Grab your rain jacket, hat and gloves and head outside to warm up with a winter walk! Even though the weather may not appeal, walking will awaken your senses.
Go tree spotting in Cornwall Park, Mt Eden and Monte Cecilia Park; and enjoy the benefits of taking a walk on a crisp winter day.
Another place to walk in winter and enjoy the trees is Waiata Reserve which you can walk through on theRemerua to Hobson Bay Circuit.
When the deciduous trees have dropped their leaves, more views are revealed, and on those beautiful, clear, dry winter days, the sun is great for warming up our bodies!
Newmarket is a lively area with a wide choice of shops, cafes, cinemas and restaurants. For people who live or work in or near Newmarket, these five walks in Auckland take you through the back streets starting from Newmarket Railway Station. It is very easy for visitors to Auckland to catch a train or bus from Britomart. Or if you are travelling by car, then you could start from a place where parking is easy along the loop. Why visit Newmarket? The history of Newmarket
View from Mt Eden summit
Mt Eden Loop This walk in Auckland that starts from Newmarket Railway Station and takes you to the summit of Mount Eden, can become a day trip for those who have the time. You could leave Newmarket in time to arrive in Mount Eden village for morning tea or lunch, after taking in the views from the top of Mount Eden. Why visit Mount Eden?
After exploring the shops, you could then stop in Eden Gardens to enjoy what is on display, followed by lunch or afternoon tea and then perhaps a visit to Highwic House before heading back to Newmarket.
Otherwise, this one and a half hour walk provides a healthy workout.
Description: A mix of level paths, steps and slightly inclined paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. To see: Volcano Views, residential housing, Mount Eden Village shops, Newmarket boutique shops, Mt Albert Grammar School, entrance to Government House Time: approx. 90 minutes. (about 6 kms)
Stay on track…find this walk’s map and directions guide (AC-055 Newmarket to Mount Eden Loop) and other walk self-guides at our Walk Store
Hobson Bay Walkway
Hobson Bay Walkway Loop Spring can be such a tease. We can have wonderful warm days where we think that summer is around the corner. And then we have days like today, windy with rain threatening. So with raincoats packed, we set out to walk from Newmarket Railway Station to the Hobson Bay Walkway.
We missed the rain for most of the walk, but when the skies did open up, we were close enough to Cafe Monet to drop in for a delicious hot coffee and wait for the rain to stop.
This walk is slightly longer than our usual, taking 90 minutes to cover just under 7.5kms. The route takes you through parks, reserves, boardwalks, bush and residential streets, from bustling Newmarket to the more sedate Remuera.
We suggest that this could be part of a day trip, so allow yourself time to explore both the Newmarket and Remuera shopping precincts or if it’s a fine day, take a picnic and enjoy the views from the edge of Hobson Bay or from Mount Hobson. Or you could sit on a park bench in Waiata Reserve or Newmarket Park and just watch the world go by and the dogs play…
Description: A mix of level paths, steps and slightly inclined paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. To see: Volcano Views, shore birds, residential housing, mangroves, boardwalk, Mount Hobson Time: approx. 90 minutes. (about 7.25 kms) Start: Newmarket Train Station or Victoria Avenue. Dogs: Off leash exercise areas in Newmarket Park, Waiata Reserve, Thomas Bloodworth Park
Mount St John Loop We walked south from Newmarket Railway Station today, and headed for the volcanoes of Mount Hobson and Mount Saint John. Going to the top of Mount Hobson is optional, however from the path alongside of the mountain, you can catch glimpses of Waitemata Harbour and Rangitoto Island . From the summit of Mount Saint John there are fine views of other Auckland volcanoes.
This walk takes in the shops, cafes, and restaurants of Newmarket and the leafy suburban streets of nearby Epsom.
Description: A mix of level paths, steps and slightly inclined paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. To see: Volcano Views, residential housing, Newmarket Shops Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 5.56 kms)
Stay on track…find this walk’s map and directions guide (AC-053 Newmarket to Mount Saint John Loop) and other walk self-guides at our Walk Store
Auckland Museum
Auckland Museum loop For people who live or work in or near Newmarket, this walk takes you through the back streets to the Auckland Domain and Auckland Museum, starting from Newmarket Railway Station.
It is mostly flat walk apart from the slight hill that goes up past Auckland Grammar School, Mountain Road.
Our surprise discovery today was Rannoch – an Arts and Crafts House with an amazing lava forest, and is home to over 100 sculptures.
