Auckland, North Island – There and an Uber back again
We love to wander. Like really REALLY love it. Our favorite memories often involve getting lost down a backstreet with no plan or purpose, just to experience what a city is hiding in her underbelly. Like the little meat pie cafe we found down a quiet Auckland side street. We loved them so much we had meat pies for breakfast almost every day after for the rest of our trip! So when a friend suggested that we do Auckland’s Coast to Coast Walkway, I knew I had to make it happen. It is a 16 km walk from Waitemata Harbour to Manukau Harbour that threads you through the central business district and some of Auckland’s greenest and most beautiful spaces.
Here are the highlights:
Waitemata Harbor & City Centre:
We started our journey at Viaduct Harbour, weaving through Britomart and the Central Business District. Here you will find restaurants and bars, shops and boutiques, and the hustle and bustle of an urban metropolis. However, you will also pass by many heritage buildings as Auckland’s history meets its high rises. Grab a café and a meat pie and take a moment to explore. Make sure to pop in the New Zealand Maritime Museum for a comprehensive look inside New Zealand’s sea culture or a jaunt out on a sea tug.
Albert Park & The University of Auckland
Although not actually part of the Coast to Coast Walkway, it’s worth the brief side detour to explore Albert Park. It is home to some fantastic fountains and sculptures as well as Speaker’s Corner and the Auckland Art Gallery, although you may want to come back on a different day if you are planning on doing the entire Coast to Coast Walkway. Wind your way through the University of Auckland (we got lost a few times) and make sure to stop at the ClockTower building which bears a striking resemblance to Christ Church in Oxford.
Auckland Domain and Mount Eden
Welcome to Auckland’s oldest park (and one of it’s largest) and the first of several volcanic craters you will explore today. This park encompasses most of the crater and surrounding ring of the Pukekawa volcano. Sitting on the tuff of the ring, you will find the Auckland Museum which is well worth a visit as it contains collections on New Zealand history, natural history, and military history; opposite the museum are the Domain Wintergardens and Fern’s Fernery. Both of these were free to explore and worth spending a few minutes perusing. Continuing on, you will find Mount Eden, another volcanic crater and the highest natural point in Auckland. Hike to the top for panoramic views of the CBD, One Tree Hill, and Waitemata Harbor.
(Side note: After descending Mount Eden, stop by the Mt Eden Village Fish Shop for delicious fresh fish and chips)
Cornwall Park and One Tree Hill
After passing through a satellite university campus as well as another small park, you will come to the stunningly beautiful Cornwall Park and adjacent One Tree Hill. The tree-lined avenues, colorful gardens, and grazing sheep (of which there are many) give this enormous dual park a sense of utter peace and tranquility. I could’ve spent all day here lazing about under the trees. Venture to the top of One Tree Hill for views of both harbors as well as the iconic obelisk, originally intended as a memorial to the Maori. Take a breath and appreciate the view. You are almost to the end!
Jellicoe Park and Manukau Harbour
After experiencing the majesty and magnitude of Cornwall Park and One Tree Hill, a small park set within the suburbs of Onehunga is quaint in comparison, but don’t let appearances fool you. Jellicoe Park gives you a brief glimpse into what life was like in Onehunga 100 years ago with it’s Victorian style flower beds, memorial arches, and historic cottages. Just a few blocks from Onehunga Bay, head towards the water and after a bit (A LOT) of searching, you will find the end of the Coast to Coast Walkway. Although the finale is slightly underwhelming, it is not everyday that you can say you walked from one side of a country to the other!
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