My Achilles WheelBeginner - Intermediate
Submitted by Jonathan Drake
Beginner - Intermediate
1:45 (Slow)
1:15 (Moderate)
1:00 (Fast)
-35.2%
+35.3%
This route should only be attempted at low tide (and even then, requires wading for full completion). Note that there are places where you sidle along a ledge above the sea or below a cliff face where large rocks can fall. It’s nothing too extreme compared to some coastal routes, but the accessibility of the route in Auckland doesn’t simply mean that this is just a casual run. Technical elements are short, but they exist.
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
Please set your gender to see your position on the FKT leaderboards.
The more , the harder the FKT will be to beat. Learn about Fastest Known Times.
Description
From St Heliers Beach head east directly towards the cliffs in front of you.
You will skirt the base of these for a few kilometers. The more difficult sections of the route come early on, with some edging along a ledge above the sea and below the cliff face, but eventually, you come to an open beach and can move more freely, skirting around the occasional fallen tree and rocky point.
Eventually you will come to the long open Karaka Bay with houses above the beach and mostly free running in front of you. Beyond that, there is a little more rock clambering around the coastline, and eventually a section that requires some wading at about mid-calf to knee height. It is not too far though and makes for a very unique outing!
Coming out of the water you will see a raised boatshed ahead. Head directly underneath it and continue along the coast to the beach at Roberta Reserve.
Take a sharp right off the beach onto the grass and in the direction of Glendowie Park across the road and angling up the hill in front and to the right.
Make your way through Glendowie Park then angle right to Westhaven Road. Here is a short road section – turn right onto Whitehaven, then left into Forfar which will lead you to Churchill Park. Follow the path to the right of the gate and through the centre of Churchill Park then onto the footpath alongside the school.
From here the path drops down some steps and into a wooded area, there are one or two little spur tracks to the right but follow the arc of the trail to the left and up a series of steps.
Take a right along the residential access road and up the steps to cross Riddell Road and to Glover Park.
Follow Waitara Rd alongside the park to the end of the road then angle left to follow the footpath along the clifftop around the outside of the park.
Before the changing sheds take a right onto a short section of Glover Road, then at the top of the rise a right onto Springcombe. This will arc around to bring you to Achilles Point.
Touch the rail at the end of the viewing platform, take in the views, then follow the clifftop back in the direction of St Heliers Beach along Cliff Road and arrive back at the boat ramp.
Trail Community
Features of interest
The route provides outstanding views of Rangitoto, Motutapu, Motukorea (Browns Island) and Musick Point, with Motuihe and the Coromandel behind them. Returning through Glover Park you skirt the crater of Whakamuhu, the ancient volcano that created these cliffs and then visit Achilles Point, dedicated to the NZ naval vessel of that name.
Make Up of Run
Untracked / Route only: 48%
Easy Single Track: 30%
Sealed Road: 22%
Route Data
Reviews:
Overlapping Runs
The following trails overlap with this run 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 Strava activity for each

Partial Lunacy Mission
Length: 24.70km
Photos:
Your Trail Wishlist
All the runs that are on your To Do list (no limit).
Add to wishlist view wishlistWild Explorers
I did it!-
Access
The boat ramp on the eastern end of St Heliers Beach, off Cliff Road.
There is street parking available on Tamaki Drive or the side roads in the vicinity.
9 km
17 minutes
Yes
No
-
Staying Safe
Moderate.
The route is generally easy to follow but given it is tidal have a look at a map in advance and consider where your ‘outs’ from the designated route might be if needed. These are places like the Ladies Bay steps, Karaka Bay road, and Clouston Road. You may take the odd wrong fork through the parks but cannot get too lost, if you have a GPX trace then that should be easy to follow.
Generally good.
Whistle, First aid kit, Cellphone, Map.
There is a drinking fountain adjacent to the Roberta Reserve toilets, slighly off the route.
None.
Be conscious of your safety below the cliffs where you are exposed to rockfall, and on the rocky ledges. Of course, the primary requirement is to plan with the tide.
-
Post run indulgence
St Heliers Bay Café
387 Tamaki Drive
https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/https://www.stheliersbaybistro.co.nz/
The most beautiful café in the area and nice food – although you might want to scrub up post run before venturing in!Cypress Café
10 St Heliers Bay Road
A simple casual café and much more accessible for the smelly runner -
Sponsor this trail