Description: A mix of mainly level paths, slight incline going up Mountain Road. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. To see: Rangitoto Views, Auckland Grammar School, Maori TV HQ, Jubilee Building, Auckland Hospital, James Wallace Arts Trust “Rannoch” Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 5.29 kms) Cafes: Numerous in Newmarket Children’s playgrounds: Outhwaite Park
Nearby attractions: Newmarket boutique shops (Nuffield and Osborne/Teed Streets) , Domain Winter Gardens, Domain Sensory Gardens, Newmarket Pool, Newmarket cinemas (Rialto and Event), Highwic House. On Saturday mornings there is a Farmers Market behind the Jubilee Building.
Stay on track…find this walk’s map and directions guide (AC-052 Newmarket to Auckland Museum Loop) and other walk self-guides at our Walk Store
The Maze, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, Auckland
Parnell Loop It is very easy for visitors to Auckland to catch a train from Britomart to interesting places to walk in Auckland. You could start this walk from Newmarket Railway Station. Or if you are travelling by car, then you could start from Newmarket Park.
This diverse walk also takes you through a piece of urban bush, by a bubbling stream – a small wilderness walk in the city.
Dogs – off leash exercise areas in Ayr Reserve and Newmarket Park.
Description: A mix of level paths, steps and slightly inclined paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. To see: Newmarket Broadway, Jubilee Building, Auckland Domain, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Ayr Reserve Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 4 kms) Parking: Newmarket Park off Ayr Street, Parnell MAP
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map over at our Walks Store (AC-050 Newmarket to Parnell) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our book “Dog Friendly Walks part 1”).
Special Newmarket ‘5-Walk’ Bundle
Purchase all five Newmarket walks to experience this amazing part of Auckland for a discounted price of $7.95. You will receive the downloadable files with walk description and maps for:
Visitors to Auckland can catch a train from Britomart to Orakei, and enjoy a walk along the Hobson Bay Walkway with views of three volcanoes – North Head, Mt Victoria and Rangitoto Island. This walk in Auckland along the Hobson Bay Walkway also takes you up higher through the streets of Remuera with views of the Sky Tower, the Holy Trinity Cathedral and Auckland Museum. (You can also begin this walk from the car park at Martyn Wilson Fields Reserve.)
Hobson Bay Walkway with views of the 3 volcanoes.
Auckland Council has done a wonderful job on the stormwater upgrade at the Martyn Wilson Reserve – we have been waiting months for this to be completed so that we could document this walk.
Other things to see on this walk are the shore birds that live in the mangrove swamps and creeks at the edge of Hobson Bay. Today we saw pukeko, herons, shags and ducks. There are two children’s playgrounds and a dog off-leash area. The track can be a bit wet and muddy in places after rain.
The Martyn Wilson Reserve is opposite Palmers Garden Centre which houses Cafe Greenfingers. This popular cafe is now en-route for this and two other of our walks:
Description: A mix of level paths, steps and slightly inclined paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. To see: Volcano Views, shore birds, residential housing, mangroves, boardwalk Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 4.7 kms) Start: Marytn Wilson Fields Reserve Map
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map (AC-051 Remuera and Hobson Bay Walkway) over at our Walks Store and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our book “Coastal part 2”).
This walk in Auckland is a low tide walk (check the tides here) that takes you around the edge of Hobson Bay, via the Freda Kirkwood Walkway and along the back streets of Parnell finishing at the Shore Road Cafe.
Dog lovers have two reserves that are off-leash exercise areas.
Nature lovers can enjoy the Native Bush in Ayr Reserve (look out for the cheeky fantails).
Parts of the Hobson Bay Walkway includes a boardwalk which hopefully will one day be extended to make this walk accessible at high tide too. Description: A mix of level paths, steps and slightly inclined paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather. NB Low-tide walk only To see: Hobson Bay views, Rangitoto Island view, mangroves, native bush, fantails. Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 5 kms) Parking: Shore Road, Thomas Bloodworth Park Suggested Cafe: Shore Road Cafe
Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map over at our Walks Store (AC-034 Hobson Bay Walkway and Parnell Loop) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our book “Dog Friendly Walks part 3”).
Our self-guides indicate if there are any dog friendly off-leash areas and/or are suitable for dog friendly walks in Auckland. This is noted when we visit the area – it may change without any notice due to Council regulations. Check with this Auckland Council webpage: Exercising your dog before you head out.
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”).
Self guided short circular walks in Auckland for health, fitness and fun