Auckland Walkways

Kensington Ave to Marsden Ave, Mt Eden.

This walkway looks a little boring but it’s actually an exciting entry across Balmoral streets into Centennial Park. It’s on my regular walking home route and has been recently upgraded to a wider and well lit walkway. It’s on the bike route between Mt Eden and Dominion Roads and is super.

Centennial Park is well in bloom with the luscious cherry blossoms causing pedestrian traffic jams when people stop to take photos. I was not out of place taking these!

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Ferryhill Road to Morvern Road, Mt Eden.

I was feeling a little like I hadn’t been out exploring enough after a few weeks of winter ills. So I took the opportunity to get out for ramble on a recent sunny Sunday. Almost 9kms later and a few neat discoveries, including this well established cut through in Mt Eden.

Leading into Morvern Reserve between Morvern Road and St Andrews Road in Mt Eden. The reserve looks to be popular and well maintained with a bu stop at one end. I think the walkway leading to it would be well populated with commuters and bus patrons.

This one was well populated enough that I got a few weird looks while taking photos of the walkway and a few interesting flora.

Warren Ave to Marie Ave, Three Kings.

I’ve wandered passed this sneaker a few times on my to and from Pah Homestead in Three Kings. This time I took the opportunity to walk down it and take a picture at either end. A quick google afterward and I discovered that this is called Haines Walkway although my equally brisk google of that hasn’t found a reason for the naming.

It’s a lovely little sneaker which enables a very quick trip through the burbs and on to Marie Ave which pops out very close to the entrance to Pah Homestead / Wallace Arts Arena.

I had a feeling that this sneaker was here but I wasn’t quite sure where it was. When I go walking I tend to avoid looking at a map but it felt like there should be a walkway somewhere around here, and there it was!
Pretty long and well maintained. I expect this is a popular school route and perhaps the blocking bars at either end have been removed recently?
Very pleasant to walk through and a surprise of a lovely street at the top.

Rowan Ave, Three Kings

Who knew that this lovely Avenue existed? It doesn’t even look like Auckland. I felt very special wandering down this single lane road with high block walls on either side. It felt like a hidden part of Auckland’s history.

I love these pedestrian friendly streets with no vehicle access. Usually they’re covered with trees and dense foliage and every step feels like a discovery.

Today I discovered the St Andrews to Queensway walkway which popped out in a shared driveway! Quite a surprise and a worthwhile sneak which enables a bypass of a very steep hill and is perhaps not very official.

Kerr to Fergusson, Fergusson to Wagener, St Lukes

This joyous sneaker stretches over two blocks and two streets. From Kerr to Fergusson is quite dilapidated and I expect is mainly used by students to commute to Mt Albert Grammar. The very narrow bars at one end actively discourages bikes, push chairs or wheelchair users, hopefully at some point those pointless barriers will be removed.

From Fergusson to Wagener is a very highly trafficked shortcut to St Lukes mall. This one pops out beside Animates and is also a handy place to park if you want to avoid the traffic craziness of St Lukes. In winter the Fir trees lining the walkway can cause havoc with dropping their tree waste to take some care if walking through here in the dark.

This stunning sneaker winds its way between stately houses in the suburb of Mt Eden, Auckland. There’s no way to know how old this walkway is but from the wear on the steps I imagine it’s been there for a long time and has seen many feet traipse its steps.

I only managed a picture at the bottom of these steps at the Charlton end but it is a beautiful piece of urban planning, linking two streets and playing a key role in the merging of families and cultures.