Last Updated: 5th Feb 2024
Sumner Half Heads
Submitted by Matt Doherty
Last Updated: 5th Feb 2024
Grunt Factor: 30 ?
Gnarl Factor: 33 ?
21.6km
780m
780m
276m
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Last Updated: 5th Feb 2024
Submitted by Matt Doherty
Last Updated: 5th Feb 2024
Grunt Factor: 30 ?
Gnarl Factor: 33 ?
21.6km
780m
780m
276m
Urban fringe
Loop
Undulating, small hills only
Dog Friendly
Beach
Coastal
Open farmlands
Open ridges/tops
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +10.9%
Average Downhill Gradient: -10.8%
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3.30:00
Slow
2.30:00
Moderate
1.45
Fast
Nice wee half marathon loop around Sumner/Godley Heads that manages to stay off the roads. Lots of small undulating hills including a couple of grunty climbs that will be testing for the beginner. Awesome continuos views over the penninsular. If you fancy an early start dawn over the heads can be spectacular.
Head up Captain Thomas Track to the sumit road. Left through the crossroads, over the cattle stop and immediately right onto the mtb trail. Follow this mtb trail over the next 2 hills. When starting this next hill after a few meters on the road you are aiming for the 2nd mtb trail that heads up it (the trail that heads over the hill about half way up between the road and the summit as you are looking from this saddle)
Head up and over the hill and down to Godley Heads car park. From the carpark run through the kissing gate by the picnic tables and follow the gravel tourist trail which undulates its way through old WW2 buildings then out to Boulder Bay & Taylors Mistake Surf Club. From the car park, head along the back of the surf club then follow your nose towards the houses keeping the beach to your right. The track starts to climb with a few steps and board walks for a couple of hundred metres, take the left hand turn sign posted the 195? steps.
At the top of the steps cross the road and pick up the track a few metres to your right. Follow this (staying on the obvious track) up through the farmland aiming for the lefthand side of a patch of trees up the hill. Over the stile, across the gravel road and follow the fence to your right along a stockyard. After a sharp right hand bend take the track to your left marked by a post. Follow this tack as it sidles along the hill and climbs into a patch of bush. At the junction in the bush take the left hand turn to the summit rd crossroads. As you head out of the bush head uphill across the crossroads then pick up Captain Thomas and return to the start.
World War 2 Building and gun emplacements at Godley Heads
Sumnervale Drive Lower has plenty of parking along one side where the houses have been removed post quakes
Bus stop . Purple bus route termination100m from Lower Sumnervale Drive
14 km
25 minutes
Yes
No
Easy.
Generally good.
Thermal leggings, Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
Water at Godley Heads and Taylers Mistake at toilet blocks and at the campground at aGodley Heads
Can be very windy on the saddles
Dog friendly although be aware there are lots of sheep in this area
Mountain bikes on 50% of the track
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Sumner Half Heads
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Fantastic loop! Very runnable, dramatic views, and even a new stretch of trail for me (Taylors Mistake up to Scarborough Bluffs Track). It's my new favourite run in Christchurch :-)
August 7, 2021
Really runable for a fair bit of climbing which was fun. Lost the track a couple of times and had to use RunHunters to find my way again. Beautiful views and a great loop to practise running hills on. Its nice to ah e the option of water and toilet stops at Godley Head and Taylors too!
August 16, 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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