Top 10 Walkways and Pathways
This page has a description of the Top 10 Porirua Walkways and Pathways in Porirua City. It can be used as a quick reference to handy information about our walkways and pathways, and we invite you to visit all 10, and let us know how you got on by giving us feedback.
Explore Porirua Brochure
Download and print our Explore Porirua Top 10 Walkways brochure (1 page 179KB pdf) which you can use when heading off outdoors.
1. Aotea Lagoon
There is a wide flat sealed pathway around the lagoon which caters for children on trikes, wheelchairs and mobility scooters and prams. This public park has a large adventure playground for the older children, and a modern fenced toddlers playground, with nearby picnic areas for the adults to use while watching the children. Bring your old bread to feed the ducks. You can also ride on a model train that runs on most fine Sundays, wander in the rose garden, shade house and play in the petanque area. The photo above shows the view from the Aotea Lagoon train which operates on most Sunday afternoons.
The distance around the lagoon is 732 metres which takes about 10 minutes at a quick pace. Public toilets are located at the southern entrance, and next to the duck pond. The lagoon is sheltered from the weather, and is an ideal place to take the children or visitors for a leisurely walk or jog. Plenty of parking is available at both north and south entrances, and lights are available at night at the push of a button for those who want to exercise after dark.
2. Ara Harakeke Pathway
This pathway is an easy challenge for the family on a morning or afternoon's walk or cycle.
At the Plimmerton Domain to Airlie Road Section, the gradient is flat and the pathway is sealed. Public toilets are located at Plimmerton Domain and Whenua Tapu Cemetery. It takes about 40 minutes one way to travel the 3.3 kilometres. This pathway is ideal for walkers and cyclists, and families with prams. The pathway travels besides the nationally important wetland, Taupo Swamp. The shared pathway for cyclists and walkers has become a favourite for parents wanting a safe route away from cars for children learning to ride bikes. Dogs are permitted but must be on leads.
From Airlie Road to the Pukerua Bay Shops, the gradient is a gentle incline, getting steeper near end. It takes about 30 minutes each way for the 2.34 kilometres. This section of the pathway travels through regenerating native vegetation, away from SH1. Treat yourself to an ice cream or drink at the shops in Pukerua Bay before heading back.
3. Bothamley Park
Bothamley Park is an old farm track that follows the Kenepuru Stream and passes through areas of exotic trees and regenerating natives with links to Aotea Block and Cannons Creek Park. It has a flat to gentle incline gravel pathway from Mepham Place to arspite Avenue, in Cannons Creek. It takes about 45 minutes one way to travel the 3.75 kilometres, and is ideal for cyclists and walkers with prams. There are no public toilets in the area, and is not ideal for wheelchairs as it could be difficult in muddy areas.
4. Camborne Walkway
The Camborne Walkway is a sheltered, quiet, flat walkway right next to the Pauatahanui Inlet. It has a flat gravelly surface and is ideal for walkers and cyclists, and while suitable for mountain buggys, is not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
It takes about 45 minutes each way for the 1.5 kilometres, and there are public toilets situated at the north end in the Grays Road carpark area. You can enter the walkway from the carpark off Pascoe Avenue on Mana Esplanade at Paremata, or Grays Road. The walkway is sheltered from the northerly winds, and the whole family will enjoy the challenge of an easy walk in the fresh air.
The walkway is very picturesque looking east over the Pauatahanui Inlet and towards Whitby, and is a great place to have your camera ready to photograph the sights of the inlet, including the occasional stingray basking in the water, and sunrise/sunset shots are a favourite. The boatsheds at the Paremata end add their rustic character to the walkway experience.
5. Colonial Knob Walkway
If you want a personal or family challenge, then the Colonial Knob Walkway is for you. It takes about 1 hour 40 minutes to climb the 1.76 kilometres to the Knob on a steep gravel surface. However, there are no public toilets, and the walkway is not suitable for cyclists, wheelchairs or mobility scooters, or prams/buggys.
The sheltered bush walkway winds through a Tawa-Kohekohe lowland forest with podocarp specimen trees and Nikau palms. At the end of this section there are amazing views to north over the city and Mana Island, so take your camera. You can continue along the gravel ridgeline road to Colonial Knob with views south out to Wellington and the Cook Strait on a fine day.
