The Manawatu River Bridlepath is a riverside walking track at Awahuri, in the Manawatu, holding a perfect 5.0 rating from the six people who have reviewed it on Google. Bridlepaths are old routes laid out along rivers for horses, so they tend to follow the flats rather than climb — easy, level walking that is often shared with riders, cyclists and dog walkers, where keeping to your side and announcing yourself goes down well. Because these paths hug the river, conditions shift with the weather: heavy rain can leave low-lying sections muddy or flooded, and on clear days the valley's wind finds you quickly. Sturdy shoes and a quick check on recent rain will tell you more than any map. For a quiet stretch of riverbank in the heart of the Manawatu, this track's spotless rating makes it an easy pick from Awahuri.