Don’t be fooled by the short distance - this steep little run is a real workout. Start at the entrance to Coronation Reserve on Major Aitken Drive. Take the first left and do a loop around the pond before taking another left over a little bridge to head up to Whaka Terrace. This is the first of a few out-and-backs which ensure you are exploring the whole reserve while also maximising the distance and verts.
Turn around once you reach the road and head back the way you came, turning left back onto the main trail. Follow this up the hill and then take a right, hopping up a small retaining wall and following the trail towards Kimbolton Lane. Take a little detour at the end to see the last surviving building from the large sanatorium and tuberculosis hospital that once occupied this hillside.
Back the way you came - this time keep right at the two junctions and take the stairs heading uphill. At the next intersection turn left for an out-and-back up to Holbank Lane. Head back down and turn left for the final out-and-back, with one last steep climb up the zig-zags to Major Aitken Drive.
It’s all mostly downhill from here as you retrace your steps back down the main valley trail, making one more loop around the pond before reaching the finish.
