Incline Track is a walking track in the Nihotupu area near Laingholm, on Auckland's western edge, and holds a 3.4 rating on Google; up-to-date track information is published on Auckland Council's parks and recreation pages. A good bush track in the Waitakere foothills gets you under canopy and into birdsong within minutes of the road. The clay underfoot turns slick after rain, so grippy shoes matter more than pace, and kauri dieback controls mean tracks in this region can close at short notice or ask walkers to clean their soles at gateways. It pays to check the council's track status before setting out, carry more water than you think you need, and do as locals do: walk early, while the mud is still firm. For Laingholm and Titirangi walkers, it keeps a stretch of native rainforest close to home.