Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023
The Giants of Geraldine
Submitted by Tony Sharpe
Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023
Open
Grunt Factor: 7
Gnarl Factor: 30
5.2km
150m
150m
187m
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Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023
Submitted by Tony Sharpe
Last Updated: 21st Sep 2023
Open
Grunt Factor: 7
Gnarl Factor: 30
5.2km
150m
150m
187m
Urban fringe
Combo
Undulating, small hills only
Native bush
Plantation/exotic forest
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +7.1%
Average Downhill Gradient: -8.0%
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1:00
Slow
0:45
Moderate
0:30
Fast
This is an awesome wee loop in the amazing Talbot Forest and surrounds. Neat little network of tracks in here.
Grab the Matai Track entrance at the intersection of Tripp and Bridge St and plug your way up the trail past some impressive stands of forest. Follow this trail right through to Totara Street where you will cross and pick up the start of the Kahikatea Track. Follow the uphill section of this until you reach the road end up by Pye Rd.
From Pye Rd swing around onto Riddels Track, which is shared use for mountainbiking also. Follow Riddels through plantation forests around down the gully and up the other side until you join Pekapeka St. Cross this road and get onto the Pekapeka Track which will loop you around and onto the top end of Hislop St. Again cross the road and follow the Kahikatea Track though another stretch of wonderful native forest. Some trees here are 80m high. Then finally back onto the now familiar Matai St to return you quickly downhill to where you started.
Amazing native forest. Native bats at dusk. Birdlife
Park up on Tripp Street by the Lions Reserve
1 km
1 minutes
Unknown
No
Easy.
If you get lost or take a wrong turn theres never too far to find a road back to town
Perfect throughout.
Windproof jacket, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map.
Fill up in town
All year round here
Tree roots and the odd treefall in the one section
Lots of places in Geralding to try
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and The Giants of Geraldine
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What a wonderful to break the journey. Enough to get the blood pumping, soak in some forest smells and be in awe of those trees.
November 7, 2021
Loved the grand Totara trees and pine tree alley. GPX track on my Garmin helped me find the right path on a couple of occasions where it was easy to go awry.
December 3, 2020
Great wee network of trails and a lovely run. We did get a bit confused by some of the instructions as we often came to two different trails to choose from. Make sure when you “swing round” to Riddels track - you come slightly down the road then swing almost a 360 degree turn
September 6, 2020
This one is a little gem. It's just a 2 min warm-up from the Asure Motor Lodge, and right on the back doorstep of town. In 5 short kms, this one has a surprising amount of variety - graveled paths, short sharp climbs, wide sweeping descents, sharp windy bits, and of course the native bush.Those trees! You really do need to slow down (or stop) and take in the massive totara. The last climb in the bush is made of a series of short flights of steps, formed by totara roots. Very cool! A few additional notes: 1. The first decent in the bush was surprisingly slippery. It was raining when I went out, but even under quite good canopy cover the steps, roots, and leaves were covered in a slick film. Take care out there! 2. I'm not stupid (quiet in the cheap seats!), but I did manage to take a couple of wrong turns. There are lots of side trails - both big and small - which has the bonus of lots more route options if you so desire. With some of the intersections its really obvious how to carry on, but some are poorly or not at all sign posted. For example, at the bottom of the gully if you find yourself on a dam-like structure you've made a wrong turn. Instead follow the white sign that says 'Baker Street'. 3. The time estimates are very generous. I am fairly a middling intermediate, and even running an extra km I was done in 34 mins. Bank the extra time and enjoy a second lap ;-)
February 4, 2020
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