WHERE TO RUN: SOUTH ISLAND

Christchurch

'Mountain Bike Bottle Lake Forest Park, New Zealand' is licensed by trailsource.com under CC BY 2.0.

Hagley Park, located in the centre of Christchurch is a great place for running, featuring sealed, flat paths.

To the east of the city you'll find the meandering Avon River, with paths on both sides taking you all the way to the ocean on the east coast of New Zealand.

Outside of the city centre, the Templar's Island Trail follows the Waimakiri River, featuring areas of native vegetation, exotic plants and many bird species.

In close vicinity you'll also find Bottle Lake Forest Park, offering a myriad of running, hiking and mountain-biking track about 15 minutes drive from the city centre.

In the opposite direction to the south of Christchurch, Victoria Park offers panoramic views of the city and surrounding plains. 

Otago Region

Lake Hayes and Coronet Peak, New Zealand

Queenstown rightly holds the mantle as the adventure capital of the world, with thousands of thrill-seekers flocking to the area each year.Yet what is underrated to Queenstown is the abundance of opportunities for runners seeking beautiful trails with breathtaking views.

In the immediate vicinity of the city centre, you'll find some nice trails that meander around Lake Wakatipu towards Glenorchy in one direction and Frankton in the other.

These are pleasant trails that are largely flat, scenic and accessible, yet the best and quiter running spots are found closer to Arrowtown.

Around a 30-minute drive from the centre of Queenstown, Arrowtown is a historical gold rush villiage that forms as an excellent starting point for a wide mixture of runs across groomed riverside trails, hillier scenic options and beautiful bitumen roads.

Amongst this array of running opportunity is the most famous run in the area found at Lake Hayes. A loop of the lake is around 8km and provides runners with a breathtakingly still and clear perspective of the lake providing for an unforgettable experience. 

'Lake Wanaka' is licensed by Pedro Szekely under CC BY-SA 2.0

Seen by many as the 'little-sister' to Queenstown, Wanaka well and truly holds it's own as a great town for running.

With most options centring arond Lake Wanaka, gravel trails follow the water around both sides of the lake. Running left from the centre of town, the trail can take you all the way to the pleasant Glendhu Bay which acts as a beautiful spot for Lakeside picnics.