Holliss Stairway to HeavenBeginner - Intermediate
Submitted by Tony Sharpe
Urban fringe
Combo
Undulating, some big hills
Native bushPlantation/exotic forestRiversideOpen tussock/grasslandsOpen ridges/topsVolcanic
Beginner - Intermediate
1:15 (Slow)
1:00 (Moderate)
0:45 (Fast)
-7.0%
+7.1%
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
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Description
This is a great shortish loop for those wanting some vertical on good trails but with enough technical stuff to vindicate your trail running existence for another day. It links onto numerous other trail options as does anything on the Port Hills, but as a standalone loop its a great chance to push yourself on a short hill.
Head across to the river from the Library and follow south down Hunter Terrace. Cross Malcolm Ave and pick up the riverside trail. Cross Centaurus Rd and head up Hollis Ave which soon begins to climb steeply and elevates your pulse rate rapidly. At the end of the road pick up the short but sweet Holliss Track which will give you a great stairs workout.
Catch your breath when you hit Longhurst, cross the road and pick up the Latter Spur Track which hugs the ridgeline all the way up to Victoria Park. Head round east of the playground and take a swift and awesome zig zagging descent down the East Side Bush Track to the bottom of the Bowenvale Valley.
The Christchurch City Council has built a new trail down the Bowenvale to separate those on foot from downhill mountain bikers but you will still need to watch out behind you as you head out the last bit to Bowenvale Ave.
Complete the circuit back to the library with a fast 2km of roads and riverside running
Trail Community
Features of interest
Victoria Park
Bowenvale Valley
Classic Port Hills trails
Make Up of Run
Technical Single Track: 10%
Moderate Single Track: 40%
Easy Single Track: 30%
Sealed Road: 20%
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

Port Hills Nearly Half Marathon
Length: 18.00km

VKV challenge
Length: 10.00km

Lava - H.ELL Loop
Length: 10.30km

Vicki Vale
Length: 9.25km
Photos:
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Access
Start / Finish at the Beckenham Library
Plenty of parking at the library otherwise spill out onto the streets around the Heathcote River if busy
4 km
13 minutes
No
No
-
Staying Safe
Easy.
Make navigation of this route super-easy by using the Capra app on your phone. View on Capra .
Fairly straight forward, make sure you take the downhill turnoffs from the Victoria Park Info center vicinity
Perfect throughout.
Short-sleeved thermal top, Windproof jacket, Whistle, First aid kit, Cellphone, Map.
You can fill up with water at Victoria Park before you head back down
Usual Christchurch seasonal weather...dress for the day.
East Side Bush track can be moderately greasy after rain
Mind out for Mountain bikers in the lower Bowenvale -
Post run indulgence
Beckenham Library has a cafe with great coffee
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Sponsor this trail
See other runs nearby:
Godley Head loop
Lyttelton to Diamond Harbour
Halswell and Kennedys
Summit Walkway
The Bowenvale Elevator
The Gorsetrack Strikes Back
Rapaki Sugarloaf Return
Sign Of The Takahe - Rapaki
Port Hills Nearly Half Marathon
Horse Longitudes
Horse Latitudes
Sumner Half Heads
Whigs' Flying Fifty (WFF)
VKV challenge
Banks Peninsula Ultra Beer Run
Bottle Lake Blue Loop
Gebbies to Packhorse Romp
Hagley Figure of 8
Bowenvale / Huntsbury Loop
Avon City Loops
Avon - Source to Surf
Okuti to Hilltop Amble
Gondola Gallop
Orton Bradley Loop
The ATH (Around The Harbour)
Lava - H.ELL Loop
Travis Wetland Loop
Punk Rock Assault On Windsor Castle
The Guv'nor & His Birds
The Crater Rim
Lava Lite
Takahe Half
North New Brighton Spit
Mt Pleasant Trig
God's Con - Rehab Road
Gang of Four
Dog Sniffing Rhythms - Harbour Crusin'
Trinity - Harbour Bruisin'
Gates Of The East
Hunting Out A Gorge-ous Loop
Lyttelton Dress Circle
A Diamond in the Rough
Port Hills Spur Challenge!
Up Hill Down Valley
The Coffee Run
Pour Some Sugarloaf On Me
Never Trust A Crocodile
Lyttelton Semi-Circle
Hagley Perimeter
Diamond, Herbert & Fitzgerald
Barnett Bunker Buster
The Pipeline of Pain
Mt Vernon Farm Track
Vicki Vale
Heathcote River Run - Opawa to Hoon Hay
Christchurch 360 Trail - Sugarloaf Hills Section
Little Learner Loop (Halswell Quarry)
Bird to Bird
Port Hills Protocol
Bodybag
O'Farrells For Shore
The Governator
Heathcote Meander
Spitting Distance
Montgomery Loop
Canterbury Agricultural Park Loop
2 Sugars, 2 Vernons & a Half Shot
Quail Island Looping
The Chairlift Choice
Tussock Hill Ridge
Mt Pleasant Elevator
McLeans Meander
Girdle the Groynes
Governator 2 - Judgement Day
Christchurch 360 Trail - Godley Cliffs Section
Westmorland Wetland Time Trial
Loopy in Siberia
The North Faces
Westmorland Hill Reps
360 Trail - Dunes Wetlands Section
Rocking Gibraltar
Dune Bugging
Hey Sisters!
Living Springs Loop
Springing Around Longhurst
Lady Isaac Loop
The Missing Link
Beer Bum Bluffs
Brooklands for the Birds.
Surf's Up!!!
Styx Pick Me Up
Orton Odyssey
Shoeing the Horse
Tauhinu-Korokio TKO
Double Top
Beginner's Adventure Park Loop
Boulder Dash
Clan of the Cave Runner
Taiora Track
Landfill Lark
Morgans Baa Baa Loop
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Horsing Around
Port Hills 8-Attack
Pinecone Pirate - Waitākiri/Bottle Lake Forest Park
Frogger
Takahe to Taylors
Tai Tapu - Sacred Boundary
Blackhill Hut Buster