This Rotorua Proud story focuses on a person who’s intimately familiar with something she and many Rotorua people are proud of: our mountain biking culture and trails.
An account manager by day, in much of her spare time Clair Scott is an avid mountain biker and presides over Rotorua Mountain Bike Club, the organisation responsible for most of the network of international gold-level mountain bike trails in Whakarewarewa Forest.
How long have you lived in Rotorua?
I was born and raised in Rotorua. I moved to the UK for about three years when I was 20, but came home and haven’t looked back since!
What do you love most about Rotorua?
I love how accessible outdoor adventure is for us! I love having the forest and lakes on my doorstep. The beach and snow are within easy access too. What more can you ask for??
Do you have any hobbies or pastimes that take advantage of our beautiful region?
I’m partial to a bit of mountain biking, but I also love water sports – Lake Tarawera is my particular favourite place to do this. We have a boat, so love to spend the day alternating between wakeboarding and sitting in one of hot pools that border the lake edge.
Do you have a favourite café or restaurant in Rotorua?
We have an abundance of great foodie joints in Rotorua, so it’s hard to pick! But high on the list would be the Ciabatta Café & Bakery – the Brekkie Sandwich with a Banoffee Coffee on the side is an absolute treat. And don’t even get me started on the Cronuts…
When you have friends or family visit, what do you recommend they do while they’re here and why?
Mountain bike! I recommend they go and check out the nearly 200km of world-class trails we have in the Whakarewarewa Forest, and end it with a Shinny Dip, beer and cinnamon scroll at Secret Spot Hot Tubs, or even better, a soak in one of their hot tubs!