There are three tracks up to Colonial Knob and you can return by a different route. We strongly recommend getting a map before venturing on this walk, and remember to take plenty of food and drink, warm clothing, and a cellphone. Enter the Walkway from Raiha Street in Elsdon where there is plenty of parking.
6. Pauatahanui Wildlife Management Reserve
The Pauatahanui Wildlife Management Reserve is a nationally important wildlife reserve with hides for bird watching. You can wander through a well developed series of flat gravel and boardwalk tracks amongst the Pauatahanui Inlet estuary salt marsh vegetation, but it can be muddy in places after rain, so wear strong waterproof shoes. Dogs and cyclists are not permitted in the reserve. Public toilets are located near the Lighthouse Cinema, along with suitable parking.
The Reserve has some great views and angles for keen photographers, so remember to take your camera and look out for unusual aspects to photograph.
7. Spicer Botanical Park and Reservoirs
The Spicer Botanical Park is an arboretum of exotic trees which is directly beside the Department of Conservation' Colonial Knob reserve, and is one of Porirua City's hidden gems. The carpark/entrance is located at gates of the Broken Hill landfill and the short walk to the reservoirs is a sheltered bush walkway through Tawa-Kohekohe lowland forest. The path leads up to two secret and hidden historic man-made lakes that were originally created for the Porirua Hospital Water Supply, although one of the lake dams has failed and the lake is now a wetland.
The gravel gradient is generally flat, but the last short section to the reservoir is steep. There are no public toilets, and the track is not suitable for cyclists, wheelchairs or mobility scooters, prams/buggys. The track is 650 metres one way to the last reservoir. Remember to take suitable clothing, wear strong walking shoes, and don't forget your camera. The track is well signposted. Keep an eye out for native birds in the bush, and listen to the sounds of small waterfalls.
8. Taua Tapu Track
The Taua Tapu Track between Airlie Road and Plimmerton has extensive views out to Mana Island, Porirua harbours and the surrounding countryside, and on a fine calm day is an ideal short walk with a moderate challenge. It takes about 30-40 minutes to travel the 1.5 kilometres each way, but is not suitable for wheelchairs/mobility scooters, or prams/buggies. The track is predominantly gravel and grass with rolling terrain, so strong footwear is recommended. Dogs are not permitted during lambing season from September to December, but can be taken on leads at all other times. You will need to cross over farm fence stiles, so if you are riding a mountain bike, be prepared to lift your bike over. Public toilets are located at Whenua tapu Cemetery, approximately 700m north beyond the Airlie Road end.
9. Whitby Walkway
For over 30 years, this popular wide sealed pathway which travels through parkland settings and areas of native bush, alongside a stream, and around the rear of properties and Discovery School has been a favourite for Whitby residents. It has underpasses for all major roads which makes it safe for young children and the elderly to use.
Stretching from Postgate Park to Samuel Marsden Collegiate School near the former Duck Creek Golf Course, it's an easy walk along the pathway for wheelchairs/mobility scooters, prams and buggies, and children on trikes, along with cyclists and joggers. There are no public toilets along this pathway, but the 4 kilometres should take you about half an hour to traverse each way.
The colours, sights and sounds of the walkway change by the season, making it an ideal place to take your camera. There are many alternative paths leading onto or off the walkway, so you can vary your route if you use it often. Take a picnic and enjoy the children's playground at the Discovery Drive (former golf course) end, or head on up to the Whitby Shopping Centre and lake area to feed the ducks. Doggy-do dispensers are available along the walkway.
10. Whitireia Park
If you are looking for a flat coastal pathway alongside the harbour, then the Whitireia Park walk is an easy challenge which takes about 1.5 hours to traverse the 4.2 kilometres each way. Starting from Onepoto foreshore you can walk right around the harbour's edge with ever-changing scenes as you round each corner, so take your camera. This route is not suitable for wheelchairs/mobility scooters, or prams/buggies unless you are prepared to lift them over styles, but cyclists will enjoy the challenge. There are public toilets at the junction with Whitireia Road. Just remember to take care when encountering animals grazing in the park and crossing the farm stiles. You will find plenty to photograph on this walk, and make sure you take warm clothes and lots of drinking water.
Feedback
We hope you enjoy our Top 10 Walkways and Pathways, and have the opportunity to complete all 10. Send us an email with your feedback with ideas for improvements, or reporting any issues or problems you encountered.