Course Notes
Peak Trail Blazer 2022
Safety note: On race day the course will be marked with tape, signs and arrows. Safety marshals, not always mentioned in the course notes below, will also be in place at key points on the course (especially when there are directional options and road crossings). Please take this into account when reading these course notes. Please follow marshal instructions on the day.
Tainui Trail
Kids & adults – all individuals (no teams) – 10am start Tainui Reserve (via Keith Sands Grove or Glenpark Place)
- Parents must ensure their children are at the Tainui Reserve main green (either get to it from Keith Sands Grove or Glenpark Place) start half an hour before the race begins. There will be a small course briefing at this time.
- Starting at the bottom of the Tanner Street Reserve, running on the grass all the way through the reserve with the stream on the left shoulder up and over through the carpark.
- Run to the end of carpark and back into Tainui Reserve proper.
- Continue into Tainui Reserve, turning right at the first fork.
- Run straight up the gentle rise along the wide path, then turn hard left and begin climbing the hill.
- At the top of the steps carry on straight through and down into the zig zag track.
- Once at the bottom of the zig zag track, turn hard left onto the wide trail.
- Continue on this wide trail until the second wooden bridge.
- Tainui entrants turn right over the bridge into the Fig forest and trail through until you turn hard left at the fork rather than up the wooden stairs.
- Meander your way along the single trail, follow the main trail, turn left at the top.
- Once you go past the wooden seat, you’ll come to a fork, travel left, down to the bridge, cross the bridge and join back in with the long course runners along the wide trail.
- Veer right down onto the stream edge once you get back to the fork, so the stream is on your left shoulder to get to Tanner Street Reserve.
- Run to the end of the Tanner Street Reserve, through the gate and keeping on the grass and runners track away from cars.
- Cross Tanner Street on to Joll Road when told by the safety marshal.
- Follow the foot path up Joll Road, continuing until reach Christie Crescent.
- Cross Christie Crescent when told by the safety marshal.
- Run to round about and cross two roads when told by safety marshals, returning to school along the Campbell Street footpath.
- Turn left at the first school driveway, around the amphitheatre and down to the school field through the finish line to the cheering crowd!
Te Mata Peak Trail
Individual run. Individual walk.
8am walk start, HN Primary.
9am run start, HN Primary.
- Start at HNP field.
- Run through the school, carefully through the lunch area/amphitheatre and exit the school.
- Turn right on to Campbell Street footpath.
- Run along footpath to the the round about, cross to other side of the road when told by safety marshals.
- Left into Joll Road, running along footpath.
- Cross Christie Crescent when told by safety marshal.
- Continue to follow Joll Road until Tanner Street.
- Cross Tanner Street at the bottom of Joll Road when told by safety marshal.
- Into the bottom of Tanner Street Reserve, running on the grass all the way through the gate and into the reserve with the stream on the right shoulder.
- Run to the end of the reserve and into the far end carpark, go through the carpark then through the gate into the Tainui Reserve proper, (with Glenpark Place on right shoulder).
- Continue into Tainui Reserve, turning right at the first fork.
- Run straight up the gentle rise along the wide path, then turn hard left and begin climbing the steps.
- At the top of the steps turn hard right, and continue rising up along the ridge path.
- Follow the path, winding up and down until it reaches a fork in the path (there will be a marshal in place) – take the RIGHT path through the ‘kissing gate’ towards Hikanui Drive.
- Exit the reserve and cross over Hikanui Drive – TAKE CARE – cross when told by a safety marshal.
- Head down pathway (at back of houses) Dropping down to Tauroa Road.
- Cross Tauroa Road when safety marshal allows – TAKE CARE roads are not closed.
- Follow Tauroa Road on left hand side grass verge until the Tauroa Road Carpark.
- Into Te Mata Peak park.
- Follow track into the park, eventually with the baby redwoods on left shoulder, turn hard right on the third track to your right (the one after the Giant Redwoods turn). Marshal in place.
- Follow this zig zag path until you reach the fence line at the top (do NOT use the Mt Biking track), climb over the steps and take the track leading up the hill of the paddock.
- Follow this paddock track until you come to a well-marked fork in the path, take the right hand path that leads up the incline and onto Windy Ridge rather than around the base of the hill.
- Smile!
- Follow this ridge-line path until you reach the road nearly at the top of the Peak.
- Cross the road when told by a safety marshal – TAKE CARE it is a blind corner – and climb the hill to the trig station where you must run over the timing mats to complete the course.
- Start heading home!
- Run down Te Mata peak on the OFF ROAD track that winds its way down towards the car park overlooking Craggy Range Winery. The Te Mata Peak road will be on your left shoulder.
- Cross the road before the carpark when the safety warden tells you – TAKE CARE – running through the gully, through Webs Bush, until you reach the top of the baby redwoods, returning to the Tauroa Road carpark, passing the baby redwoods on your right shoulder.
- Return along Tauroa Road as before and up behind the houses to Hikanui Drive. TAKE CARE on road crossings.
- Once in the Tainui Reserve and through the ‘kissing gate’, turn left after the kissing gate (DO NOT GO STRAIGHT ON THROUGH HIKANUI PA).
- Follow the same trail that you came up until you reach the marshal who will direct you down the zig zag track – this is where you join the Tainui trail so WATCH FOR CHILDREN!
- Once at the bottom of the zig zag track turn hard left onto the wide trail and carry on along this trail, DO NOT TURN RIGHT OVER BRIDGE WITH THE TAINUI TRAIL!
- Continue along the wide track until you are back at the fork where you will drop down with the small stream on your left shoulder. Follow this creek path back towards the Tanner Street Reserve – WATCH FOR CHILDREN STARTING at 10am.
- Run to the end of the Tanner Street Reserve, through the gate, keeping on the grass and runners track away from cars.
- Cross Tanner Street on to Joll Road when told by the safety marshal.
- Follow the foot path up Joll Road, continuing until reach Christie Crescent.
- Cross Christie Crescent when told by the safety marshal.
- Run to round about and cross two roads when told by safety marshals, returning to school along the Campbell Street footpath.
- Turn left at the first school driveway, around the amphitheatre and down to the school field through the finish line to the cheering crowd!