Walks from Devonport

Our 2004 explorations

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

North Waiwera Waiwera to Cook's Beach ( ? ) Beach 2004 February 21 N38:225975 Good.
Completes a previous walk.
Couldn't find the rope this time, but the steep "path" at the north end of Cook's Beach is still visible.
Auckland City Mount Hobson Wander round. 2004 March 6 Exploration N42:304568 Started from Mount Hobson Lane ( easy parking ).
In, up to reservoir ( left ), down path at north side going eastish, up again to summit, straight down to vehicle.
Easy, short, views. Particularly good view of harbour, Devonport, and Rangitoto. Cows.
Auckland City Mount St. John Wander round. 2004 March 6 Exploration N42:298567 Started from Mount St John Avenue, opposite Dilworth School.
In, up leftish to crater rim, round to lowest point of rim, down to pond, back to rim, complete circuit.
Easy, short. A surprisingly impressive crater. Cows.
Auckland City Cornwall Park Wander round. 2004 March 6 Exploration N42:305553 Started from Pohutukawa Avenue, just in from the road.
Followed paths clockwise ( from above ) round the park.
Easy, pleasant, no hills. Surprisingly rural. Cows.
Waitakere Scenic Drive Spragg Bush walk Scenic Drive car park, round and back again. 2004 March 13 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #35; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new ) HWR:478757 Easy, not very hilly. Pretty bush, one view if you're tall. Old cemetery marked near southern car park; only one grave fenced, no other sign.
No simple route; we consistently turned right. There is one false start which is obviously an old section of track, and should soon be overgrown if idiots like us stop exploring it.
There is no reasonable car park on Turanga Road; there is a sort of car park approximately opposite the northern Scenic Drive entrance.
Waitakere Scenic Drive Large Kauri walk There and back again. 2004 March 13 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #42; Waitakere Walks ( new ) The sign says "2 minutes" - as usual, an overestimate.
It's an impressive tree, and you look at it - unusually - from almost half way up. Interesting, but not really a walk.
Waitakere Henderson Walker Kauri track To second Kauri tree and back. 2004 March 13 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #34; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new ) HWR:495764 Reasonably straightforward ( though there was a fallen tree over the lower part of the track, which will presumably be sorted out in time ); could be muddy after rain ?
The first kauri has a memorial notable mainly for a regrettably obvious punctuation correction. The second is perhaps more impressive.
After the second, the path continues, past a notice saying that it's closed. We didn't continue. Older maps - both "chains" and "kilometres" - show it continuing round to the Spragg Bush track; the Waitakere Walks booklet agrees, but doesn't recommend the "rugged and steep hiking track" - though it does mention some interesting stones in the stream. ( - as does the older Waitakere Walks booklet, with a better photograph of the stones. )
Park 30m or so downhill from the track entrance, on the same side.
Waitakere Scenic Drive Cutty Grass track Scenic Drive to Ridge Road track ( and back ). 2004 March 20 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #41; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new ) HWR:477748 Fairly flat, easy walking, but a few very muddy bits. Pleasant exercise, pretty bush, not much more.
There are one or two clear side paths to the east near the beginning; one goes to a kauri tree.
Ridge Road track Cutty Grass track to Cutty Grass track ( about 100m or so, and back ). 2004 March 20 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #5. Metalled.
Cutty Grass track Ridge Road track to Anawhata Road ( and back ). 2004 March 20 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #41. Steeper and narrower; on both "chains" and "kilometres" maps it's called the ATC Track, numbered 43.
Waitakere Piha Road Kauri Grove track Piha Road to Marguerite track. 2004 March 27 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #96; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new ) HWR:454696 Good, well made. Pretty bush.
Marguerite track Kauri Grove track to Lucy Cranwell track. 2004 March 27 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #99; Hema Waitakere Ranges map Very well made - recently redone. Much on hillside; almost views.
Lucy Cranwell track Marguerite track to Kauri Grove track. 2004 March 27 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #43; Hema Waitakere Ranges map Generally satisfactory, but fairly rooty. Much on hillside; comparatively open bush; almost views. Very enjoyable. Some rata in flower.
Comes down to a very pretty stream junction with a litle pool.
