Wairaka Walkway

Plimmerton, Wellington, New Zealand

Coastline walk from Pukerua Bay to Plimmerton

Easy

Foot

This is an easy but long walk. The route shown is a 4 hour round trip from Pukerua Bay to Plimmerton via the coast, and back to Pukerua Bay via Taua Tapu hill-top track. However, you can walk one way and catch the train back for a shorter trip (it is still about 12 km from train station to train station).

Beginning at Pukerua Bay, you can park the car near the top of Beach Road (rather than taking the narrow windy road to the beach and trying to find a carpark there) and take a walking track down the hill. If you arrive by train, cross SH1 using the footbridge and walk down Beach Rd and down the shortcut to the beach. Then simply follow the coast. The main track fades out and much of the coast route is along the pebbly coastline. I find this easier than Makara Coastal Track but it is still slow going in places, and impossible for cyclists. Best at low tide, but even at high tide the one or two rocky headlands are fairly easy to navigate without getting wet.

At approx 41deg 1.790'S, 174deg 52.553'E (there is a small blip on the route) there is a memorial to a surfer on the hillside.

On arrival at the Plimmerton end you pass a quarry. This area is fine at the weekend, but take care at other times if there is heavy machinery operating. It is possible to cycle from Plimmerton end up to the quarry, but watch out for quad bikes using this part of the track. There are excellent views from this section of Mana Island.

To do a return trip via Taua Tapu, there is a walkway on Moana Rd about 400 metres from Sunset Parade which goes uphill and meets Motuhara Rd where The Track begins. Follow The Track up the hill and in to Taua Tapu which goes along the top of the hills with excellent views over the sea, back to Titahi Bay, and of SH1. The track eventually ends up on Airlie Road (which is an alternative return route from Plimmerton); follow Airlie Road to SH1 and follow Ara Harakeke back to Pukerua Bay. Watch out for cyclists on this part of the track.

The return trip is about 16.5 km, so allow about 4 hours if walking briskly.

Car parking in Plimmerton on Moana Road near the marae entrance, or at the top end of Beach Road in Pukerua Bay. This track can also be done by public transport, using the train stations at Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay.

There are toilets at Plimmerton, and in Pukerua Bay near the shops.

15.93km

Single track

83m 47m 53m 89m

11 Jul 2010 by ledzep

ledzep