COURSE DESCRIPTION
Te Aupouri Forest is a 29,000-hectare pine forest that was initially planted to protect against drifting coastal sands. This pine forest is remarkably sparse of any other plant life and is unusually evenly spaced. This creates a magical atmosphere and provides a nice soft bed of pine needles to run on.
Terrain
Sandy loam soil and beds of pine thistles throughout the course
There are a few boggy/muddy areas; we recommend navigating these areas with caution as the surface level can be quite unpredictable.
A Sandy gravel road that stretches along a section of the 90-mile beach
Elevation
- Within the first 2km of the course, a couple of climbs make up the total ascent of the 4km course, and the majority of ascent for other distances. A few smaller gradual climbs make up the remaining ascent of the 11.5km and 21.1km courses.
Views
- Within the 21km course, upon navigating the sandy road alongside the Aupouri Forests edge, you will get to see the Te Paki dunes in the distance, as well as Ninety Mile Beach, also known as Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē, having one of the best left-hand surf breaks in the world.
- Some of the forestry wetlands are dotted with a small Kauri nursery, which can be seen within the first 5km of the 11.5km and 21.2km courses. If your timing is good, you might even catch a glimpse of the Wild Horses of Te Aupouri Forest.
Course Maps / Elevation Profile
Due to the permit required to run or walk in this forest, we cannot show you the course maps.
What we can show you is the elevation profile for each course.
