Never Trust A CrocodileBeginner - Intermediate
Submitted by Tony Sharpe
Urban fringe
Loop
Undulating, small hills only
Plantation/exotic forestOpen farmlandsVolcanic
Beginner - Intermediate
1:00 (Slow)
0:45 (Moderate)
0:30 (Fast)
-9.2%
+9.2%
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
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Description
Never trust a crocodile - or in this case the Crocodile Track as its a shared use Mountain Bike and walking area. Therefore it is recommended to take the uphill option for the MTB section in order to better spot the bikes coming. And look out for the deliberate dead end trails!
This is a nice short loop around a popular reserve and recreational area. Start up with the hill walking trail which will send you on a short loop to the park boundary top warm up before you enter the Crocodile Track. As stated, be on the lookout for bikes but there's tonnes of room and just keep heading up until you emerge into grasslands above the forest. Pick up the Valley Trails as they wind up and switch back until you spit out above the houses where the Kennedys Bush Track heads out up to the top of the Port Hills. At this stage hit the road downhill for a short stretch - the optional zig zig descent and ascent back is a false lead/dead end but nice trail training.
Take the map because you can't trust a crocodile when there's so many wrong turns to make! But really, its pretty straight forward
Head past the Rocks Rd and pick up the entrance to Halswell Quarry Park from above. Loop around the top of the quarry and then pick up the trails that run through the foot of the park and around the fence to the beginning. Great views from the lookout.
Trail Community
Features of interest
Historic Quarry Park
Sister Cities plantations and art
Views across Christchurch
Make Up of Run
Technical Single Track: 20%
Moderate Single Track: 30%
Easy Single Track: 40%
Sealed Road: 10%
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

Halswell and Kennedys
Length: 13.00km

Christchurch 360 Trail - Sugarloaf Hills Section
Length: 18.20km

Little Learner Loop (Halswell Quarry)
Length: 3.00km

Loopy in Siberia
Length: 8.80km
Photos:
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I did it!-
Access
Start/ Finish at the Cashmere Road entrance to Halswell Quarry Park
Carpark off Cashmere Road
10 km
19 minutes
No
No
-
Staying Safe
Easy.
Take the map :)
Perfect throughout.
Whistle, First aid kit, Cellphone, Map.
Some taps in the main bit of the Quarry Park near the end
Slippery when wet- probably avoid the crocodile when its too wet to preserve the track for the bikers
Beware of fast travelling bikes downhill in the Crocodile section.
-
Post run indulgence
Craythornes
Halwell Road
https://www.craythornes.co.nz/
Pub grub and refreshmentsThe Old Vicarage
Halswell Rd
http://www.theoldvicarage.co.nz/
Higher in feed and drink -
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
Lyttelton Semi-Circle
Hagley Perimeter
Holliss Stairway to Heaven
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
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Dune Bugging
Hey Sisters!
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Lady Isaac Loop
The Missing Link
Beer Bum Bluffs
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Surf's Up!!!
Styx Pick Me Up
Orton Odyssey
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Beginner's Adventure Park Loop
Boulder Dash
Clan of the Cave Runner
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