Lynched at Sailors Grave

You can run this track many ways:
1) The way it is mapped here, a point to point from SH25 to Sailors Grave via Lynch Stream (or in reverse, vice-versa)
2) an out and back in either direction - its good enough to do both ways (15km)
3) a point to point from SH 25 to Sailors Grave and then on road back to Tairua (14km)
4) an out and back 50/50 road/trail from Tairua to Sailors then up Lynch Stream to SH25 and then return back (27km)
This desciption covers (1) above, point to point SH25 to Sailors Grave. Start on a downhill, cross the bridge over Manuka Stream and head over a spur or two till you see a sign for the Kauri Loop which you can take (it adds less than 5mins) then carry on the main track down to the stream valley and then over another spur before a downhill to the next stream crossing which you follow for a while.
This takes you to the base of your first and only big climb of the day which rewards you with a couple of really big Kauri at the top. These were spared the mill (perhaps their conscience got the better of the loggers that stripped the rest of the valley). These are about 30m below the top so keep heading up from the tress where you should see an oversized orange track marker (triangle). You want to make sure you turn right here and down the track (ignore the pink and blue markers that are used by the Kiwi Protection team to mark bait and traps for pests). Take the right hand turn track downhill a short way and then up and over a small hump before the fun downhill to the coast begins. This next section is a beaut. Some technical slippy trail here in winter, in summer its fast. The track heads down and connects up with the Lynch Stream which you follow all the way to the coast. It criss-crosses the stream a few times, one of which is worth a stop as there's a small waterfall (an old trip dam site) that has a nice wee pool for cooling off and filling water bottles (of course DOC recommends boiling all stream water in NZ but I've found taking a cooker and billy on a short trail run is a real drag so I drink the fresh glistening stream water and live life on the edge!!). Head down the track until you hit the bay where the stream meets the sea. Look to your right (south) and you'll see a track heading over the headland for your next move (unless its low tide then you can, if you wish, take the coastal rocks and headlands back to Sailors Grave - low tide route only).
The bush track leads over a hill and undulates across two spurs then down into Otara Bay. This is a golden spot, literally golden sand and very few, if any, others will be on the beach. Run along the beach south until a small stream crosses the beach. You'll see a track heading into the bush and over the last headland into Sailors Grave. There's a short lookout diversion on the way worth a look. When you emerge from the bush run along the grass that fringes the beach and you'll soon see to your right a white picket fence that marks the Sailors Grave (a poor fellow called William Sampson drowned in the surf here in 1842 when his dinghy from the HMS Tortoise overturned). There's also a geocache here too if that sort of thing floats your boat. Run across the stream and up the stairs and you'll be at the carpark. You should stop here though and enjoy the cold stream and the beach! If your ride has ditched you head on up Sailors Grave Rd and down SH 25 to Tairua (another 7-8km to the ice-cream store)