Cook's Cove Walkway — Attraction in Gisborne

One of NZ’s great ‘short’ walks!

A bit steep so definitely recommend sturdy shoes but the hardest bits are shaded and the lookouts are well worth the effort.

You start going up some stairs and then cross farmland to the beacon of light and then reach the scenic lookout. If you’re short on time or fitness, I’d say just making it to the lookout is well worth the time/effort.

After the lookout you’re faced with lots of stairs down, which means up on the return, but fortunately this bit is all under tree cover; at least it was in December. Once the track levels out you’ll cross a bridge and then see a porta loo, just passed that is ‘hole-in-the-wall’ and if it’s low tide, do venture through to get lovely views back of Tolaga Bay and the wharf. Back on the trail you’ll continue around the mountain to Cook’s cove which offers a great swimming beach.

Trail is well signposted and I highly recommend!

Note track is closed for lambing season from 1 August until the start of Labour Weekend...

My second time on the trail. First time it was roughed up, ie wet and muddy by recent rain and an event of trail runners and part of it goes through farmlands so take old shoes as definitely muddy. I enjoyed the beautiful cove and hole in the rock is unique . Second time I couldn't get to the cove or hole as the last bit had been made impassable by stock having got in and made a swamp. Very disappointed. If you go prepared either gumboots or old shoes that you can throw away I guess you will get through. Then I encountered a huge brown beast right on the track but luckily a guy right behind it with dogs trying to round it back home. Which he did. So an eventful walk but not the way I hoped. The scenery from the lookouts are amazing and in time no doubt the access back to the cove will recover when summer returns. Still 4 stars because it is a great walk with amazing views just challenging to walk in places. Perhaps more maintenance needed and stock...

Brutal trek up and down 23 flights of stairs. We only made it to the Cooks Cove lookout and that was nearly 2 hours and 2 miles each way. We could not continue the additional downhill and return in order to reach the coast. Beautiful panoramic views of the bay and surrounding areas known to be a landing site of the Endeavor. The early part of the trek immediately puts you at a 30 degree incline up well constructed steps which then became a dirt path, then a grass path marked by single yellow painted posts then across a sun baked mud section, constructed step passages over barbed wire fences then pasture land with livestock and cow pies. This is a partially developed trail of very steep slopes over Maori privately owned land that is graciously made accessible to the public in order to see Cooks Cove and the Hole in the Wall coastline....