Interesting to see the memorial to Michael Joseph Savage (the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand and the founder of the welfare state) and the remains of defense fortifications.
One low point – it is difficult to cross Tamaki Drive safely, especially at the Kelly Tarlton corner where the footpath on the land side runs out. It is OK to use the tunnel under Tamaki Drive to cross to the seaward side, but there is a locked door if you want to cross from the seaward side.
Today’s discovery walk was at Hobsonville Point. A good friend of mine had already told me about how wonderful the Catalina Cafe is on a sunny day. And then today I read about Hobsonville Pt Park children’s playground which is quite unique – made from sustainably sourced materials.
The family friendly walk explores the former air base with the very few remaining old buildings. There is a great deal of development going on with new housing and a planned ferry service to the CBD from ‘The Landing’ (which used to be the launching and landing place for flying boats, including Sunderland and Catalina planes). The historic buildings are being demolished at a fast pace to make way for new housing, so if history is your thing, get down there before it is completely gone.
The walking route is also suitable for prams/buggies and dog walkers (on leash only as of August 2014).
This walk takes about 60-80 minutes and is ideal for spring and autumn (too hot in summer and too muddy in winter). There is a lot to explore if you haven’t been here before. This is a dog friendly walk with an off-leash area and is a mostly flat walk.
Please note: As this area is under constant development, the walking route and the off leash dog exercise area, may be subject to change.
Description: Level sealed paths and bush track. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. Suggested spring/autumn walk. Caution: Muddy and slippery when wet. To see: Hangars, barracks, officers housing, seaplane slipway, Auckland harbour views, weekend markets. Time: approx. 60-80 minutes. (about 5.5 kms) Start: Opposite Catalina Café off Buckley Avenue MAP
You may wish to download our free Hobsonville Point walkway brochure when you enter your contact details here or find your own route here.
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map (AW-013 Hobsonville Point) over at our Walks Store and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our books “Dog Friendly Walks part 3” and “Best of the West“.
Waiatarua Reserve has something for everyone. The reserve is a large wetland (see the pukeko and other water birds) with paths suitable for walking, jogging, wheelchairs (not electric wheelchairs) and cycling (paths not suitable for small wheels like scooters).
The walking route is also suitable for prams/buggies with large wheels.
It has a children’s playground, picnic tables, viewing platforms, a Basketball half court, a Skate park.
This is a dog friendly, mostly flat walk (watch out for puddles after rain) with an off-leash exercise area. It has been called “Auckland’s best dog park” (See other Dog Friendly Walks).
In some places, you could imagine that you are a long way from civilization, because all you can hear are the birds and all you can see are trees.
The walk is signposted to be 60 minutes long, we walked just over 3 kms, which makes it a short family friendly walk.
Description: Mostly level paths with very slight inclines. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. To see: Wetlands, Ducks and Pukeko birds habitat. Time: approx. 30-60 minutes depending on what you decide (about 3.3 kms) Start: Car park off Grand Drive MAP Suggested Cafe:Hollywood Bakery in Lunn Avenue
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map over at our Walks Store (AC-035 Waiatarua Reserve) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our book “Dog Friendly Walks part 1”).
Today was clear and sunny, which called for a walk and climb to look over Auckland from up high from Mount Victoria. Mt Victoria provides spectacular views – it is higher than North Head and closer to Auckland City. This walk has a dog friendly off-leash area. (See other Dog Friendly Walks) And Devonport’s village-style shops and cafes is always a great place to visit and walk around. It’s fun to arrive in Devonport by ferry. And you could spend the whole day there – spend half the day at North Head and the other half at Mt Victoria with a lunch and shop browse in-between…..
Description: A mix of level paths, steep paths and steps. Suitable for most ages and levels of fitness and mobility, designed with flat shoes or running shoes in mind. Not suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. To see: Wonderful views of Rangitoto, Hauraki Gulf and Auckland City, historical buildings. Mount Cambria Reserve – A volcanic cone that is now a park, having been quarried away for roading, garden walls and ship’s ballast. Victoria Picture Palace/Theatre – built in 1912, oldest cinema in NZ. Fort Mt Victoria and the Disappearing Gun. St Francis De Sales Catholic Church, St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Devonport Cemetery History: https://www.devonport.co.nz/heritage.htm Time: approx. 60 minutes. MAP
What a fabulous day for a walk in Auckland – warm, sunny, no wind….and there were so many people out and about taking advantage of the great weather!
St Heliers is a buzzy little place on Tamaki Drive with a small selection of cafes and restaurants to choose from for refreshments.
Todays walk provides spectacular views looking over the Hauraki Gulf to the small islands and the impressive Rangitoto volcano. And then onto Glover Park another of Auckland’s volcano remains – this one is an ‘explosion crater’.
This is a dog friendly walk with an off-leash exercise area.
Description: A mix of level and steep paths. Suitable for most ages and levels of fitness and mobility, designed with flat shoes or running shoes in mind. Not suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. To see: Wonderful views of Rangitoto, Hauraki Gulf and Auckland City. Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 4.5kms) Map
I really enjoy the diversity of Auckland at large and it is also a pleasure to find a walk that contains diversity within a small area. This walk in Auckland, takes us from the ridge of Remuera Village, down to the edge of Hobson Bay walkway, onto a boardwalk amongst the mangroves via reserves and the Remuera mansions. You really get to know a city when you walk – we miss so much when we travel by car. This walk reveals some hidden Auckland gems.
Cafe Greenfingers at Palmers Garden Centre on Shore Road is a great little cafe – the coffee is very good and so is the food.
This walk is one to do if fitness is a criteria – there is a decent uphill. It can also be done in all weathers as all the paths are paved.
