Strip Trig to Barlow

A 13.5k loop that takes you on a gradual but persistent uphill climb to the trig point just over half way (this provides a good opportunity/excuse to have a breather/lunch before carrying on home). Mostly on well formed forest roads through mature pine plantation which provide shade from the sun or shelter from the wind and rain. Mature sections and a scattering of natives/hardwoods provide a very pleasant nature feel despite being a commercial forest. You will be serenaded by birdsong and if you decide to run at night/late evening you will hear Ruru (morepork) and most likely few possums too. Forest roads are well formed so you can plod along or run hard, or even run at night (head torch optional depending on cloud cover).

Follow Strip Road uphill until you emerge into a wide storage type area, cross straight over and take the right hand track down the far side, after 100 or so metres you will come onto Barlow Road. Take a right and continue downhill, veer left downhill when a fork appears, then left again at the next junction (about 3.7km) Now you are on Longbush Road and start heading uphill.

Continue heading up Longbush until you come to a ridge with a wide view over a naked clearfell harvested area (in 2022), take a left up Trig Road (steep and winding). About 400m up to the trig point take in the views out across Auckland before backtracking 200m to take the single track down the ridge to the north of Trig road. The single track becomes a 4wd track and a forest road. At 10km you take a left at the fork to stay on Hansen Road, 1km later you arrive at Barlow Road. Either turn right downhill on Barlow or take the pleasant single track through the trees on the far side that runs down the side of Barlow.

When you reach Barlow gate turn left and follow along the wide grassy roadside for 1.5km back to where you started at Strip road. There are many single tracks in this area so there is a good chance one of them joins Barlow to Strip Road if you are keen to explore more.