Kauri Grove track Lucy Cranwell track to Ussher Cross; Ussher Cross to Piha Road. 2004 March 27 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #96; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new ) To Ussher Cross and back : Fairly easy going, improving as we went downhill. Rather muddy in places, particularly at the bottom near the stream; beware after significant rain ? More pleasant stream views. A tree with white flowers; "Waitakere Walks" says mingimingi.
Up to Piha Road : Steeper, and path in worse condition. A few trees down didn't help, though all had alternatibve paths round already. Mostly across the face of a steep hill, clambering through roots. The last bit ( after the Cowan track, which we wouldn't have seen except for the sign at the bottom ) is a bit less fierce; this is the kauri grove itself.
On all today's walks we found ARC signs with times which were ludicrously wrong.
North Mahurangi West Regional Park Through a gate, walk down a grassy slope. Central car park to Otarawao Bay 2004 April 17 ARC Northern Parks booklet. N34:237013 Down and ( eventually ) back again. Steepish. A pohutukawa tree we'd admired previously has blown down.
walk over rocks round Tungutu Point Otarawao Bay to Opahi point, then back to Otuawao bay. 2004 April 17 ARC Northern Parks booklet. It says "low tide"; we went at around half tide, and had no difficulty, but much later would be unwise.
Very pleasant.
Mita Bay loop track Otuawao bay to Tungutu Point, to road, down to Otarawao Bay. 2004 April 17 ARC Northern Parks booklet. Steeply up; excellent views over the harbour; comfortable walk down.
Waitakere Scenic Drive Rangemore track 2004 April 24 Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #45; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new ) HWR:524721 Easy. Starts as ( apparently ) an old road, broad and gently graded; eventually a less commodious, though still easy, path turns off to the left. ( The "road" seems to continue, though it's completely overgrown. On the "chains" map the Rangemore track continues to the Oratia Stream, and doesn't go to the Kauri Knoll - perhaps this is it ? )
The continuation to the Kauri Knoll and higher Scenic Drive entrance is steeper, but easy going. Some moist bits and adjacent flattish muddy areas suggest that it might be boggy after rain. Very pretty. There's a view from the Kauri Knoll.
The "chains" map shows the Kauri Knoll track ( #46 ) as a separate short loop. The 1977 Waitakere Walks booklet doesn't mention the Rangemore track. The "kilometres" map shows the Kauri Knoll track as a short loop, and the Rangemore Track as joining it instead of going to the Oratia Stream. That's described in the new booklet, which also hints at some extensions, of which there is still no sign.
Waitakere Scenic Drive Incline track Road ( Greenwood's Corner ) to railway. 2004 April 24 Exploration; hints from Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #139 HWR:524721 Easy.
Railway Incline Track to Wages Tunnel. 2004 April 24 Exploration Not bad; mildly scenic. Level. There's another tunnel on the way which you can bypass by walking round the spur on a grassy road.
On the 2002 map this is labelled "No public access"; at the Incline Track there are notices variously saying "No entry" and "People are welcome to walk on the track, but not in the tunnels". We believed the second notice, because it was sensible. We didn't go in any tunnels.
North Centennial Park Nature Trail Car Park to Kohekohe track 2004 December 11 Centennial Park leaflet N38:275723 Well marked, slightly wet. Pleasant walk on narrow path through mostly native trees. There are markers which supposedly identify features described in the leaflet; so far as we could see, most of them don't work, so we ignored them after a while.
Kohekohe track Nature Trail to Mamaku track 2004 December 11 Centennial Park leaflet Pleasant. Moist.
Mamaku track Kohekohe track to Nature Trail 2004 December 11 Centennial Park leaflet Pleasant. Moist. Not quite as well marked as the others, but satisfactory.
Nature Trail Mamaku track to (??)Mamaku track 2004 December 11 Centennial Park leaflet Pleasant. Moist.
( We continued to the junction near the end of Asbury Crescent, then took the path marked as dashed lines but unnamed in the leaflet. I think I remember that it was called the Mamaku Track on notices there. )
Mamaku track ( ?? - see above ) Nature Trail to car park. 2004 December 11 Centennial Park leaflet Pleasant. Moist.

