Tally ho tweeders! Spiffing news. So, so spiffing. The National Tweed Ride is back for 2024, with assistance once again from the lovely folks at Hendrick's – bigger, jollier and simply more marvellous than ever – and you’re invited!
REGISTER NOWThis Easter 2024 Saturday, Greytown’s charming leafy byways will once again resound with joyous hoots, bubbly bonhomie and tinkling bicycle bells as riders from all over fair Aotearoa take part in the fourth annual National Tweed Ride, perfectly presented by Hendrick's Gin!
What’s new? Here’s what’s new, you cheeky blighter.
- New route! See Greytown as you’ve never seen it before!
- New prizes! Tweed ‘24 will include a full catwalk fashion spectacular – starring you! (You don’t have to participate of course, if you’d ra-ther just sip your martini and giggle.)
- New competitions and games! Hoorah!
But fear not, darlings, all your abso fave bits are back too. Like our official host Former Rear Admiral Reginald Pashley-Hendricks, the mid-ride treats and the post-ride knees-up including a slap-up feed with lashings of yum and a monstrously de-lish Hendrick's Martini or Gin and Tonic for all registered riders.
Now, last year, sweeties, there was a touch of the old boo-hoo and grumble tum as many would-be tweeders found themselves too late to hit the REGISTER NOW button. We know! Unbearable! Numbers are limited, so no dilly-dallying! There’s the button, right up there at the top of the page. Hit it now. FOR KING AND COUNTRY!
Here are some of the key points for peeper-wrapping:
- The ride will take approximately 75 minutes. It’s flat and gentle, and there’s simply no rush. Tweeders promenade, they don’t race. However, if you haven’t swung aboard a two-wheeler in a while, you may want to consider a warm-up ride or two beforehand to keep wheeziness and unplanned guttural expulsions to a minimum.
- You will be riding part of the event on public roads that remain open to traffic. A thorough pre-ride briefing and traffic marshals will keep everything spiffing on the safety front, but a good old dollop of common sense will be in order too.
- The ride ends and the frivolity really beefs up at our final destination.
- Your registration pack will contain extraordinary valuable Blackwell Bucks, which you’ll discover with squeals of delight are redeemable for slap-up picnic treats and to-die-for gin beverage at the conclusion of the ride. They may or may not also be redeemable for poorly-managed dictatorship currencies, but all risk resides with you, poppet.
- Prizes will be awarded for simply topping tweedy outfits and in various other creative categories. Leave all inhibitions at the gatehouse, cupcake, because tweeding is all about hilariousness.
- Professional photographic portraits will be taken of all registered tweeders, and high-resolution copies will be available for downloading on this very website.
Our good chums at Green Jersey Explorer Tours can provide you with a suitable bicycle. It must be pre-ordered before March 28th and then you will be able to collect it from the carpark alongside Blackwell and Sons Workshop, 102 Main St Greytown, on the morning of Saturday 30th March and return it there after the ride. Choose from standard bike or electric option and book a Green Jersey cycle now. BYO Helmet.
Plan ahead, schnookums. A little bit of extra creative effort and you may just qualify for one of these:
- Most dapper chap (or best dressed brute): $300 voucher from Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop.
- Most gorgeously attired gal: $300 to spend instore at Greytown’s Designer Clothing Gallery.
- Most jaw-dropping bicycle of visual splendour: $300 voucher from Blackwell and Sons.
- Most staggeringly high impact facial hair: $150 voucher from The White Swan Country Hotel
Not a steak knife in sight! But wait - there really is MORE:
This year we’re pleased to be once again partnering with Hendrick’s Gin. The curious, yet marvellous infusions imbue this spirit with its uniquely balanced flavour resulting in an unimpeachably smooth and distinct gin. And to celebrate this, we tenderly embrace … the cucumber.
- Most outrageous use of a cucumber on your attire or bicycle decoration: Unbelievable BONUS prize from Hendrick’s Gin. Madness! We will leave this with you and your imagination. The prize supplied by Hendrick’s is so stupendous, we doubt it’s legal to detail it here. All will be revealed at the Post Ride Party and Celebration.
Frankly, no. Please get yourself organised. Numbers are strictly limited so don’t dally. Or dilly either.
Good grief no! Neither in terms of physical exercise nor financial requirement. The Tweed Ride is not a race, it’s a gentle ride with accompanying gossiping and merriment.
Excellent question. We bet you were a Prefect at school. Yes. The Organisers admire Health & indeed Safety and there will be lashings of both. Please wear a helmet and make sure you always obey all road rules.
If you feel unwell, please stay at home. The only thing that should be itchy is your tweed – not your throat or frankly any other body part. If you test positive for Covid and are unable to attend the Ride, please contact tweed@blackwellandsons.nz and we will endeavour to resell your ticket - we do get people scrambling (like eggs) at the last minute to get their sticky fingers on tickets.
Thank you for that. Since, as you say, your children are so charming, some friend or family member is going to relish spending time with them on Saturday 30th March. Some events are just for adults. The Tweed Ride is just such an event. Children get the Easter Bunny – you get the Tweed Ride. By all means invite them to watch (in amazement!) the beginning of the Ride at 1pm – by the public carpark on the corner of Hastwell and West Streets is an excellent place to do this from.
Thank you for that. Since, as you say, your dog is so charming, some friend or family member is going to relish spending time with it on Saturday 30th March. Please don’t bring your dog to Truckstop at 102 Main St, as this location is not suitable for dogs, charming or otherwise. Some events are just for people. The Tweed Ride is just such an event. Dogs get the Easter Bunny – you get the Tweed Ride.
We bet you were Boy Scouts! Or Girl Guides! Yes, be prepared:
- Please wear a helmet and make sure you always obey all road rules
- Bring a water bottle - water will be available for you to fill your own.
- There will be a Blackwell and Sons van ready to collect you and your bike in case of emergency. Or heaven forbid a puncture!
Very good question. The simply marvelous thing about tweed is that it simply repels damp conditions. We, The Organisers, are made of pretty stern stuff so should the weather prove to be simply mildly inclement, we will soldier on. Should however, thunderbolts or lightning be imminent, we will communicate with you, The Riders, using various modern electronic devices and communication channels.
Apparently, this is a ‘thing’. If one is pleased with one’s Tweedy look then by all means post away, follow and tag in @blackwellandsonsnz on The Facebook and The Instagram machine. Go mad and throw in #greytownvillage #pashley #tweedride #wairarapa and @blackwellandsons
Event goes ahead rain or shine. Should you wish to cancel your booking, no refund will be available, unless applied at our discretion. We may alter the times, dates, and content of this event without notice to you at any time. While we are sorry if this causes inconvenience, we will not be liable for any loss, damages or sadness arising from such changes. We may charge an administration fee to transfer or cancel your booking.
