Blandswood and Brunch

Start at 'The Green Man' café on Peel Forest Road, run south on Peel Forest Road for 1/2 a kilometre before turning right onto Dennistoun Rd. Run along Dennistoun Rd for another half kilometre, before it terminates at a beautiful heritage gateway to Peel Forest Estate.

Here the road turns right onto Brake Road, which leads through a vibrant sycamore forest, before winding around farmland to the start of the Dennistoun track.

Head left into the Dennistoun track, which leads through an ancient forest with huge kahikatea, lowland tōtara and mataī, where the track is relatively flat but you will have to hop over many large tree roots on the way.

At each intersection, you come across take a right turn.

Follow the track until it spits you out at Blandswood Road. Take a left turn on Blandswood Road towards the river, and then a right turn up Lookout Road back into the podocarp forest to the start of the Fern Track.

This is the only steep part of this loop. At the top of Lookout Road, run along the beautiful undulating and winding Fern Track for 3 kilometres, enjoying the bird song.

This track can be a little muddy at times, and again you will have to navigate over a few tree roots etc. This track leads you out to Peel Forest Road again.

At the end of the Fern Walk, turn right along Peel Forest Road and head back to 'The Green Man' café for brunch!

Take care on this last section as there are a few undulating sections where cars may find it hard to see you.