Alan Creak,
2004 December.

North	Waiwera	Waiwera to Cook's Beach ( ? )	Beach	2004	February	21		N38:225975	Good. Completes a previous walk. Couldn't find the rope this time, but the steep "path" at the north end of Cook's Beach is still visible.
Auckland	City	Mount Hobson	Wander round.	2004	March	6	Exploration	N42:304568	Started from Mount Hobson Lane ( easy parking ). In, up to reservoir ( left ), down path at north side going eastish, up again to summit, straight down to vehicle. Easy, short, views. Particularly good view of harbour, Devonport, and Rangitoto. Cows.
Auckland	City	Mount St. John	Wander round.	2004	March	6	Exploration	N42:298567	Started from Mount St John Avenue, opposite Dilworth School. In, up leftish to crater rim, round to lowest point of rim, down to pond, back to rim, complete circuit. Easy, short. A surprisingly impressive crater. Cows.
Auckland	City	Cornwall Park	Wander round.	2004	March	6	Exploration	N42:305553	Started from Pohutukawa Avenue, just in from the road. Followed paths clockwise ( from above ) round the park. Easy, pleasant, no hills. Surprisingly rural. Cows.
Waitakere	Scenic Drive	Spragg Bush walk	Scenic Drive car park, round and back again.	2004	March	13	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #35; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new )	HWR:478757	Easy, not very hilly. Pretty bush, one view if you're tall. Old cemetery marked near southern car park; only one grave fenced, no other sign. No simple route; we consistently turned right. There is one false start which is obviously an old section of track, and should soon be overgrown if idiots like us stop exploring it. There is no reasonable car park on Turanga Road; there is a sort of car park approximately opposite the northern Scenic Drive entrance.
Waitakere	Scenic Drive	Large Kauri walk	There and back again.	2004	March	13	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #42; Waitakere Walks ( new )		The sign says "2 minutes" - as usual, an overestimate. It's an impressive tree, and you look at it - unusually - from almost half way up. Interesting, but not really a walk.
Waitakere	Henderson	Walker Kauri track	To second Kauri tree and back.	2004	March	13	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #34; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new )	HWR:495764	Reasonably straightforward ( though there was a fallen tree over the lower part of the track, which will presumably be sorted out in time ); could be muddy after rain ? The first kauri has a memorial notable mainly for a regrettably obvious punctuation correction. The second is perhaps more impressive. After the second, the path continues, past a notice saying that it's closed. We didn't continue. Older maps - both "chains" and "kilometres" - show it continuing round to the Spragg Bush track; the Waitakere Walks booklet agrees, but doesn't recommend the "rugged and steep hiking track" - though it does mention some interesting stones in the stream. ( - as does the older Waitakere Walks booklet, with a better photograph of the stones. ) Park 30m or so downhill from the track entrance, on the same side.
Waitakere	Scenic Drive	Cutty Grass track	Scenic Drive to Ridge Road track ( and back ).	2004	March	20	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #41; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new )	HWR:477748	Fairly flat, easy walking, but a few very muddy bits. Pleasant exercise, pretty bush, not much more. There are one or two clear side paths to the east near the beginning; one goes to a kauri tree.
		Ridge Road track	Cutty Grass track to Cutty Grass track ( about 100m or so, and back ).	2004	March	20	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #5.		Metalled.
		Cutty Grass track	Ridge Road track to Anawhata Road ( and back ).	2004	March	20	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #41.		Steeper and narrower; on both "chains" and "kilometres" maps it's called the ATC Track, numbered 43.
Waitakere	Piha Road	Kauri Grove track	Piha Road to Marguerite track.	2004	March	27	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #96; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new )	HWR:454696	Good, well made. Pretty bush.
		Marguerite track	Kauri Grove track to Lucy Cranwell track.	2004	March	27	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #99; Hema Waitakere Ranges map		Very well made - recently redone. Much on hillside; almost views.
		Lucy Cranwell track	Marguerite track to Kauri Grove track.	2004	March	27	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #43; Hema Waitakere Ranges map		Generally satisfactory, but fairly rooty. Much on hillside; comparatively open bush; almost views. Very enjoyable. Some rata in flower. Comes down to a very pretty stream junction with a litle pool.
