Walks from Devonport

Our 2001 explorations

For further information, what it's all about, minimal explanations, more walks, etc., go to the main Walks page.

All Waitakere track numbers are those given on the 2002 map; when I got round to adding the numbers to the file, the 1996 map was long dead. Almost all of them will be correct anyway, as the numbers are fairly stable.

South Omana regional park Perimeter track Almost all 2001 January 6 Omana leaflet N42:538573 Easy path, pleasant views.
Noisy by the road
Do NOT park in the first car park - too busy.
South Omana regional park track to Te Puru Domain South corner of perimeter track to domain 2001 January 6 Easy path, noisy, not specially exciting. View of wetlands.
Perhaps useful way back if you walk across the stream ?.
South Awhitu regional park various Lookout loop walk, with variations. 2001 January 14 Family Walks - VERY out of date N47:172312 Pleasant, not demanding.
The map in Family Walks shows the ground, but is totally inadequate for the paths.
Waitakere Piha Road Upper Huia Dam track About half way, and back. 2001 February 24 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #133 - but experience doesn't fit the map. The entrance is significantly east of the position on the map. N42:062489 ? ( See note to left. Also stream names on L&S map differ from those on park map. ) Starts muddy and rooty and steepish. Also routy - not strenuous but scrambling and fords. Track improves when it reaches old tramline.
Auckland Long Bay Coastal walk 2001 March 3 Long Bay leaflet N38:265810 Easy. Naked people at Pohutukawa Bay, and scattered elsewhere.
There's a "loop track" inland from Granny's Bay - possibly back towards Long Bay ?
Auckland Long Bay Back by the sea 2001 March 3 Some paddling at about 2¸ hours after high tide. Somewhat muddy in places, a bit slippery; quite easy, though.
North Orewa Orewa Estuary Bridge to Riverside Road 2001 March 10 Rodney Walkways;Hibiscus Coast walkways N38:215909 Very flat. Pleasant river; a pity about Orewa.
North Orewa Pohutukawa Reserve 2001 March 10 Rodney Walkways N38:214908 Mostly grassy, houses not so obtrusive. Pleasant river; a pity about Orewa.
North Orewa Amorino Reserve 2001 March 10 Rodney Walkways N38:216909 Short path, then short walk on sand or rocks ( low tide ) to river mouth. Easy; good. You can ignore Orewa.
Waitakere Anawhata Road Ridge Road Track 2001 March 17 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #5 ( many more wiggles in the road than on the map ) N41:044650 Mostly broad and clear; comparatively level. Probably slippery if wet.
Waitakere Anawhata Road Browne track 2001 March 17 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #22 N41:042657 Junction with Ridge Road track not marked. Starts level, increasingly steep down to stream - pleasant. Some scrambling. There's a signpost at the end !
Hunua South Vining track About 105 minutes - probably at the top, but not at the junction. 2001 March 24 North Island Walkways, p108 N48:745250 ( about ) Very pleasant farmland, streams to ford. Bush track fairly well marked, much of it quite steep : lots of trees, no other view.
Waitakere North Long Road track Long Road to Wainamu Bush track; Smythe Ridge track to Long Road. 2001 March 31 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #4 N41:024566 ( about ) Dry this time - still one or two pools, but easy to pass.
