Tag Archives: Dog Owners

Northcote Tuff Crater Loop

This loop walk that takes in Northcote’s volcanic Tuff Crater and Onepoto Domain is based on one from Margaret Scrymgeour’s booklet “Explore the Shore”.

Onepoto Domain Northcote

We started the walk from the children’s playground area at Onepoto Domain.  We had heard about the children’s cycle track and it is a really safe place to bring young children and their bikes.  The playgrounds looks like a lot of fun too (it has a flying fox).  It is a great place to have a picnic, feed the ducks and an ideal spot for parenting groups to meet up.

Onepoto Basin is another of Auckland’s explosion craters and it is the oldest dated, erupting about 250,000 years ago. The Maori name “Onepoto” means small beach (named after Halls Beach near Northcote Point).

Tuff Crater is another explosion crater (this one is filled with water), which is being restored to its natural state with a balanced ecosystem of native plants and wildlife, all with volunteer help. It was formed by explosive eruptions around the same time as Onepoto.
For more information about the Tuff Crater, you may wish to view this video. (please note that our loop walk includes part of the Tuff Crater. There are future plans to build a circular walkway completely around the Tuff Crater).

Tuff Crater - dogs on leash only

Dogs may be off-leash on the track within the Tuff Crater Reserve (according to Auckland Council  Bye-laws Department re phone call 3/6/2014).  There is a risk that they could disturb endangered bird life, so please keep them under control.  We do have a request for dog owners to pick up litter (as we did come across litter).
PLEASE NOTE: As of the 29th October 2014 the new dog rules for Tuff Crater – Dogs prohibited within the foreshore (mangroves) of Tuff Crater; on-leash on track around reserve.

Description: Bush tracks, steps, inclines. Muddy in places when wet. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility.
To see: Native bush, views across Auckland Harbour, native birds, volcanic crater
Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 5.0 kms). Dog friendly, but on leash only.
Parking: Onepoto Domain, Northcote.
Buses: Onewa Road, Northcote MAP

P1 Dog friendly walks in Auckland

Google Maps for
Onepoto Domain &Tuff Crater

Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map  (AN-085 Northcote Tuff Crater Loop) over at our Walks Store and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our book “Dog Friendly Walks part 1”).

Grey Lynn Explorer

It was time to visit the newly opened (15th June 2013) Cox’s Bay Reserve boardwalk and to incorporate it into another circular walk to add to our collection.

Cox's Bay Reserve board walk © 2011-2013 Unleashed Ventures Limited

This walk explores both Cox’s Bay Reserve and Grey Lynn Park.
Cox’s Bay Reserve is made up of three parks – Hukanui Reserve where the new boardwalk is, Bayfield Park where you may wish to have your picnic, and the sports fields of Cox’s Bay Park. It is a mini-paradise for dog owners with off-leash dog exercise areas.

And it is family friendly too, with a selection of children’s playgrounds and picnic sites. It is a great place for joggers and people who like to use the outdoor fitness stations.

The wide open spaces, sculptures, playing fields, the creek, mangrove swamps, gullies, the bay itself, a field with cattle and tall mature trees surrounded by interesting residential housing, make this another walk that is full of variety.

Also of interest is the Kelmarna Gardens Nature Trail off Hukanui Crescent – A self-directed nature trail will show you chickens, vegetable gardens, a pony and young cattle, an organic orchard, beehives, worm farm, compost making, native trees and flax. The trail winds its way through the gardens, across paddocks and links to Cox’s Creek Walkway. The gardens were established in 1981 and have been organically managed for 32 years. The land is owned by Auckland Council for the benefit of the whole community.

For history information visit “Meanderings about Cox’s Creek”.

Dogs – Off leash exercise areas in Cox’s Bay Reserve and Grey Lynn Park (check signage for rules).

