Auckland Volcano Fields

This hiking tour is part of the Coast to Coast walk that connects the two coastlines of Auckland, but it avoids the somewhat dull sections in the residential areas of this metropolis. Instead, this hike explores the parks and extinct volcanoes of Auckland, although there are unfortunately some less exciting kilometers on this route.

As mentioned, you can walk this trail from coast to coast, and it is also marked with signage. This hike is sixteen kilometers long and, therefore, involves more urbanization than nature. Moreover, it focuses on wider paths, while my route almost literally follows unbeaten paths. However, this is not the case at the beginning because both Albert Park and later Auckland Domain are two parks that attract a lot of people. Albert Park is somewhat modest, but the large Auckland Domain is sometimes the venue for concerts that draw a hundred thousand visitors. When I passed by, it was very serene. Perhaps that's a good thing because it allows the highlight of this domain more space to shine: a memorial stone for all war victims from New Zealand. This includes World War I and World War II to more recent conflicts.

As beautiful as these parks are, the truly beautiful part starts at the iconic Mount Eden, which is the highest point in Auckland. So high that visitors here are almost at the same height as the observation deck of the Sky Tower. A steep slope awaits to be conquered, but once this is done, you can enjoy the beautiful spectacle that is Auckland. The surrounding bays and islands sharply contrast with the skyscrapers in downtown Auckland. My guidebook describes this panorama as a view that you can't almost see anywhere else in the world in a city of millions, but then the author seems to have forgotten about Cape Town, which in my humble opinion is a bit more impressive. Just a bit, because this is also truly quite impressive. Not only the view but also the crater, which is a whopping fifty meters deep.

The last attraction of the day is One Tree Hill, but there is still a fair bit of walking to be done: over four kilometers, in fact. These four kilometers are probably not for everyone, as they are unfortunately quite dull. Via long streets, it goes towards Cornwall Park, again one of the large parks that green Auckland is rich in. However, the paths towards One Tree Hill leave the concrete behind, and here I fully opt for nature. Through fields and some short but challenging slopes, it goes to the top where until the beginning of the 21st century, a single tree stood as a tribute to the Maori. Before that, the British decimated the Maori, but that's long forgotten. Or maybe not, because some activists have destroyed this tree, and now there are several trees on this hilltop. And a 21-meter-high obelisk.

You can leave this extinct volcano via some streets, but who does that? It's much more fun to trudge through the tall grass of this volcano where no one goes. So, I do just that, and I make my way down. The map from Wikiloc is not always a good combination with my sense of direction, and I don't notice an easily missed gate in a sea of green. So, I have to come back to take this gate in the second instance, and along the edge of the crater, I make my way back to civilization. Another couple is less fortunate because they look at me sheepishly when I descend with a broad smile, and they seem hopelessly lost. I then continue to walk calmly to a busy street and there I order a taxi via Uber, which takes me to Wynyard, the harbor area of Auckland, for the reasonable price of just over ten euros.

In particular, the two volcanoes at Mount Eden and One Tree Hill are the real heroes of this hike, and I thoroughly enjoyed these parts. The views here are truly spectacular, especially at Mount Eden. One Tree Hill scores somewhat more modestly in this regard but compensates for it with a more adventurous passage along the crater edge where almost no one goes. It's a shame that the route to this hill is a bit dull, but you can't expect a pure nature hike in a metropolis. Nevertheless, this hike comes pretty close.