Pinecone Pirate - Waitākiri/Bottle Lake Forest Park

Set out from the car park and join the green walking trail north. Follow over 20th Ave through the newish sandy section. At approximately 1.5km, take a left at the sandy T-intersection and follow until you hit 20th Ave again. Go right here and follow for approximately 100mm before jumping into the forest on the left. It’s hard to spot but look for the paint marks.

This is where the fun starts.

Follow the dots for almost 3km, until you come to India Road (you’ll be at around 4.5km). Go right and follow this down to the pond and rotunda.

You’ll see the blue running trail to your right along India Road, but don’t worry about this! To the left of the rotunda, you should see an old section of walking track leading back into the forest. After a short while, this will join up with the main ‘Blue Loop’, which you’ll naturally turn left onto.

Follow for around 400m (should be at around 6.1km) and instead of following around a sweeping left, dive straight into a clearing and up over a small sand hill. Follow your nose. There will be a bit of lupin to push through, but you’ll eventually come out at November Road.

Take a brief left on this before picking up the newly marked (old coastal) track to the right and follow this until you come out at the Landfill gates on 20th Ave. Follow 20th Ave eastwards to the beach and turn onto Whiskey Road to skirt the landfill.

Turn the corner at the southern extent of the landfill and duck into the trees onto a little pirate trail. Follow the dots again. You will come out at the base of the old landfill hill. We’re looking for a trail into the trees to the left that comes off 29th Ave.

Make your way to Broadhaven Reserve. From Broadhaven follow the gravel track that sits between the field and the forest, until ducking into the forest to your right at around 10.2km. Take the left trail and follow the dots all the way to Landfill Ave (where the control gates are).

Follow the road into the forest towards the Fairy Path for a final sprint home to the carpark. Alternatively, start from Broadhaven Reserve.