Last Updated: 22nd May 2025
Eskdale Outer Loopypop
Submitted by Brent Tucker
Last Updated: 22nd May 2025
Open
Grunt Factor: 5 ?
Gnarl Factor: 26 ?
5.0km
100m
100m
92m
Last Updated: 22nd May 2025
Submitted by Brent Tucker
Last Updated: 22nd May 2025
Open
Grunt Factor: 5 ?
Gnarl Factor: 26 ?
5.0km
100m
100m
92m
Urban
Combo
Undulating, small hills only
Dog Friendly
Native bush
Plantation/exotic forest
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +11.7%
Average Downhill Gradient: -11.7%
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0:50
Slow
0:35
Moderate
0:25
Fast
This is a nice little training run in a wee oasis amongst a residential area. Despite the small size of the reserve it is quite easy to get turned about and a little lost. The trails are well defined but don't have names and are poorly sign posted. Don't fret though, there is plenty of cell coverage, so there is always google maps. Once you've found the path, follow the stairs into the park and hang a left. Follow this along for about 1km and keep left at the fork. 450m more and left at the next fork (you'll cross the bridge on to the right on the way back). Most of the climbing is in the next 1km, just keep to the main trail. At about 2.4km in take the trail to the right, it gets a little technical and less marked here. At 3.2km you'll want to go right at the fork, then follow the switch backs down to the bridge from before. Left and back to the start.
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There is generally ample parking on the streets around the area. The area is well serviced by buses.
9 km
18 minutes
Yes
No
Moderate.
Not going to lie, most people get lost on their first time. Luckily the worst that can happen is that you end up on the wrong road or adding a few extra kms.
Perfect throughout.
Cellphone, Map
While there is a stream through the middle, it's for stormwater run off, and no number of life straws would make me drink it. However you shouldn't need to as there is a water fountain at 1 and 4 km. Also at the top of the reserve there is a petrol station on Glenfield rd.
She gets pretty muddy in winter. It's not deep mud but can get a bit slippery.
There are sometimes mountain bikers on the trails - but very rarely.
People do walk their dogs off lead.
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Some minor track damage to negotiate (trees to clamber over/around) and a serious amount of damage if you start from Kaipatiki Road. I advise not missing the turn-off to Stephanie Close so you can avoid this section. The council has it closed off at the road end but not from inside the reserve! There is a point where it's easier to keep moving forward, as it's clear others have, but this part seriously messes with your pace average. Bonus - I now know my new shoes work fine in sticky clay type mud! The rest of the track is lovely to run, but like others have said, it's easy to find yourself on a branch track out to a side road with a kauri dieback wash station.
April 9, 2023
A great little run for stepping out of suburbia and into bush, with stands of juvenile kauri adding to the magic. These trails have recently reopened after extensive work on them to manage kauri dieback risk. As a result there is new boardwalk, bridges and padded gravel path the whole way. Just a caution if following the GPX file that this appears to head off the main trail into Glenfield cemetery, either up a grass bank to the left if running the loop clockwise or up a small spur trail to the right through kauri - given all the work done and the kauri control gates it doesn't appear appropriate to follow the GPX out and into the park. But sticking to the main trail is consistent with the map above without any substantial change to distance or path.
June 24, 2021
A lot of this is now board walks and sealed pathway now. The main trails have been bulldozed ,widened and sealed ....to save Kauri. From Kaipatiki Rd to Eskdale there are no muddy trail bits left! Suitable for prams, wheelchairs and kids on bikes.
November 23, 2020
Great little run in an urban setting. Good mix of mud, gravel, stairs and board walks. Of note there is currently on-going trail maintenance and portions of the track are being closed as they work on them. Currently the "lolly" is open but some of the "stick" is closed. I ended up entering from near the "i" on the map, just past the vector substation. The trail to the left from this, back to Stephanie close is... well closed ;-)
July 15, 2020
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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