Mangawhai Cliff Walk — Attraction in North Island

Quite a nice day walk over the heads and along the beach. First know there are a few rules since this goes through private land. No dogs are allowed and stay on the trail, also this track is closed September and October for lambing season. If you plan on doing the full loop with a return on the beach, check the tides as beach access is only possible between mid-low tide. Allow 2:30-3:00 for the entire loop. To access the trail you park in the lot and walk north along the beach past a few houses, there you will see a green trail sign. You have the option to climb up to the cliff walk or just continue along the beach and do the loop backwards. The climb up is quite steep with stairs (400+ steps) and can take about 20-30 minutes depending on fitness. It’s also quite exposed to the sun and wind. There are a a couple of lookouts at the top and a bench to take a break. After the initial climb the track the trail winds along the cliff tops weaving in and out of the bush and precariously along exposed slopes. Extra care should be taken with small children as the edge of some of the paths are loose and the slope can be really steep. As you approach the end of the cliff walk there are just as many stairs to go down to the Arch at the rocky beach below. This beach has heaps of smooth flat rocks perfect for stacking cairns. The walk back along the shore can be quite tricky because of all the loose rocks and is a bit of a scramble. The are some nice private sandy coves and plenty of nice spots for a...

Loved this walk which we did on a sunny summers day which offered beautiful views.

Our summary:

2h20 mins for us, return from car park. We’re 50 and didn’t take the kids. We’re of reasonable fitness (we walk approx 12K steps per day) and found each end a good workout heading up the stairs / incline. As it was mid-high tide, we walked the track there and back as opposed to the beach one way - this was 9.3km return from the car park. The access to the track is approx 1km up the beach from the car park (clearly sign posted). There is considerable time in the sun so recommend a hat and water. The track is in great condition - good walking shoes recommended but we saw people walking it OK in jandals / sandals. It is steep at each and - we gained a total of 355m with the highest altitude being 117m above sea level. If you walk the beach first as opposed to the track (only at mid-low tide), you will find the track signposted just after going through the big rock arch at the far end of the track. We were at this end of the track by the arch approx 2-hours before high tide and the water was waist deep...

A really nice walk. I walked on the cliff on the way out and “beach” on the way back. The views from the cliff walk are spectacular, and there some small sections with natural bush all around you. The trail is marked clearly once you walk north on the Mangawhai heads beach. You need to be mid tide or lower to go on the beach part. The beach is very rocky in areas and pebbly in others and can be a little demanding on the ankles and will be slower going than a regular walking speed. If you don’t want to scramble over rocks for a few hundred metres you may want to go cliff in both directions. In hindsight I would have taken a picnic and spent a little time at one of the scenic stops. The whole walk takes 2-3 hours depending on how much you stop to skip stones and how carefully you...