Waitakere North Wainamu Bush track Long Road track to Smythe Ridge track. 2001 March 31 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #6 Down, then up, both significantly. Straightforward, but would be much harder going if wet. ( Took 1 hour - the map says 2 hours. ).
Very pleasant walk; tantalising suggestion of view to the right never materialises.
Waitakere North Smythe Ridge track Wainamu Bush track to Long Road tack. 2001 March 31 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #7 Up and down, but not excessively; occasional views from the high bits. Broad, mostly easy walking. Might be harder if wet.
North Kerr-Taylor Reserve 2001 April 16 Rodney Walkways ( NOT in Forest and Bird book ) N37:018725 ( about ) No information. Entry near north end of bush. We found an 8-shaped walk, well made, very pretty bush, about 45 minutes.
It says there's a car park 100m north; we didn't find it.
Waitakere Anawhata Road Kuataika Track Anawhata Road to summit after Kuataika Stream, and back. 2001 April 25 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #8 N41:996509 Broad and well marked. Very steep in places; slightly slippery in dry weather. One significant ford. More views than usual.
Waitakere Anawhata Road Summit after Kuataika Stream to Kuataika Trig point, and back. 2001 April 25 Waitakere map ( 1996 ) Narrow track to left at obvious high point of path. Well marked, easy, short; excellent views.
North Tawharanui Regional Park West End track Road from lagoon - Comet rock - campsite - back to road 2001 September 30 ARC Northern Parks N34:333184 Well marked, easy; very pretty. The seaside bit is along the sand, not the shore. Short cut back because we misinterpreted Comet Rock as Phoenix Reef.
Hunua West Lower Mangatawhiri Track About an hour. 2001 October 13 Hunua Regional park map N48:654294 ( about ) Through the first gate; bear left up an unmarked track at the second gateway.
Quite rough; well marked once you get on it, but lots of small-scale up and down, roots, debris, slippery bits. Strenuous. Very few views. Stopped after a bit over an hour at a view to the SW.
Hunua West Private forest road ( probably illegal ) 2001 October 13 Over the fence, back by the forest road. Easy walking ( 35 minutes back ), peaceful.
North Wenderholm Car park to car park round the peninsula 2001 November 10 ARC Northern Parks N38:227991 Non-challenging.
North Wenderholm Car park to car park via campsite, Schishka Road, bit of Perimeter Track 2001 November 10 ARC Northern Parks Non-challenging.
Auckland Mangere Mountain Car park on Domain Road - through playground, up hill, along ridge to southeast end, back through craters. 2001 November 24 N42:305486? Pleasant. Very rural in the craters.
Auckland Old Mangere Bridge Car park at reserve, south end of old bridge; across the bridge and back 2001 November 24 N42:304498 Mildly interesting.
POSSIBLE to walk back over the footpath on the motorway bridge - should be a better view. ( Didn't notice until too late. )
Auckland North Shore Kauri Point, Centennial Park Main entrance - Upper entrance ( nearly ) Swamp track - beach - Chelsea 2001 December 22 Kauri Point leaflet; Northcote and Birkenhead harbourside booklet. N42:232639 Still good. Some steep bits. Quite dry, though the weather has been fairly wet.
Auckland North Shore Chelsea sugar works Centennial Park - Less LOST 2001 December 22 Northcote and Birkenhead harbourside booklet, but not satisfactory. Tried to infer the way back from pages 5 and 9; but found no path from Colonial Road.

