Today we begin a weekly series of stories profiling our great attractions. 'Backyard Bliss' will show you some of the wonderful Attractions right here in our own backyard.

With the short days of midwinter upon us, there’s never been a better time for a day out by e-bike, followed by a soak in a secluded wood-fired hot tub, marveling at the Milky Way from a place with zero light pollution. 

If you’ve ever wondered if an e-bike could be for you, you can try one out at new local business LandEscape, without ever needing to worry about traffic or setting foot on a public road.

Hawea landowners Rik and Juliet Deaton have created a sustainable, multi-faceted business on their spectacular expanse of land off Camphill Road, near Hawea Flat. 

The Deatons’ land stretches to over 115 hectares. From certain spots, you can see all the way to Lake Hawea and the mountains beyond, or as far as Luggate in the other direction. The only sound is birdsong, the only views are breathtaking. 

LandEscape has a fleet of 80 e-bikes, available to rent on very flexible terms. For first-timers, Rik is creating over 15 kilometres of gentle cycle trails around his property, with eight kilometres of trail already complete.

Eight kilometres of trail are already completed.

Anyone who wants to venture further afield can easily connect with trails to Lake Hawea, Albert Town, Wanaka or Luggate. 

A LandEscape van can also pick you up from the i-Site, your home or accommodation and take you out to the Camphill Road farm to begin your ride, and then pick up the e-bikes from town at the end of the day. 

Business owner Rik is both a genuinely nice guy and a passionate advocate of renewable energy technologies and energy-efficient building principles. He hopes to demonstrate these things on site as a background to the business. 

Rik sees e-bikes as the solution to the challenge of short and medium-distance transport and an integral part of the electric vehicle revolution.

As all the LandEscape e-bikes are built to carry a second battery, you can comfortably cycle 100 kilometres without needing to return to base.   

Rik said the other great thing about e-bikes is you don’t have to be young or fit to ride one. 

“So many Wanaka-based activities require a certain amount of strength and fitness, but we’ve had some people in their 80s and others who might weigh as much as 150 kilograms. 

The woodfired spring-fed hot tubs are chlorine-free.

All of these people have had a wonderful time on the YouMo e-cruisers, riding the trails at their own pace and then relaxing in a hot tub.”

LandEscape’s ebikes are built by Swiss manufacturer YouMo and are a cruiser style configuration, built for adults who are looking for a more relaxed scenic cruise, rather than an adrenaline-fueled mountain bike adventure. 

“They’ve got great lights front and rear, padded seats and extra suspension for bumpier trails,” Rik said. “And unless you’re especially short you don’t have to stand up to stop the bike - you can just put a foot down and stay seated.”

While the e-bikes are built for adults, there are two that have a child passenger seat and a trailer is available for small children. YouMo is working on a smaller “MiniMo” e-bike for children. 

The e-bikes and the woodfired, chlorine-free spring-fed hot tubs are just the first green shoots of the business, which has plans for a restaurant, energy-efficient accommodation and parking spots for up to 10 motorhomes - subject to a change in the way the council classifies the land.

Another aspiration of LandEscape is to provide a safe, private place for motorhomes to park, taking large vehicles off the roads and providing e-bikes as an alternative way to explore the region.

When the Wanaka App arrived for a heart-stopping tour of LandEscape by open-sided ATV, Lieke van Erp and Niels Polak from the Netherlands were just setting out for a day on the cycle trails. 

As they took off from LandEscape HQ, Lieke exclaimed: “This is going to be the best place on earth.” 

To find out more, visit LandEscape or give Rik or Juliet a call on 03 443 1588. 

PHOTOS: Supplied