The walkway starts at the end of Haigh Access Road (off East Coast Road) about 20-25km from Auckland city. The walkway winds along the Okura river via Dacre cottage and Stillwater to the end of Duck Creek road. The whole track takes about 3 hours one way or 1.5hours to Dacre cottage. During low tide it’s possible to do a round trip by walking along the muddy river flats back to the start point.
Right at the start a 20m long wooden bridge crosses a side arm of the Okura river with nice views of the mud flats, farmland and forrest.
The track itself is easy to follow and is quite wide and has steps where necessary.
After rain some parts can become quite muddy and water proof, easy-to-clean footwear is recommended.
During low tide it’s possible to walk along the mud flats of the Okura river. This option provides beautiful views of the surrounding farmland and forests.
The area is also popular for horse riding
After about 1.5 hours you come across Dacre cottage, which was renovated by a group of volunteers when we got there. The area is a lovely picnic spot with a wide sandy beach.
The flora consists of varies types of native bush and trees with many species along the track having signs explaining them. Among others you will come across a huge Puriri tree, Manuka bushes and trees, Nikau palm groves (top-right) and ...
... lots of Kauri trees!
There are also some lovely rivers along the track – although the water quality seems to be a bit dubious due to the run off from the surrounding farms and settlements.
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