Home - Running across a Volcano with my Brothers

Two brothers come home after years apart and attempt their mountain running dream - a coast to coast adventure over the mighty Taranaki Maunga, in Aotearoa New Zealand. This is a story about whānau (family), special places, adventure and biting off more than you can chew.
📽️ New Zealand Mountain Film Festival 2024 - Official Selection
Music from #Uppbeat :
🎵 Windows by the Lakes
🎵 Everglow by Augustine
🎵 Closing Time by Northwestern
🎵 Know Your Why by Sky Toes

[@MattGirvanNZ]

Shout-out to the real star of the show - Taranaki Maunga (Mount Taranaki) ⛰

[@nicholasmason1029]

What an epic day out! And such a brilliant film. Your wee synopsis is bang on the money. Very well done boys and thanks so much for sharing.

[@MattGirvanNZ]

Cheers Nick, glad you liked it! It was definitely a very special out for a number of reasons, and I'm glad we were able to capture and share it.

[@chrisj8764]

Huge effort! Just going up Taranaki or Fanthams Peak was hard enough for me. Your love of this beautiful place shines out!

[@MattGirvanNZ]

Yeah it was a pretty big day out Chris! The summit or Fanthams are both big climbs, never easy. Glad you liked the film, and yup I'm a pretty big fan of Taranaki haha. Sounds like you make the most of it.

[@KaitiakiEnduranceSports]

Amazing effort Team Girvan!! I love the Maunga for a good vert session but you've inspired some new routes!

[@MattGirvanNZ]

Cheers @KaitiakiEnduranceSports ! Yeah no shortage of vert up there... Carrington Ridge is a real adventure, good practice for really rough terrain!

[@WestieRunner]

Fantastic stuff Matt, and a great idea for an adventure!

[@MattGirvanNZ]

Thanks @WestieRunner , sometimes you've gotta make your own fun right?! Hope you're resting up well!

[@WestieRunner]

@@MattGirvanNZ I buried myself in Leg 5 to make sure I made it in well under 24 hours so I was a hot mess by the time I got to the Moot Hall. Everything seems to be getting back to normal though and I can now walk up and down stairs again!

[@MattGirvanNZ]

That's the way @WestieRunner , can't leave anything to chance after all that effort. Glad you're recovering well, tackling the stairs already!

[@kategiles7503]

Nice one!

[@MattGirvanNZ]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.

[@jeffc1604]

What a great idea for a day out! I’m originally from Hawera and remember fondly a childhood in a part of the world offering such wonderful outdoor opportunities. Only wish I’d made more of them at the time. Whilst I’ve spent most of my adult life in the UK I returned earlier this year for 3 months tramping and will do more when I return again in November for 3-4 months.
Just a question regarding the track from Syme Hut to the summit: I planned to take this route in Feb and overnighted at the hut. A beautifully warm and sunny day followed but the wind…I’ve never experienced anything like it! I was literally blown along the ground in the flat area near the hut, and certainly any thoughts of summiting were gone. It looks pretty sketchy and as you say the scree makes for hard work but is it reasonably possible to follow, assuming good conditions?
Great video and thanks for making the effort to record the occasion! You were fortunate in having such an enthusiastic support crew too, aw well as good weather!

[@jeffc1604]

BTW BGR 695 (although the record shows me as 10 years older than I really was!)

[@MattGirvanNZ]

Wow sounds like we've got a fair bit in common Jeff! Yeah how lucky were we to grow up in a place like that... I also feel like I didn't really make the most of it until my later teenage years, and only fully appreciate it now that it isn't just on my back doorstep.
Yeah the conditions up there can be crazy... Though as you can see we got incredibly lucky for our run. The route from Syme Hut to the summit isn't too bad in clear conditions - there are good patches of solid rock higher up, and the only way is up... But it isn't too well marked so can help to have a GPS route.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Enjoy your big trip in November, and congrats on the BGR!

[@Stomperproductions]

Yeah the bros! Good job censoring your nipples at the end Matt

[@MattGirvanNZ]

@@Stomperproductions can't just give away gold dust like that for free!