		Kauri Grove track	Lucy Cranwell track to Ussher Cross; Ussher Cross to Piha Road.	2004	March	27	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #96; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new )		To Ussher Cross and back : Fairly easy going, improving as we went downhill. Rather muddy in places, particularly at the bottom near the stream; beware after significant rain ? More pleasant stream views. A tree with white flowers; "Waitakere Walks" says mingimingi. Up to Piha Road : Steeper, and path in worse condition. A few trees down didn't help, though all had alternatibve paths round already. Mostly across the face of a steep hill, clambering through roots. The last bit ( after the Cowan track, which we wouldn't have seen except for the sign at the bottom ) is a bit less fierce; this is the kauri grove itself. On all today's walks we found ARC signs with times which were ludicrously wrong.
North	Mahurangi West Regional Park	Through a gate, walk down a grassy slope.	Central car park to Otarawao Bay	2004	April	17	ARC Northern Parks booklet.	N34:237013	Down and ( eventually ) back again. Steepish. A pohutukawa tree we'd admired previously has blown down.
		walk over rocks round Tungutu Point	Otarawao Bay to Opahi point, then back to Otuawao bay.	2004	April	17	ARC Northern Parks booklet.		It says "low tide"; we went at around half tide, and had no difficulty, but much later would be unwise. Very pleasant.
		Mita Bay loop track	Otuawao bay to Tungutu Point, to road, down to Otarawao Bay.	2004	April	17	ARC Northern Parks booklet.		Steeply up; excellent views over the harbour; comfortable walk down.
Waitakere	Scenic Drive	Rangemore track		2004	April	24	Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #45; Hema Waitakere Ranges map; Waitakere Walks ( new )	HWR:524721	Easy. Starts as ( apparently ) an old road, broad and gently graded; eventually a less commodious, though still easy, path turns off to the left. ( The "road" seems to continue, though it's completely overgrown. On the "chains" map the Rangemore track continues to the Oratia Stream, and doesn't go to the Kauri Knoll - perhaps this is it ? ) The continuation to the Kauri Knoll and higher Scenic Drive entrance is steeper, but easy going. Some moist bits and adjacent flattish muddy areas suggest that it might be boggy after rain. Very pretty. There's a view from the Kauri Knoll. The "chains" map shows the Kauri Knoll track ( #46 ) as a separate short loop. The 1977 Waitakere Walks booklet doesn't mention the Rangemore track. The "kilometres" map shows the Kauri Knoll track as a short loop, and the Rangemore Track as joining it instead of going to the Oratia Stream. That's described in the new booklet, which also hints at some extensions, of which there is still no sign.
Waitakere	Scenic Drive	Incline track	Road ( Greenwood's Corner ) to railway.	2004	April	24	Exploration; hints from Waitakere map ( 2002 ) #139	HWR:524721	Easy.
		Railway	Incline Track to Wages Tunnel.	2004	April	24	Exploration		Not bad; mildly scenic. Level. There's another tunnel on the way which you can bypass by walking round the spur on a grassy road. On the 2002 map this is labelled "No public access"; at the Incline Track there are notices variously saying "No entry" and "People are welcome to walk on the track, but not in the tunnels". We believed the second notice, because it was sensible. We didn't go in any tunnels.
North	Centennial Park	Nature Trail	Car Park to Kohekohe track	2004	December	11	Centennial Park leaflet	N38:275723	Well marked, slightly wet. Pleasant walk on narrow path through mostly native trees. There are markers which supposedly identify features described in the leaflet; so far as we could see, most of them don't work, so we ignored them after a while.
		Kohekohe track	Nature Trail to Mamaku track	2004	December	11	Centennial Park leaflet		Pleasant. Moist.
		Mamaku track	Kohekohe track to Nature Trail	2004	December	11	Centennial Park leaflet		Pleasant. Moist. Not quite as well marked as the others, but satisfactory.
		Nature Trail	Mamaku track to (??)Mamaku track	2004	December	11	Centennial Park leaflet		Pleasant. Moist. ( We continued to the junction near the end of Asbury Crescent, then took the path marked as dashed lines but unnamed in the leaflet. I think I remember that it was called the Mamaku Track on notices there. )
		Mamaku track ( ?? - see above )	Nature Trail to car park.	2004	December	11	Centennial Park leaflet		Pleasant. Moist.