FEET FIRST AUCKLAND TRAMPING CLUB

Greetings -

On this Saturday September 20th....We will do a return visit to Piha Beach ....as a few weeks ago...we missed the opportunity to get to Visit the hidden Sea Caves due to water blocking our entrance..

The Moon and tide are lining up perfectly for us this weekend.

The route will take us to the wilderness area of Piha to begin with, into the bush, following a stream alongside a mixture of boardwalks and trails, passing by many large trees, including Kauri and Rimu, and hopefully a few flowering trees as we celebrate walking in spring today.

Our lunch is either at the base of the beautiful layered 40m high Piha Waterfall called Kitekite Falls, or for extra fun and a bit of huffing and puffing, to the lookout at the top of the Falls to sit , eat lunch and enjoy the splendid views , or their is a few deeper pools to cool down in for the brave.

After relaxing, our route continues, back to the beach houses and streets of south Piha, by now, the tide today will be low enough to walk along the black sand beach to The Gap, and our main reason why we are visiting Piha Beach, the opportunity to see hidden Sea Caves alongside the Tasman Sea, after we walk through the Blow Hole, these Sea Caves are the biggest and longest of any found along the area here . Especially splendid views , this is the location of the extreme end of South Piha. Returning back same way, we have the opportunity to visit Lion Rock and the northern end of Piha.

Duration - About 4 hours of leisurely walking plus extra time for breaks.

Distance - 8km approx.
Difficulty - Mostly Easy to Medium. Some steeper 20 minutes to reach top Kitekite Falls .
Speed - My casual pace. Not suitable for fast-paced walkers.

Please - No smoking, animals, children or Guests.

What to Bring - Day Pack - Lunch and Snacks and Drink - Clothes suitable for the season. Wool layers to keep yourself warm and happy - Rain jacket- Wear strong walking shoes or boots - A hiking pole is optional, and recommended - First Aid Band Aids - Headlight or Handheld torch for the Sea Caves.

Time Schedule-

8.15 am - Carpooling Option Central City Meet at New World Victoria Park on Scotland Street. Leave at 8.30am. Passengers. Give your Driver $20 Cash.

10.30 am All Arrive at North Piha Beach Domain Carpark on Seaview Rd. Look out for Signs saying Piha Bowling Club. Use Google Link on Map Link here. 12 Seaview Rd. Piha.

Do Introduction Circle. Gold Coin Collection.

11am - Start Hike

1pm - Lunch at Kitekite Falls. Opportunities to Swim.

2pm - Arrive at South Piha Beach.
Visit The Sea Caves here for those interested. Shoes will Get Wet . Bring along spare to wear home .

4pm . Approx end of South Piha visit to Sea Caves. Time to visit Lion Rock .

4.30- Approx Return to Cars. Refreshments at Nearby Piha Store. Seats are on left here under cover .

Return to Auckland.

🥾 What’s in Store

This is a slower-paced, social walk – plenty of time for photos, rest stops, and soaking up the stories of the land and forest.

📍 Meeting Details

Time: Meet & Greet at 10:30am sharp

Place: North Piha Domain Carpark (12 Seaview Rd, in front of Lion Rock).

Alternative GPS : Piha Bowling Club Carpark (use Google Maps).

Look for me in an orange shirt on Seaview Rd opposite beach houses on right.

Hiking poles optional (great for knees & balance).

🚗 Transport & Carpooling

Option 1 – Carpool from City:

Meet outside the closed Victoria Park New World (Scotland St).

8:15am gather, 8:30am depart.

Passengers: bring $20 cash for your driver.

Option 2 – Organise a Ride:

Post your area + mobile number in the comments to connect.

Option 3 – Drive Yourself:

Head directly to Piha Domain Carpark, Seaview Rd.

Toilets available opposite the shop & campground.

💵 Event Cost

$2–$5 Koha (based on your income) to help support the group website.

🚫 Please Note

No dogs, no smoking, no extra guests.

RSVP and update if your plans change.

✨ Final Word

This hike is about quality time, nature, and shared adventure. The caves are rare, the falls are spectacular, and the company will make it even better.

See you at Piha, on Saturday for our Guided small group Feet First Auckland Tramping Club Adventures.

Stephen F
Organiser / Leader
📱 027 477 9495

Hey all .

Today's easy going tramp starts from the carpark at Bethells Beach.

Ideally suited for all ages, and levels of fitness and abilities.

We will walk south along this black sand beach alongside the Tasman Sea, to check out the large Big Cave.

Then following a few beach tracks leaving the beach going slightly uphill , nothing strenuous, we will then walk to Lake Wainamu and explore the Large Sand Dunes here , before we reach the edge of this fabulous inland fresh water lake. Swimming opportunities for anyone brave, or we will have our lunch.

Returning over the Sand Dunes, back to the cars ...as the around the lake track loop is still damaged from cyclone Gabrielle and permanently closed ..Since then we only have access to the left side of Lake Wainamu .

Duration is about 4 hours of leisurely walking plus extra time for breaks and lunch or swimming opportunities if weather conditions are favorable.

Distance - About 8 to 10km .

Difficulty - Nothing hard about today, more flat beach walking with a few short bursts of energy required to walk up sand dunes.

Wear strong walking shoes or boots. Carry everything you Need for warm layers to keep yourself happy and comfortable when we stop. Bethells Beach has exposed areas to the wind .

Carry everything in a small day backpack, lunch, snacks and water ( at least 2l is recommended). Togs and Towel for swimming . A hiking or trekking pole helps with the soft sand today, we mainly walk on, and some roads.

No Dogs, No Smoking or Children or Guests.

Meeting Point - End of Te Henga Rd. Main Bethells Beach Carpark.
Lets gather in the area around the Bethells Caravan Cafe alongside the Carpark.

Carpooling Method- Option

If you need a ride or have space for another please add a Note below with your Mobile number and Area where you live.

Depending on the interest level of those coming that need a ride, by answering the RSVP questions, we may possibly organize a Centralized meeting place for Cars and Passengers at Victoria Park New World on Scotland Street. We will keep you posted.

Optional Coffee and Hot Food and Cold Drinks at Beach Cafe here after or before. Sometimes on a Saturday night, there's Live Music as well.

Any questions please contact me directly.

See you on Saturday - September 27th - 2025 .

Kind regards Stephen French.
Mob 0274 779495