Explore this beautiful coastal park with about 140 hectares of rolling farmland and coastal ridges. Walk, dust off your mountain bike, enjoy the swimming at high tide or explore the rock pools around Duder Regional Park.
The Whakakaiwhara Peninsula sticks out into the Tamaki Strait and has fantastic views, you must check it out. Filled with coastal ridges and rolling farmland, it’s like an island escape and a fabulous walk. Umupuia Beach is a sandy beach which (if you walk the Coastal Walk) you can access at low tide.
There are marked tracks (following the red or blue markers) that take you up and over farmland, over fences and to the ridges. Signs encourage you to stray from the tracks and go cross country, which is great for exploring. There are heaps of sheep (lambs in spring) and cattle, so give them lots of space and everyone is happy.
The Duder Regional Park Coastal Walk (approx 35mins, 2km) is good at low tide from Umupuia Beach. Or, you can take the Farm Loop Trail (approx 1.5 hours, 4km) or the Whakakaiwhara Pa Walk (approx 60 minutes) that takes you to the Trig. Don't worry too much about how long it takes really, it's a great place to explore and you will be too busy checking out the view to look at your watch.
For more information, check the Auckland Council website.
We Reckon | A beautiful surprise. Gorgeous scenic drive to get there, and plenty more of the same once we got there. Highly recommended that you make the effort to visit. This made our list of Free Things to do around Auckland, hands down.
*Nominated for the PlanMyPlay 2012 Walk of Fame
Getting to Duder Regional Park | Take the off ramp at Te Irirangi Drive and head towards Whitford, then on towards Maraetai. You’ll hit Umupuia and the Duder Regional Park is not far south from here on North Rd.
See our Things to do in Auckland map for directions:
Photo Credit | Duder Regional Park, Auckland
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