Description:A mix of level and steep paths. Suitable in all weather. Suitable for most ages and levels of fitness and mobility, designed with flat shoes or running shoes in mind. Not suitable for wheelchairs. To see: Remuera mansions, park with mature trees, character shopping street with cafes and restaurants, mangrove trees, water views, ducks. Time: approx. 60-90 minutes depending on pace. Start: Waiata Avenue off Victoria Avenue. MAP
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map brochure (AC-015 Remuera to Hobson Bay) over at our Walks Store and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our books “Coastal part 1” and “Dog Friendly Walks part 2”).
How do you recover after last night’s fabulous TV screening of the wedding of Prince William and Catherine? Go for a walk in Auckland of course!
Today’s walk begins at Victoria Park Markets and takes us through the suburban streets of Freemans Bay up to Ponsonby Road via the well-hidden gem of Western Park and the sculptural installation by John Radford on Ponsonby Road.
Tunnel under construction
Victoria Park Markets have been upgraded and the last time we were there (2014), they were starting to look interesting. Did you know that these buildings started life as “The Destructor; Auckland’s first rubbish depot”? Read more at Suite101: History of Victoria Park Market
Western Park is a delight. There is a comprehensive children’s playground that includes a flying fox and long slide, a fitness trail and wonderful trees such as the massive Moreton Bay Fig trees and Kauri trees and Cyprus trees to name a few. This is a dog friendly walk with an off-leash area. (See other Dog Friendly Walks)
Colourful Ponsonby Road is worth exploring and there many cafes and restaurants to choose from. This area is also full of heritage buildings and places of interest. Choose from four Ponsonby Heritage Walks.
A mix of level and steep paths. Suitable in dry and wet weather. Suitable for most ages and levels of fitness and mobility, designed with flat shoes or running shoes in mind. Not suitable for wheelchairs. To see : City dwellings, City tourist market, park with mature trees, character shopping street with cafes and restaurants. Dogs: Off leash area. Children’s Playground=Yes Time : approx. 60 minutes. Allow extra time to explore. Start Point: Victoria Park Market
There is so much to discover when you take a walk in Parnell! One moment you can be in the solitude of a reserve and the next looking at large cranes moving shipping containers with a helicopter nearby warming up to take off, and a train swiftly moving along the tracks.
The weather did not look the best today with low grey clouds in the sky after a day of rain yesterday. So we took our raincoats and didn’t need them…
However, we chose a walk that would not get our feet too wet. But if you do want to get wet when it’s a lovely sunny day, then this walk takes you along Judges Bay and around the Parnell Baths via the Parnell Rose Gardens in Dove Myer Robinson Park (named after Auckland’s longest serving (18 years) Mayor – Dove Myer Robinson). The walk takes us out along the end of Solent Street. The Council planted a row of native pohutukawa trees along the path in 2008 and a few years later they have grown significantly. We wondered how much they will grow in another few years and if they will hinder walkers…
The roses today were looking bedraggled because of all the rain. However, the fernery was stunning and a great place for children to wander around safely.
Description: A mix of level paths and steep paths/steps. Caution: Muddy and slippery when wet. Suitable for most ages and levels of fitness and mobility, designed with flat shoes or running shoes in mind. Not suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. To see: NZ native ferns palms and cycads, roses, Waitemata Harbour views, City views, helicopters, cranes, big trucks, container wharf, Parnell Baths Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 5kms) Parking: Gladstone Road or Stanwell Street, off Gladstone Road, Parnell
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map brochures over at our Walks Store(AC-012 Parnell and Judges Bay Loop) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our book “Coastal part 1”).
Another beautiful autumn day and todays walk in Auckland Central is one of contrasts – from the quietness of secluded reserves to the noisy Parnell farmers markets. This Auckland urban bush walk is great to do all year round.
There are two markets:
Parnell Farmers Market – behind the Foundation for the Blind off Parnell Road. It is open from 8am to noon every Saturday. Today there was quite a variety of stalls from cheese to bread, to unusual pumpkins. The stall holders are very friendly and enjoyed giving us a taste of their products.
French Style Farmers Market at La Cigale, off St Georges Bay Road. This is a bigger market with more variety. There is a wide range of delicious looking and smelling foods for humans plus an interesting looking stall of dog food. These markets are open Saturdays 8am to 1.30pm and Sundays 9am to 1.30pm. La Cigale cafe was busy with people catching up for coffee with friends and staying on for lunch. Again, everyone is friendly and happy to share a taste of their tasty produce. It is all locally produced so you know that it is fresh and in many cases organic.
We walked from the busy bustling markets to the peacefulness of reserves with birdlife, nikau palms and New Zealand native ferns, past quaint cottages and the massive Holy Trinity Cathedral and the more modest St John the Baptist Church.
Parnell Village is a popular shopping strip with many cafes and restaurants to choose from. To make this a full day outing, you may wish to stay and explore Parnell Village and learn about its history.
This is a great walk if you wish to take in both markets on a Saturday or you can exclude them if you prefer a quieter walk. Dog walk friendly with off-leash areas.
Description: A mix of level paths and steep paths/steps. Caution: Muddy and slippery when wet. Suitable for most ages and levels of fitness and mobility, designed with flat shoes or running shoes in mind. Not suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. To see: NZ native ferns palms and cycads, Waitemata Harbour views, farmers markets, old cottages. Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 3.92kms) Start: Stratford Street (off Gladstone Road) MAP Suggested Cafés: la Cigale, 69 St Georges Bay Road, Rosie’s Café, 82 Gladstone Road
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map brochures over at our Walks Store (AC-009 Parnell Markets and Reserves) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our books “Urban Bush” and “Dog Friendly part 3”).
