Last Updated: 12th Aug 2024
Taylors Escape, Godley Head Mountain Bike Track, Captain Thomas Track
Submitted by Scott Ferguson
Last Updated: 12th Aug 2024
Grunt Factor: 18 ?
Gnarl Factor: 26 ?
13.3km
570m
570m
Urban fringe
Loop
Undulating, some big hills
Dog Friendly
Beach
Coastal
Open farmlands
Open tussock/grasslands
Open ridges/tops
Farm Road / 4WD Track
Easy Single Track
Moderate Single Track
Technical Single Track
Average Uphill Gradient: +8.6%
Average Downhill Gradient: -8.5%
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2:45
Slow
2:00
Moderate
1:30
Fast
A lovely loop starting and finishing at Taylor's Mistake Surf Life Saving Club, incorporating Captain Thomas track.
Head North out of the carpark following Taylors Mistake Rd in front of the Surf Club as it turns into Taylors Mistake Track. Look for the sign marked 193 Steps, and see if you have enough oxygen to your brain to count them all the way to the top.
Cross the road and look for Scarborough Bluffs Track, following along until the summit crosses Godley Drive, about 1.5km in. Continue following Scarborough Bluffs Track for another km or so, looking for a sharp right turn to take you down to Evans Pass Rd. Cross the road taking care for cyclists descending here pushing 90km/h!
Look for the link up to Captain Thomas Track.
Steel yourself for a steady 4km climb of around 300m vert, taking care while crossing Evans Pass Rd again, this time at the junction of Summit Rd. Just past this junction, look for a right turn onto the track just above Summit Rd, sticking to the low track just above the road.
At the high point, veer right heading South following the shared Godley Head Mountain Bike Track until it connects back to the Crater Rim Walkway and the Summit Rd.
Cross the road to take Taylors Escape, following the switchbacks and swooping descents all the way through to the back of Taylors Mistake carpark where you began.
Loop start and finish point is right next to the Taylors Mistake Public Toilets.
Plenty of free public parking available at the beach carpark, but at peak summer on a hot day this can be busy. There is spillover parking on the grass at the rear of the carpark.
17 km
30 minutes
Yes
No
Moderate.
Generally good.
Windproof jacket, Gloves, Whistle, First aid kit, Extra food for emergencies, Cellphone, Map
Typically very dry over summer, but can be slippery during winter. Very little shelter along the way, and exposed to the conditions along the tops.
Trail Legend
Fastest Known Times (FKTs)
You and Taylor's Thomas Twirl
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I did this when it was the four seasons of rain, wind, hail and sun - I had not run any of these tracks before so had hoped that the description would have eluded to the fact that these tracks are borderline dangerous in rain, hence the three stars. Most of the track was really slippery silty mud and whilst there is a comment from someone else on here that you can run on the grass on the side of the track, in the places where you really need the grass, there isn't any. The decents were super sketchy and unrunnable in the wet making for very slow going. I had a couple of pretty nasty falls around some of the corners even at a very slow pace.
I started from sumner which added on 1km. Really cool loop though and looking forward to doing it again in dry conditions. On the upside, good test of the wet weather gear!
November 16
Looks like Scott beat me to submitting this as a WT trail. A great route that can be started at either Sumner (if you want a more runnable start) or Taylor's (if you prefer a hike to stairs to warm the body up). Either way it's up from the start! But apart from the stairs, the track gradient is mostly runnable and the views are great when the clouds not hiding them!
August 14
A great variation on the selction of routes around Evans Pass and Godley Head. Nice also to add in the newer section down to Taylors which I'd not done before. Really nice varied effort terrain
August 12
Decided to do "the twirl" on a cold friday afternoon. Started around 4pm from the Surf Club with fast moving showers and a funky cold wind. I headed up the 192 stairs and straight up onto Scarborough Bluffs track, then over the top (took photos) and was nearly 'blown over" by the most gorgeous and dramatic clouds and colours looking over Sumner and north toward New Brighton (and the wind whaich was almost a gale :-) )..The track was shared for the most part by me, and lots of sheep, so slippery in some steeper areas, but very manageble if you trot off into the tussock away from the slippy bits. Back over the top of Evans pass watching the glowing sunset painting Lyttleton and Diamond Harbours in pink and orange with flowing tussocks, I flew down the mountain bike trail with a super tailwind and back to the start....Dream run, another beautiful trail completed. PLEASE Follow all signs relating to Dogs. It is lambing season, and the Scarborough Bluff track and up on the Mountain bike trail (Godley and Crater Rim Trail) are LAMBING SEASON signs. Dogs MUST be restrained/on a lesh at all times until the seaon ends (OCT). The sheep I shared the trail with today were heavily pregnant, and are vunerable. Thanks!!
August 10
These overlap with this trail to some degree. You may wish to combine them but please note that to qualify for FKTs on these runs you should record a separate activity for each.
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