Walk | Coromandel | New Zealand
Explore the stunning Cathedral Cove Walk
Text | Anninka Kraus
Photography | Tobias Kraus
New Zealand Waikato
In The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, the Pevensie siblings walk through a magnificent triangle-shaped rock archway and enter Narnia.
That picturesque arch is Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Peninsula, and it is every bit as magical in real life: shaped over centuries by wind and water, it remains standing in the sparkling South Pacific Ocean with a sliver of golden sand on either side.
At high tide, the sea floods the archway, and you’ll have to wade through water to get to the beach and Te Hoho Rock, an iconic, freestanding limestone outcrop, on the other side.
Cathedral Cove is located at the southern end of Mercury Bay and is accessible by foot and boat. Hahei is the starting point of the 2.5km walkway that runs along the coast towards Cathedral Cove and passes by two beautiful secluded coves, Gemstone and Stingray bays, each with a small beach fringed by shallow turquoise waters and white limestone cliffs.
The bays are gorgeous, sheltered swimming and snorkelling spots, down short detours from the main track, and we were surprised to find them both empty.
Not so the beaches to either side of Cathedral Cove. With the borders closed to international visitors, the cave wasn’t nearly as busy as usual, but the beach was still popular with locals flocking here to sunbathe on the weekend.
There’s no parking but a drop-off zone at the trailhead. Free parking is available at Hahei Visitor Carpark on Pa Road and paid parking at Cathedral Cove Gateway Trail Carpark on Lees Road. A park and ride shuttle service runs in the summer (details below).
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Coromandel | New Zealand
Walk | Out & back trail | 2 hours
track details.
Start/End: Hahei Beach
Distance: 5.7km return from Hahei Beach
Time: 2 hours return from Hahei Beach; about 90 minutes return from the Grange Road entrance
Elevation: 235 meters (+/-) (lowest point: 0m / highest point: 85m)
Difficulty: easy
Best time to walk: all year
Options: the track is also suitable for running
Transportation & Important info from DOC:
Plan transport ahead of time – please note there is no parking available at the Grange Road track entrance.
Free parking is available at the Hahei Visitor Carpark on Pa Road, at the village entrance. From here, visitors can walk or catch a shuttle bus to the Grange Road track entrance.
Paid parking is available at the Cathedral Cove Gateway Trail, 150 Lees Road. From here you can take the private farm walk to the main Mautohe Cathedral Cove track.
There are also many different commercial tour options – including water taxi, kayaks and boats.
The Cathedral Cove Park & Ride shuttle: To reduce the volume of motor traffic through Hahei village and Grange Road, there will be a shuttle operating from the Hahei Visitor Carpark to the Grange Road track entrance this summer.
The Shuttle will operate daily, every 10-15 minutes from 9am to 6pm. As at December 2024: Adult fare: $7 return, Children 14 and under: Free
Grange Road restricted access: Due to significant damage to the Grange Road carpark and the expected volume of visitors, DOC is restricting access.
No buses will be allowed access to the Grange Road carpark, this is due to ongoing structural challenges in the lookout area. Until this is resolved, an alternative parking option for buses is the Hahei Visitor Carpark, which is well equipped to handle the expected volume of visitors, along with the shuttle to take visitors up.
No vehicles will be allowed to park at the Grange Road carpark this summer – drop-off and pickup only. For visitors wanting to access via the Grange Road track entrance, DOC is encouraging vehicles to park in the Hahei Visitor Carpark and either walk or take the shuttle to Grange Road.
You can also park at the Cathedral Cove Gateway Trail (paid parking) and walk to Cathedral Cove in 30-40 minutes.
Accessibility: While the walking track contains stairs and steep sections, you can view or reach the cove by water. Some commercial boat operators offer accessible tours.
Toilets: Toilets are not available on the beach. There are toilets at the start of the track at Grange Road, and a new flushable toilet facility is located about 10-15 minutes from the end of the track.
Pack in, pack out: There are no rubbish bins, you must take all rubbish away with you.
Visitor safety: Rockfalls and landslides occur frequently at Mautohe Cathedral Cove and other parts of this coastline, as the landscape is naturally unstable. These could cause serious injury or death. The risk is highest during or after heavy rain, but there can still be landslides and rockfall in good weather. To reduce the risk:
* If you do want to go under the arch then move quickly through it. Do not stop under the arch.
* Stay back from the shadow of the cliffs.
* Do not visit during or after heavy rain.
* The beach is not patrolled by lifeguards. Take care in and around the water.
Please note: The Gemstone Bay track, Stingray Bay track and the Hahei Beach to Grange Road track (Hahei Beach Walk) are closed. Do not use these tracks.
Further information: Official DOC information
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