Alan Creak,
2004 March.

South	Omana regional park	Perimeter track	Almost all	2001	January	6	Omana leaflet	N42:538573	Easy path, pleasant views. Noisy by the road Do NOT park in the first car park - too busy.
South	Omana regional park	track to Te Puru Domain	South corner of perimeter track to domain	2001	January	6			Easy path, noisy, not specially exciting. View of wetlands. Perhaps useful way back if you walk across the stream ?.
South	Awhitu regional park	various	Lookout loop walk, with variations.	2001	January	14	Family Walks - VERY out of date	N47:172312	Pleasant, not demanding. The map in Family Walks shows the ground, but is totally inadequate for the paths.
Waitakere	Piha Road	Upper Huia Dam track	About half way, and back.	2001	February	24	Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #133 - but experience doesn't fit the map. The entrance is significantly east of the position on the map.	N42:062489 ? ( See note to left. Also stream names on L&S map differ from those on park map. )	Starts muddy and rooty and steepish. Also routy - not strenuous but scrambling and fords. Track improves when it reaches old tramline.
Auckland	Long Bay	Coastal walk		2001	March	3	Long Bay leaflet	N38:265810	Easy. Naked people at Pohutukawa Bay, and scattered elsewhere. There's a "loop track" inland from Granny's Bay - possibly back towards Long Bay ?
Auckland	Long Bay		Back by the sea	2001	March	3			Some paddling at about 2¸ hours after high tide. Somewhat muddy in places, a bit slippery; quite easy, though.
North	Orewa	Orewa Estuary	Bridge to Riverside Road	2001	March	10	Rodney Walkways;Hibiscus Coast walkways	N38:215909	Very flat. Pleasant river; a pity about Orewa.
North	Orewa	Pohutukawa Reserve		2001	March	10	Rodney Walkways	N38:214908	Mostly grassy, houses not so obtrusive. Pleasant river; a pity about Orewa.
North	Orewa	Amorino Reserve		2001	March	10	Rodney Walkways	N38:216909	Short path, then short walk on sand or rocks ( low tide ) to river mouth. Easy; good. You can ignore Orewa.
Waitakere	Anawhata Road	Ridge Road Track		2001	March	17	Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #5 ( many more wiggles in the road than on the map )	N41:044650	Mostly broad and clear; comparatively level. Probably slippery if wet.
Waitakere	Anawhata Road	Browne track		2001	March	17	Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #22	N41:042657	Junction with Ridge Road track not marked. Starts level, increasingly steep down to stream - pleasant. Some scrambling. There's a signpost at the end !
Hunua	South	Vining track	About 105 minutes - probably at the top, but not at the junction.	2001	March	24	North Island Walkways, p108	N48:745250 ( about )	Very pleasant farmland, streams to ford. Bush track fairly well marked, much of it quite steep : lots of trees, no other view.
Waitakere	North	Long Road track	Long Road to Wainamu Bush track; Smythe Ridge track to Long Road.	2001	March	31	Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #4	N41:024566 ( about )	Dry this time - still one or two pools, but easy to pass.
Waitakere	North	Wainamu Bush track	Long Road track to Smythe Ridge track.	2001	March	31	Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #6		Down, then up, both significantly. Straightforward, but would be much harder going if wet. ( Took 1 hour - the map says 2 hours. ). Very pleasant walk; tantalising suggestion of view to the right never materialises.
Waitakere	North	Smythe Ridge track	Wainamu Bush track to Long Road tack.	2001	March	31	Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #7		Up and down, but not excessively; occasional views from the high bits. Broad, mostly easy walking. Might be harder if wet.
North	Kerr-Taylor Reserve			2001	April	16	Rodney Walkways ( NOT in Forest and Bird book )	N37:018725 ( about )	No information. Entry near north end of bush. We found an 8-shaped walk, well made, very pretty bush, about 45 minutes. It says there's a car park 100m north; we didn't find it.
Waitakere	Anawhata Road	Kuataika Track	Anawhata Road to summit after Kuataika Stream, and back.	2001	April	25	Waitakere map ( 1996 ) #8	N41:996509	Broad and well marked. Very steep in places; slightly slippery in dry weather. One significant ford. More views than usual.
Waitakere	Anawhata Road		Summit after Kuataika Stream to Kuataika Trig point, and back.	2001	April	25	Waitakere map ( 1996 )		Narrow track to left at obvious high point of path. Well marked, easy, short; excellent views.
North	Tawharanui Regional Park	West End track	Road from lagoon - Comet rock - campsite - back to road	2001	September	30	ARC Northern Parks	N34:333184	Well marked, easy; very pretty. The seaside bit is along the sand, not the shore. Short cut back because we misinterpreted Comet Rock as Phoenix Reef.
Hunua	West	Lower Mangatawhiri Track	About an hour.	2001	October	13	Hunua Regional park map	N48:654294 ( about )	Through the first gate; bear left up an unmarked track at the second gateway. Quite rough; well marked once you get on it, but lots of small-scale up and down, roots, debris, slippery bits. Strenuous. Very few views. Stopped after a bit over an hour at a view to the SW.
Hunua	West	Private forest road ( probably illegal )		2001	October	13			Over the fence, back by the forest road. Easy walking ( 35 minutes back ), peaceful.
North	Wenderholm		Car park to car park round the peninsula	2001	November	10	ARC Northern Parks	N38:227991	Non-challenging.
North	Wenderholm		Car park to car park via campsite, Schishka Road, bit of Perimeter Track	2001	November	10	ARC Northern Parks		Non-challenging.
Auckland		Mangere Mountain	Car park on Domain Road - through playground, up hill, along ridge to southeast end, back through craters.	2001	November	24		N42:305486?	Pleasant. Very rural in the craters.
Auckland		Old Mangere Bridge	Car park at reserve, south end of old bridge; across the bridge and back	2001	November	24		N42:304498	Mildly interesting. POSSIBLE to walk back over the footpath on the motorway bridge - should be a better view. ( Didn't notice until too late. )
Auckland	North Shore	Kauri Point, Centennial Park	Main entrance - Upper entrance ( nearly ) Swamp track - beach - Chelsea	2001	December	22	Kauri Point leaflet; Northcote and Birkenhead harbourside booklet.	N42:232639	Still good. Some steep bits. Quite dry, though the weather has been fairly wet.
Auckland	North Shore	Chelsea sugar works	Centennial Park - Less LOST	2001	December	22	Northcote and Birkenhead harbourside booklet, but not satisfactory.		Tried to infer the way back from pages 5 and 9; but found no path from Colonial Road.