Army Bay
Last weekend we decided to go on a little exploring trip to Army Bay and a small portion of the Shakespear Regional Park. It was about an hour drive coming from the Eastern Bays, but the traffic was moving and we had no issues getting up north. These quick, hour and a half or less drives to scenic destinations around Auckland are some of my favorite things to do in New Zealand. There are so many pockets to explore, and I feel like we haven’t even scratched the surface yet.
We parked the car on Whangaparaoa Road in the first car park. The second was primarily for cars with boat trailers. Beyond the second carpark was a very intimidating gate and sign forbidding entrance as it was a live-firing range for the New Zealand defence forces. We found perfectly passable bathrooms and an incredible beach that was dog friendly this time of year. The kids were immediately drawn to this incredible tree and spent nearly forty five minutes climbing and exploring. Honestly, they would’ve been thrilled if this was the entire trip.
When we were finally able to pull the kids away from the beach and climbing tree, we made the short walk to the entrance to Shakespear Regional Park’s Waterfall Gully walk. After passing through a shoe cleaning station (pro tip - scrub your shoes, then spray them if you want to look like you know what you’re doing) we began the short five minute walk to this lovely waterfall.
Beyond the waterfall gully, the Heritage Trail continues through the park for about another twenty minutes (plus or minus - it depends on how fast little feet move!) The walk is relatively easy with lots to explore and really informative signs about the flora along the way. I learned that the silver leaf fern, which has a rich green on the top but white or silver on the bottom, was used by Maori to mark paths. At night, the silver underside reflected the moonlight and led the way.
At the end of the path, we came to another foot washing station and a wooden gate which led us to a field of sheep. And sheep poo. Lots and lots of sheep and their poo. The kids tried to get up close with some of the sheep, especially the lambs, but none of the sheep were having it. Instead, we set off a baaing chain that was truly impressive.
At the top of the path through the paddock there was a wooden observation deck. I would’ve loved to take in the view from the highest point, but the kids were starting to get cranky and demanding lunch, so we we made our way back through the park to the beach parking lot we started at. There was one lone picnic table that we used to eat our picnic lunch. I’m glad we packed a lot because there were no food options in the park.
As you can tell from the map above, we barely made a dent in all that Shakespear Regional Park has to offer. The open sanctuary is supposed to be world class, and there are many paths suitable for walking and biking. We will definitely be back - without our dog - as much of the park is off limits for canine friends. However, for a short get away appropriate for young-ish kids, I whole heartedly recommend the quick trip to the beach and waterfall. Everyone loved this excursion!
