Cascade Kauri V1

Starting from the car park drop down the hill on a gravel path, cross the creek and turn left on Auckland City Walk. After around 1 km turn right on Anderson Track which before long crosses a shallow stream (usually possible to keep feet dry with some nimble rock hopping.) On the far side of this stream the trail starts to climb steeply, with several long flights of steps to negotiate.
Towards the top of the climb you enter a beautiful grove of young kauri trees and at about 2.5km reach a junction where you turn right, following the signpost to 'Waitakere Tramline Walk'. A short, gnarly downhill (watch out for slippery boulders) spits you out on the Tramline Walk. Turn right and follow one of the few genuinely flat bits of Waitakere trail, along the tramlines and through a short tunnel (headlight not necessary but maybe advisable for the more nervous!)
The tramline ends a short way further on and you leave it to your left and climb a series of concrete steps to reach the Watercare road. Turn right across the dam and at the far end turn left along the shores of the reservoir following Fenceline Track. This re-enters the bush and soon after starts climbing towards Simla, the high point of the run that you reach a little over 6km in.
Here you take a right on to Long Road Track and enjoy a sweet short downhill, followed by undulating trail through the bush. The route twice leaves the broad 'Long Road' for single-track diversions signposted 'Montana Heritage Trail' - the first leaves is on the right, the second is on the left, and both rejoin the main trail after just a few hundred metres. Missing these is no big deal but they are much nicer to run than the unmaintained, clay surface of the main trail that they have been designed to avoid.
After around 8km you come to another major junction where you turn right on to Upper Kauri Track. This undulates for a few hundred metres before starting the more obvious descent back towards where you started.
Along the way you'll see the currently closed Lower Kauri Track to your right, and run sections of boardwalk through stunning kauri forest. Stay on the Upper Kauri, ignoring the right turn for Cascade Track, and enjoy a km or so of very fine downhill to rejoin the Auckland City Walk next to the stream at the bottom. Turn left, re-cross the bridge, and finish with the short climb back to the car park.
(The stream makes a great place for a cold, leg-refreshing dip)