Last Updated: 16th Jan 2024

Intermediate

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I've done it Done

O'Farrells For Shore

Christchurch, Canterbury

Submitted by Tony Sharpe

Last Updated: 16th Jan 2024

Intermediate

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I've done it Done

Open

Grunt Factor: 15

Gnarl Factor: 32

11.5km

420m

420m

252m

  

  

  

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Trail Map

Type of Run

Urban fringe

Loop

Undulating, some big hills

Native bush

Coastal

Open farmlands

Run Makeup

20%
20%
20%
20%
20%

Sealed Road

Farm Road / 4WD Track

Easy Single Track

Moderate Single Track

Technical Single Track

Average Uphill Gradient: +8.4%

Average Downhill Gradient: -8.7%

Trailhead

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Estimated Times to Run

2:00

Slow

1:30

Moderate

1:00

Fast

This is a really nice loop option around the Governors Bay hills with a speedy return around the historic Coastal Walkway, which is part of the Lyttelton Head To Head walkway concept.

Park up at the Firestation Reserve and start trotting up the road a few hundred metres until to hit the Titoki Track. Take this steadily up and then veer left onto the Ngaio Track which will give you a solid uphill workout until you eventually reach a junction with O'Farrells Track. Take the left here and simply follow O'Farrells through a mix of open farmland and regenerating native bush all the way to Living Springs.

Trails here are pretty straightforward although sometimes a bit overgrown and you'll pass lots of other options for future hill reps as you trot around. You'll likely want some decent grippy footwear is its been wet or winter, it can get really boggy in here at times. The track gets slightly sketchy towards the end at Living Springs Camp, but just hold your altitude until you hit the road. Another option for the downhill is to pick up the Living Springs Mountainbike trails From Living Springs its a fast tarmac descent down Bamfords Rd to the Main Road , which you cross at Allandale Reserve and link onto the fast, flat coastal walkway all the way around to Governors Bay Wharf. Above the wharf pick up the boardwalked trail and stairs to the left, follow around the roads going left each time until you reach the private property. At this point there is a short stretch of public walkway that ascends you back up to the Main Road near the Fire Station Reserve where you started.

Nice varied loop involving regenerating forests and coastal terrain

Carparking for several at the Reserve

14 km

26 minutes

Unknown

No

Moderate.

Theres a myriad of other trails around here so take a map or download the GPX

Generally good.

Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Windproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, First aid kit, Cellphone, Map.

BYO

Definitely more technical in winter and after rain

Please mind the farm animals at Living Springs and leave gates as you find them

Governors Bay Hotel
Governors Bay Road
http://www.governorsbayhotel.co.nz
Great feed and watering hole

She Chocolate
Governors Bay Road
https://sheuniverse.com/cafe-governors-bay/
Chocolate, coffee and a feed!

Trail Legend

Corey Woodward

Corey Woodward

has completed O'Farrells For Shore twice in the last year.

Learn about Trail Legends.

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Trail Reviews

This is a lovely loop, very pleasing indeed as there are lots of different types of terrain and the views are lovely. I did the loop mid January (well, one very similar to this but I freestyled down through Living Springs mountain bike trails) and the trail was dry as a bone but very overgrown, in places it was extremely slow going.

Sally Davies

January 16

Great loop with a wide variety of trails to enjoy. An initial bit of uphill to get you started but then lots of undulating fun as you traverse along the hillside before dropping back down to the coast. I'd never been on the coastal trail before so that was a nice treat too.

Stefanie Parks

November 20, 2021

Great trail with some awesome single trail contouring up the top. Thankfully the trail had not long been cut and was pretty good for hooning along past Blackberry bushes. A good chance to test the higher gears when pushing down the Living Springs road down to Allandale.

Geoffrey Smith

November 19, 2021

I find Ohinetahi a bit intimidating, to be honest… terrain is rugged as hell, navigation can be tricky due to spotty signage, and if you go in the wrong time of year the gorse and blackberry can be painful. However, the views are beautiful, there are some great bits of native bush, you usually have the place to yourself, and if you go in the autumn it’s an all-you-can-eat blackberry buffet. This run, for me, finally made all the navigation click into place. O’Farrells Track is the main thoroughfare that runs roughly constant altitude parallel to Summit Road and the shoreline; everything else mostly goes straight up or down. I’m beginning to see the light!

Matt Halverson

July 25, 2021

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