Maungakiekie LoopBeginner - Intermediate
Submitted by Tony Frith
Beginner - Intermediate
1:10 (Slow)
0:50 (Moderate)
0:35 (Fast)
-3.8%
+3.8%
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
The more , the harder the FKT will be to beat. Learn about Fastest Known Times.
Description
This is a fairly straightforward loop right around the perimeter. Park by the Sorento cafe which is up on the hill behind the Observatory.
Cross the road and run up the grass verge in a clockwise direction. Go past the summit road and the houses. On your left there's a track that runs off from the paved path towards a stile over the fence - this is the path you want to follow. Climb over and follow track through Olive Grove paddock towards the cricket ground.
Climb over the stile and skirt around the cricket ground boundary side. When you get to the car park run turn right along Greenlane West and follow the wall until you reach Pohutukawa Drive. This is the main entrance to the park. If you look to your right you will see a fountain where you can refill your water. Cross over and continue following the wall to the stile. Cross over and follow track through the paddocks. This is the paddock below the cafe and the band rotunda.
Keep following all the way around until you see the boundary move significantly away from track. Follow the boundary until it once again meets the track. Make sure to keep an eye on your map. Cross over the roads (Bollard Rd & Grand View Drive) and follow the track through the paddocks until you reach the sharp turn at Turama Rd / Tiwai Rd corner. Turn right up the hill and follow the path until you reach the turnstile and gate at the top of the hill.
Once you go through the gate turn hard left and follow the inside of the fence down to the cattle grid. Cross over and then go back out along fence to park boundary and follow down to Manukau Rd. Turn left along front boundary and follow to the gate entrance. Look diagonally across to front right and you will see a path leading past the playground. Follow this path to the double gates.
Go through and follow path to where it turns right up the hill. On the left of the path there is a track that follows the tree line up observatory hill through the grass to the road by the Summit Rd.
Trail Community
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Features of interest
If you detour off the loop there's the summit of Maungakiekie. Off Grand View Drive theres a short (very short) bush walk.
Make Up of Run
Untracked / Route only: 0%
Technical Single Track: 0%
Moderate Single Track: 0%
Easy Single Track: 90%
Farm Road / 4WD Track: 0%
Gravel Road: 0%
Sealed Road: 10 %
Route Data
Reviews:
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Access
Enter the Park grounds via the Manukau Road Entrance near the Auckland Observatory (Stardome). Drive past the observatory and up the hill until you see a carpark under the trees on the right hand side of the road (Its right on the corner). This is where the restaurant Sorento is and you can park your car here. The parks are marked 120 mins so if you're going to be a long time out it would be advisable to move your car. Not sure if the carparks are checked for time factors.
Parking is free but time limited. I've never had an issue parking here and I'm frequently out for multiple hour runs, that's not to say that they don't keep tabs on the time you're there. I've never had an issue with safety when parking here but then I don't leave anything on display that might catch someones attention. Take sensible precautions as you would when parking anywhere as break ins have occurred in the past.
9 km
18 minutes
No
No
-
Staying Safe
Easy.
As above in the trail description.
Keep the boundary fence on your left shoulder and follow around the park clockwise. If the track significantly differs from the boundary then follow the boundary.Generally good.
Windproof jacket, Cellphone, Map, Headtorch and spare batteries.
Firstly it gets pretty hot out on the open paddocks so highly advisable to carry a soft flask.
There are two fountains within easy reach of the loop.
1. On Pohutukawa Drive slightly to the right of the track in this loop.
2. On Bollard Drive again slightly to the right of the track in this loop.Track over the paddocks can be a bit boggy in the winter particularly if cattle have been in the paddock.
Summer the track is pretty much bone dry and dusty hence carrying own water.If cattle have been in the paddock and the ground has been wet then there is likely to be extremely uneven ground with lots of pugs for the unwary runner to twist an ankle in.
Stay away from the cattle in spring and summer as they have calves with them and can get antsy if annoyed. I've never had an issue but then I go around them where ever possible and give them respect.
Stay away from paddocks that have bulls in them. Occasionally the bulls will be with the cows though this is rare.
Uneven ground.
Take care in climbing over stiles as some of the older ones are a bit more rickety. -
Post run indulgence
Cornwall Park Cafe
Pohutukawa Drive, Cornwall Park.
Great coffee Great Service Mean as thick cut hot chips. -
Sponsor this trail
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