This is a delightful trip North from Auckland not too far away from the city.

We drive North, cross the Harbour Bridge , take the Silverdale off ramp and we are on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

Our first stop is the Gulf Harbour Marina, we check and photograph the views and the boats before continuing to Shakespear.

Shakespear Regional Park has it all, one of the best beaches sheltered bays, wetlands, native forest, cliffs, historic places and a lookout with amazing views.

Photo Opportunities: The Gulf Harbour Marina Haruhi Beach Panoramic views Views to Tiritiri Matangi Island The Rolling hills of Shakespear Birdlife

The Shakespear trail takes about 2 hours to complete. It's not an arduous walk and requires a moderate level of fitness. The visual rewards and photo opportunities are well worth the effort.

The first part of the trail goes up in a steep ascent with a rewarding 360º panorama of the Hauraki Gulf and the cityscape of Auckland awaiting at the summit.

The trail then continues over the rolling hills just to disappear suddenly in the depths of the wetlands and to emerge on the cliffs above the shoreline in a striking contrast and an unobstructed view of Tiritiri Matangi Island.

Tiritiri Matangi is a world-renowned sanctuary just a couple of kilometres away across the Tiri Channel. A limited number of visitors is allowed on the island, Contact me if you wish to visit!

Pukekos are abundant, quite fun to watch and chase as they won't pose for a photograph! You will also be amused by the small fantails that will flutter around you just to say hello! There are many more birds to see and hear at Shakespear. If you love birds and bird watching, see the bird list below.

The trail will pass the remains of an old Maori village before ending back at the Haruhi beach where the trail ends with a pleasant leisurely walk on the sand.

Depending on season, weather and your personal preferences our itinerary may change.

Whangaparaoa
Whangaparaoa, means "Bay of whales" in Maori. It is regarded as the start of the coastline known as the Hibiscus Coast. The Whangaparaoa peninsula stretches for 11 kilometres into the Hauraki Gulf with Shakespear Regional Park at the end of the tip.

A "Pa"
A pa is a fortified place built by Maori. Pa are associated with a group of related people. They were built as refuge from attack during times of war, but also had many other uses.

They were secure places to live and store food, they were residences for important people and centres for learning, crafts and horticulture.

The Park
Originally a sub tribal group Ngati Kahu occupied this territory. Their main settlement was between Te Haruhi Bay and Army Bay where fortified pa protected the area.

Open Sanctuary
The Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society aims to create an open and accessible wildlife sanctuary that integrates public recreation, conservation and farming.

The Open Sanctuary will encompass 555 hectares of land at the eastern end of the Whangaparaoa peninsula including Shakespear, the military training centre and the Hibiscus coast Sewerage. A 1.5 kilometres pest prevention fence is to be erected across the peninsula neck from Army Bay to Okoromai Bay.

One of New Zealand’s oldest working lighthouses, the Tiritiri Matangi Lighthouse is a heritage site. Built in 1864 of pre-fabricated cast iron, it was transported from Britain and erected in the spot where it stands today.

The idea was to use the weapon to create tidal waves in Pacific areas held by the Japanese. The bomb attracted interest from the United States and British military, but it was never actually used.