Te Whara / Bream HeadBeginner - Intermediate
Submitted by Vicki Woolley
Front country - easily accessible
Point to Point (one way)
Undulating, some big hills
Native bushCoastalOther
Beginner - Intermediate
2:00 (Slow)
1:30 (Moderate)
1:00 (Fast)
-19.6%
+20.2%
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
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Description
If you are not bringing in the Busby Head/Smugglers Bay Loop as a warmup, then take a deep breath when you leave the Urquharts Bay carpark. A short uphill trot through farmland (left at the first junction) will bring you to a stile and the start of the Te Whara Track climb.
Prepare yourself: in the next kilometre you will tackle over 1,000 stairs to reach 400m of elevation at Mt Lion. Once you are on the ridge, there are good views to be had: take care as there are also steep rocky drop-offs at these viewpoints.
Undulate along the ridge past Mt Lion - ignore the right turn onto Peach Cove Track (this drops to Peach Cove Hut at the coast) - and continue onto the Peach Cove/Te Whara Track intersection.
Turn hard right and prepare for more severe climbing over technical single track: rocks, roots and severe drop-offs abound.
Passing just below Bream head (the Gorilla), the trail descends steeply and is very technical before passing into open grassland and eventually sandy beach.
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Features of interest
An ancient Maori route from Urquharts Bay to Ocean Beach. Spectacular coastal, offshore, harbour and city views. Kiwi audible at dusk.
From the Urquharts bay end, add in the Busby Head/Smugglers Bay Loop Track for some WWII history and coastal goodness (additional 3km).
Make Up of Run
Technical Single Track: 25%
Moderate Single Track: 25%
Easy Single Track: 50%
Route Data
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Access
Carpark at the end of Urquharts Bay Road.
Toilets at carpark
33 km
37 minutes
No
No
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Staying Safe
Moderate.
Stop at any track junctions and check you are on the right route.
Generally good.
Long-sleeved thermal top, Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Gloves, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map.
None. Carry own water.
Limestone can be extremely slippery when wet: take care if venturing out to the many lookouts/dropoffs.
Rocks are very slippery when wet.
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Post run indulgence
The Deck
Reotahi Road, Whangarei Heads
Great soup, great cakes - great pies! Solid food to get you going again.Parua Bay Tavern
1034 Whangarei Heads Road, Parua Bay
http://www.paruabaytavern.co.nz
After a run like this you need a beer, hot chips and maybe a steak: you will get all this (plus a view and a grin from the locals) at the Parua Bay pub. And nobody minds if you are sweaty. -
Sponsor this trail
See other runs nearby:
3 Pigs Trail
Bream Head Te Whara Trail
Town Basin, Whangarei Falls & Parihaka
Old Coach
Taraire Ridge and Pukenui Loop
Tane Moana Road and Trail
Waterfalls & Kauri!
Coronation Reserve Short Loop
1100 Steps to WOW!
Parihaka Hatea Loop
Mount Aubrey Loop
Tangihua Transmitter Loop
