It’s spring, and the weather is looking brighter. Time to get outdoors and enjoy what nature has to offer us. And you don’t need to travel far! We have great options on the Shore – reserves and walks with picturesque views and ecological treasures to find.
While we may not have tulips and daffodils in abundance, we can count ourselves lucky to have native bush full of taonga species. You can’t deny the majesty of our pohutakawa-dotted coastline, red blooms amongst the dark rocks, and along the clifftops, there are the sweeping views of our beautiful Hauraki Gulf. Here is a round-up of some of the North Shore’s treasured gems that we’ve visited recently.
Smiths Bush, Northcote – 25-minute loop
Let’s start with the most accessible. Smiths Bush is a hidden gem, particularly if you use a wheelchair, push a buggy, or have small children with you. A flat boardwalk loop through dense native bush with some of the oldest pūriri on the North Shore, along with taraire, kowhai, titoki, karaka, tawa, tōtara, and more. You’ll often see a lot of bird life and hear bird song – look up and see the towering trees forming a canopy above you. There are frequent bench seats, great for anyone who needs a rest stop. Entrance is to the side of the Takapuna Cricket Club building on Northcote Road.
Kauri Glen Path, Northcote – 20-minutes one-way
This track, with entry just below Northcote College, was upgraded recently to include a 60 metre treetop boardwalk. Here you can walk (18 metres high!) amongst the kauri and tanekaha, some of which are hundreds of years old. With no steps, this pathway is also wheelchair accessible. Entrance from Kauri Glen Road.
Kauri Point Centennial Park, Chatswood – 35-minute loop
Kauri Point Centennial Park has a number of options, of which the main one on the council website is the 35-minute loop. We chose the southward fork from this loop, which took the same amount of time but may have been more rugged. It is enormous fun navigating the tree roots of these natural bush tracks, but be aware that there is very little cliff fencing when you are gazing at the sea views. The best map is on the Kaipātiki Community Facilities Trust website: kcft.org.nz/kauri-point-centennial-park/
One of the paths will take you to Kendall Bay, a beautiful little beach. You can usually make your way from Kauri Point all the way to Chelsea Heritage Park. However the last part of this section was closed in September. Like all the natural bush track walks, if it’s been raining, it can be slippery and you’ll appreciate decent grip on your shoes. Entrance from Onetaunga Road.
North Shore Coastal Walk – Long Bay to Devonport or sections within
The North Shore Coastal Walk from Long Bay to Devonport is part of Te Araroa, the walking trail that spans the length of Aotearoa New Zealand. In effect, the Coastal Walk combines a number of paths that connect beaches throughout East Coast Bays. At the end of each path, you will often need to find the start of the next path at the end of the next beach.
Gumdiggers Trail, Rothesay Bay – 20 minutes one way
Part of the North Shore Coastal Walk, this is a short clifftop track with great views, a few hills, and a few stairs. There is a hidden cove halfway along that is fun to explore, and you’ll get great views of Rangitoto and the sea breaking on the rocks. You can admire the architecture of newly built homes, as you often can on clifftop walks. To add on the next track to Mairangi Bay, walk across Murrays Bay beach past the sailing club. Gumdiggers Trail entrance is on Churchill Road, towards the Rothesay Bay end of the street.
Milford – Takapuna coastal walk – approximately one hour one way if the tide is out
Known in my family as the 'giant chair' walk, because of the feature that most appeals to children, this is a charming and quirky part of the North Shore Coastal Walk. Crossing the rocks along the foreshore is fun and great for practising your balancing skills! Some of the path can't be crossed at high tide, and one section crosses private property. At such points, you may need to go up onto Kitchener or Hurstmere Road as an alternative.
The end of Milford Beach, past the small pump station, is the beginning of your rock walking. You’ll see many huge pohutakawa and cross the beautiful soft sand of Thorne Beach. As you round the north end of Takapuna Beach, you can see some strange-looking rocks on the foreshore at low tide. This is Takapuna’s fossil forest! When Pupukemoana (Lake Pupuke) erupted some 200,000 years ago, lava surrounded the trees that grew in this area and encased their lower trunks. The trees were burnt and destroyed, but the lava that solidified around the trunks still holds their shape hundreds of thousands of years later. We always finish with an ice cream from Takapuna Beach Café and watch the boating and water sports taking place. Entrance from the south end of Milford Beach.
Centennial Park, Campbells Bay – 30 or 60 minute loop
This 29-hectare reserve, full of regenerating native forest, has many tracks. On the council website, they’re listed as the 60-minute Centennial Park path and the 30-minute Centennial Park Nature Path; however, there’s more detail on this map of the trails you can do: campbellsbayurbansanctuary.org.nz/our-world/virtual-nature-trail/
Once you make your way into the bush, you’ll find natural bush tracks as well as boardwalks and gravel paths. An important stream network runs through the park; it’s beautiful to watch it burble through rocks and create pools alongside little bridges. Native water life thrives here, including banded kokopu, koura, tuna (eels), and kakahi (freshwater mussels), so dogs must be kept on a leash. Native trees include karo, kowhai, rimu, mahoe, kahikatea, and māpou, to name a few.
Numbered markers are placed at ground level along each track, with information and a QR code relating to the map on the Campbells Bay Urban Sanctuary website. It’s a lot of fun for children to run on ahead and find the next number, and it helps when you get mixed up between the tracks to find your way back! Entrance point options include Morton Way, East Coast Road (opposite Forrest Hill Sports Park), and the bottom of Sandford Street.
Kennedy Park, Castor Bay – a spot to explore
This small park with a great adventure playground also has an astounding amount of history. The site of the ancient Rahopara Pā is at the far end, past WWII tunnels and gun emplacements. (Tunnels are currently closed to the public) The houses on the site were apparently built as decoys to ensure the area didn’t look like a military zone.
This park has beautiful views and has been a great community resource for the hardcore exercisers who loved to run up and down the colossal Kennedy Park stairs, also known affectionately as the 'Kennedy Park stairs of doom'. Unfortunately, the stairs have been closed since damage during Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, although the latest news on the Auckland Council website is that they will reopen this summer. 137 Beach Road, Castor Bay.
Where to find park or walk details
Auckland Council offers a useful interactive map: Aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/parks-recreation/Pages/find-park-beach.aspx
Final note: Make sure you look after our kauri and always clean your shoes at the kauri die-back stations if you see one!
