hours return

Please travel the loop in a clockwise direction and take warm clothing as the hilltops are exposed to strong winds. From the Dell carpark follow the farm road through the Airstrip and over the Gas Line Ridge to Transmission Gully. Follow the markers across the paddock to the stream and take the left-hand gate into the forest. The track climbs the hill through the pine plantation to the top from which you will have great views of the Pauatahanui Inlet and the South Island on a clear day. Follow the track markers south along the top before continuing downhill back to Transmission Gully. Return to the carpark over the Gas Line Ridge.