Last Updated: 1st Nov 2025
Flat Fun in the East
Last Updated: 1st Nov 2025
Open
Grunt Factor: 11 ?
Gnarl Factor: 10 ?
14.0km
220m
220m
44m
Last Updated: 1st Nov 2025
Last Updated: 1st Nov 2025
Open
Grunt Factor: 11 ?
Gnarl Factor: 10 ?
14.0km
220m
220m
44m
Urban
Out and Back
Totally/mostly flat
Dog Friendly
Native bush
Beach
Coastal
Open farmlands
Sealed Road
Easy Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +3.10%
Average Downhill Gradient: -3.20%
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2:00
Slow
1:30
Moderate
1:00
Fast
Start off from Point England Park and follow the path that curves along the coastline.
Once you cross over the small bridge turn right at the fork. After about 500 metres, turn right again, following the boxed steps down towards the shore. When you get out to the road take the track on your left - it is a small and easy loop.
Run along the road until Tahuna Torea Reserve. If it is low tide go via the sand spit, otherwise follow the lagoon track. Follow this all the way to Roberta Reserve. Go out to Riddel Road and run up the road for nearly a km to Chelmsford Ave. Run up this to Churchill Park. You can go lots of different directions in the park and everything leads back to itself.
Run back the way you came or via Shrewsbury Ave then Glendowie Park. Once you get back to the Tahuna Torea walkway, follow the 'lower bush walk' then loop back around via the 'upper bush walk'. Soak in the view from Godwit lookout. It is an easy run back to the car from here.
Glendowie Sandspit, Churchill Park, Lots of interesting urban walkways and an old dam.
There are toilets at Pt England Reserve by the carpark and another toilet at Roberta Reserve.
Buses go directly here
Lots of parking at the beginning of the run.
14 km
24 minutes
Yes
No
Easy.
The only bit where you might get lost is in the Wai-O-Taki reserve- if you end up at the playground you have gone too far - but it is easy to get back on the track. Double back and go through the grassy section and down the path.
Perfect throughout.
First aid kit, Cellphone, Map
There are taps at the beginning (and end) as well as various toilets en route
Check the tide
Do you have a suggestion on where to go afterwards for the best coffee / cake / breakfast / brunch / beer?
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Flat Fun in the East
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Ran this today (July 2024) and some of the tracks in Tahuna Torea reserve are currently closed off for maitenance work - Lagoon Track and Upper Bush Walk are closed. The Lower Bush Walk is ok. To get to the sandspit at low tide you can still follow the coastline from below the carpark (which is fenced off).
This is a great network of parks and fun trails with some awesome views, super handy for those days you don't want to travel too far from the city.
July 14, 2024
Nice mix of trail, grass, sand, gravel and at the moment, of course, lots of mud. I was very glad I'd worn my grippiest shoes.
July 14, 2023
A great run along the foreshore - great to see the increase in bird life in the bush and the new tracks in Churchill Park. Much better at low tide as you can run right out to the Spit. Water and toilet stop available (and coffee if needed!) at the bottom of Roberta Ave. Please remember although Churchill Park is very dog friendly; the reserve is off limits to dogs
January 27, 2020
Good news! The Point England reserve trail is 98% open again (Feb 2019). The new bridge isn't open yet but isn't far away. There is a slight deviation to the left to use the old bridge - then you can carry on. Nice to have a trail in urban Auckland. The sand spit is fun, its much more runnable close to low tide but could be good for cooling off in summer if its high! I did a slight variation of the run went around the south(?) low tide route of the sandspit. Wet feet but no worries!
February 10, 2019
These overlap with this trail to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate activity for each.
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