Dog friendly walks in Auckland - part three

Description: Paved walkways, steps, inclines and board walks. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. (Suitable for prams/buggies excluding the steps).
To see: Sculptures, playing fields, the creek, mangrove swamps, gullies, the bay itself, a field with cattle and tall mature trees surrounded by interesting residential housing.
Time: approx. 70 minutes. (about 5.58 kms)
Parking: Westmoreland Street West off Richmond Road, Grey Lynn.
Buses: Richmond Road, Grey Lynn MAP
Children’s playgrounds. Off-leash dog exercise areas in in Grey Lynn Park and Cox’s Bay Reserve (please read the signs).
Cafe: Bread and Butter

Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map over at our Walks Store  (AC-081 Grey Lynn Explorer) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our book “Dog Friendly Walks part 3”).

Macleans Park and Eastern Beach

Today we explored Macleans Park and Eastern Beach – an area that was new to us.  The walk took us up and over the Park and down to the waterfront.  We were rewarded with wonderful views over the Hauraki Gulf/Tamaki Strait and were able to cool off in the snippets of native bush.

walks in Auckland

This is a dog owners paradise -a very dog friendly walk with an off-leash area throughout the park. Dogs are allowed on the beach area from 7 pm to 9 am. The Auckland Council dog laws are:
Dogs are permitted off leash in ALL parks and reserves except those adjoining beaches with the above mentioned restrictions on times dogs are allowed on the beach. (See other Dog Friendly Walks)

The beach area is set up for picnics and there are children’s playgrounds.

Macleans Park is 36 ha in size. The gully areas and stream restoration plantings have helped to provide roosting and foraging habitat for kingfisher, fantail, pigeon, silver eye, tui and grey warbler native birds.

Note: the yellow line shows the Short Walks In Auckland recommended loop walk.

Click to open the Google Map in a separate tab or tap icon in top right of this map.

Download a printable version of the Macleans Park Downloadable Google Map

Macleans Park Track Elevation
Macleans Park Walkway Elevation

Description: A mix of level paths, steps and steep paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather.
To see: Hauraki Gulf/Tamaki Strait views, native bush, streams, beach
Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 4 kms)
Start: Macleans Road opposite Murivale Drive MAP

Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map over at our Walks Store  (AE-032 Macleans Park) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our books “Dog Friendly Walks part 1” and “Best of the East”).

Walk TimeApprox 6 minutes (2.5 – 4km)
SurfaceDirt/Gravel, Grass, Paved
Difficulty2 – some hills but excellent track
Buggies/WheelchairSome hills are steep and there are some stairs
FacilitiesToilets, Playground, Flying Fox
HighlightsBeautiful native bush & birds, Flying Fox, Spectacular sea views, variety

Churchill Park Loop

Churchill Park is one of a few walks in Auckland that does not have much shelter, so it was a great day to get into the park, with a pleasantly  warm sun and no rain.

The walk starts off going uphill and there are further gentle undulations – it fits the ‘fitness’ criteria! There is some variety – big pine tress, distant city skyline views, a path following a stream (where the Nikau Palms were showing off their red berries), a few cattle taking up what shade they could find and then once out of the park the fabulous views over the harbour and estuary.

Churchill Park, Glendowie Park and Roberta Reserve all have an off-leash dog exercise area and today there were dog owners taking advantage of the weather.

For children, there is an attractive playground area at the walk start and end point. Update June 2014: A recent redesign and reconstruction has transformed Roberta Reserve playground into a series of exciting, safe play spaces
for kids of all ages. For more adventurous youngsters, the park’s large colourful rope fort, eagle’s nest and swing basket are a real highlight.

Description:A mix of level paths, and a few steep paths. Suitable in dry weather. Suitable for users of all ages and abilities, suitable for normal footwear and for wheelchairs and pushchairs. May be muddy in places during the winter months.
To see: Sea views, city views, stream, private gardens, farm animals
Time: About 5kms (approx. 60 minutes).
Start: On corner of Robert Ave and Riddell Road. MAP
Playground: Corner of Riddell Road & Roberta Ave

Suggested Café: Ronnies Café, Corner of Riddell Road and Roberta Avenue (they do great iced coffees and date scones!)

Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map over at our Walks Store  (AE-007 Churchill Park) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our books “Coastal part 1”, “Dog Friendly Walks part 1” and “Best of the East”).