After a long period of upgrades, the Aotea Track was freshly opened at the end of 2019. Sam and I were visiting Aotea (Great Barrier Island) with some friends, so we decided that before kicking back on the beach and celebrating New Year's Eve, we should have a crack at the outer loop. The Aotea Track is recommended as a 2-3 day tramp, but we thought we'd try it as a trail run.

Turns out there's a reason most people walk it: the hills, especially the steps up to Hirakimata (Mt Hobson), are a hard slog! But if you take it super easy and allow for leisurely breaks, it's doable in a single day.

The stunning views over the whole island make the uphill bits absolutely worthwhile. We also planned our route so that we finished up at the Kaitoke Hot Springs. After being on our feet for almost 7 hours, it was a lovely treat for sore muscles.