Last Updated: 5th Jun 2024
Bottle Lake Blue Loop
Submitted by Alistair Bull
Last Updated: 5th Jun 2024
Open
Grunt Factor: 9 ?
Gnarl Factor: 7 ?
10.0km
140m
145m
28m
Last Updated: 5th Jun 2024
Submitted by Alistair Bull
Last Updated: 5th Jun 2024
Open
Grunt Factor: 9 ?
Gnarl Factor: 7 ?
10.0km
140m
145m
28m
Urban fringe
Loop
Totally/mostly flat
Dog Friendly
Plantation/exotic forest
Gravel Road
Farm Road / 4WD Track
Easy Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +2.7%
Average Downhill Gradient: -2.8%
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1:25
Slow
1:00
Moderate
0:45
Fast
Bottle Lake Forest is an 800 hectare pine plantation. It is criss-crossed with tracks for walkers, runners, Mt bikers and horse riders. Many people walk their dogs here.
The forestry roads are named alphabetically - 'Apple' to 'Zulu' East to west with Apple being closest to the visitor centre. Avenues are numbered 10th to 28th from north to south.
The Blue Running loop is really well marked these days and has recently been adjusted a bit to move away bike and horse trails, and adjusted in lieu of current and future forestry operations.Occasionally the mtb and horse tracks can add confusion but a couple of seconds checking for the markers and you'll be back on track.
Enter the park trail from the carpark and pick up the white and blue runners markers. It's best to go anticlockwise. After a short stretch through regenerating pines you'll enter a wonderful flowing trail in established forest. Great underfoot. After a few kms you'll emerge into another logged area and turn north still following the blue running markers across a series of old sand dunes. Great quad and calf work in here! Eventually this re-enters established forest again at the northern end of the loop where you dogleg back onto the return half of the loop. Don't go the wrong way north- that trail takes you to Spencer Park. The last few kms are a mix of flowing forest trail and short sandy sections through regenerating areas. Somewhat suddenly you'll find yourself back at the beginning and the loop is complete.
Public toilets are located in the main car park.
Ample safe parking is available at the park entrance beside the visitor center.
The park can be reached by bus from the city center on the 'Orange' line and swap to the '135' bus at Burwood hospital. Get off the bus at Waitikiri Drive bus stop and you have a 1km walk up to the park.
11 km
19 minutes
Yes
No
Moderate.
Maps are available at the visitor centre. About 1.5km in there is a road crossing where the track was quite overgrown. The entrance to the narrow track is to the right a few meters down the road.
Generally good.
Seam-sealed waterproof jacket, Beanie/thermal headwear, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
Water fountain at the beginning of the track, otherwise no water on the loop.
The 4wd section of track has a tendency to get very wet with large puddles to navigate around or splash through.
The walk/run track crosses the horse and mtb tracks often. Keep an eye out for both and make sure to give way to horses.
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Bottle Lake Blue Loop
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Actually loved this track. Brought the GPX so I didn’t miss the sharp turn to avoid going out to Spencer Park. Some sand in the middle part but if you expect it you won’t get frustrated like me easily.
April 17, 2022
Chose to run here because it was a gale force NW'er and a fairly hot day. A born and bred local recommended the area to me saying it would provide me shelter. He was right.
A little bit disoriented at first, but I followed the recommended anti clockwise loop as per the WT description. Just be sure to follow the blue markers. Be prepared for way more sand than you'd expect!!! It makes it slow going in places.
I don't believe I 'fell off' the trail but like Rafael who posted before me, I also clocked 9.6km. And it seems to match the prescribed route??
I wouldn't choose to do it again but an excellent choice on a hot, windy as day.
November 16, 2021
My favourite trail run in Chch if I only have 1h. Currently the blue loop is more like 9.6K. Great variety of terrain for stuck a short run. Very well marked but you still have to watch out in some parts not to take a wrong turn.
October 26, 2021
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