Totara Park

Trailophile Run #3: Totara Park

Even a storm the size of Australia couldn't deter us from completing this week's run at Totara Park in Manukau. Luckily, this run provides shelter in pockets of native forest, although it was mighty unpleasant in higher places which were exposed to the rain and south westerly gales.

I remember our grandparents used to bring us here as kids to swim in the free pools - it was one of the destinations to which Harriet the 1976 Honda would "decide" to drive us. Then it was in a totally rural area, but today new suburbs are encroaching on the park borders. Apart from the Auckland Botanic Gardens on the southwest side, I imagine it will soon be completely surrounded by houses. But that's progress, and at least all 216 hectares of the park itself is beautifully maintained.

It's an excellent place for all manner of outdoor activities: tennis, swimming, picnicking, walking, horse-riding, mountain-biking, walking the dog, and of course a spot of off-road running.

Getting to Totara Park

Amazingly, you can get to Totara Park in only 20 minutes by car from Auckland CBD (provided it's not rush hour). We exited the motorway at Redoubt Rd which has the northern entrance to the park. The main entrance is off Wairere Rd at the south end of the park, which you can get to from the Manurewa motorway exit.

Totara Park run starting from Redoubt Rd

From the carpark head down the wide gravel 'Bridal Track' (I think this is perhaps a spelling error and is meant to be 'Bridle Track'!) and follow this down the hill. It forks but keep to the right if you want a longer option. You can see various mountain biking routes that lead off this path and over to the other side of the valley. At the bottom of the hill you enter some bush, and further along the road you can enter the 'Puhinui Stream Track" on the left and on the right. If you continue along this road you'll reach the pools and main carpark. I think at this point that I will stop giving instructions and refer you to the map - there is definitely at least 15k worth of tracks to explore in this park if you're keen to do them all, not to mention the grassy bits, and plenty of shortcuts here and there to get back on the way to Redoubt Rd if you get tired.

Maps

The Totara Park page on the Manukau City Council website has excellent information and maps of the park. Also, here's the mapometer map of our run. We didn't fully explore the western side of the Puhinui Stream Forest Trail, but hey, I guess we can do that next time!

Evaluation

• Distance: we did about 7 and a half km's but there are definitely more tracks in this park to explore
  
• Terrain: some big hills on the way back to Redoubt Rd on the Bridle Track... I can't even pretend we ran these!
  
• Track type and condition: range from big gravel tracks suitable for park maintenance vehicles to nicely maintained bush tracks. All in very good condition
  
• Mud: just a tiny bit. If you venture onto the grassy bits, prepare to get ankle-deep in it
  
• Views: on the higher bits there are views (according to the Manukau city website) but today there was nothing to see but imminent rainclouds...
  
• Novelty: Pretty good - especially for a park in the middle of the 'burbs
  
• Remoteness: Not really remote at all (and pity about the power pylons overhead in some bits), although some parts feel like you are in the middle of nowhere
  
• Toilets: At the Wairere Rd end
  
• Crowd factor: Not crowded and plenty of room for all I imagine, summer or winter
  
• Watch out for: some menacing-looking bulls in the grassy area we crossed to get back to the bridle track
  
• Extra for experts: If you're feeling really masochistic, on the way back to Redoubt Rd, do the Bridle Track loop, thereby doing two pretty massive hills
  

Verdict

A wonderful park, big enough to keep running and not get bored, but small enough so you won't get lost. Bring the family and a picnic (and togs if it's summer), and have a run while you're there!