Pink Beach is a remote destination on the east side of Shakespear Park, my favourite Auckland New Zealand regional park. The park offers hours of hiking trails and has three popular beaches with nearby carparks. In contrast to the others, Pink Beach requires a hike along the Tiritiri Track, is accessible only at low tide via …
Shakespear Park
Shakespear Park: Our Favourite of the Auckland Regional Parks
Shakespear Regional Park encompasses the lush rolling hills at the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula. It’s an open bird sanctuary, with three main beaches, hours of hiking trails, a waterfall, a popular campground, and a lookout tower with 360-degree views. Open to the public, Shakespear Park is a gathering spot for families and whanau alike. Hiking …
Springtime in New Zealand: Baby Lambs in Shakespear Park
As I look at the hills dotted with baby lambs, I know why springtime in New Zealand is my favourite time of year. A modern country, New Zealand still has the highest density of sheep per unit area in the world. We have significantly more sheep than people. In fact, the country is home to nearly …
Little Spotted Kiwi Birds Return to Shakespear Regional Park in Auckland, New Zealand
For the first time since the late 19th century, little spotted kiwi birds roam free on New Zealand’s mainland. The celebration and release of twenty kiwi birds at Shakespear Regional Park was an event more than five years in the making. It’s a dream made possible by a lot of hard work, planning, and protecting by …
Glow Worms at Waterfall Gully in Shakespear Park
There are glow worms at Shakespear Park’s waterfall gully. Not a lot, but enough to make it a fun evening adventure. If you like stepping off the beaten path, this is your opportunity. I lived walking distance to this waterfall for nearly 10 years before I found out there were glow worms there. It’s a …
Collecting Cockles at Okoromai Bay in New Zealand
As the tide retreated, we could see a few people collecting cockles at the water’s edge. Okoromai Bay in Shakespear Regional Park is one of the few spots remaining in the Auckland region where one can gather these clams. While ordinarily a summertime activity, fresh New Zealand cockles are delicious all year long. It was …
Docking Lambs – A New Experience for this City Girl
Today is sheep docking day. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. I was invited to come along and told to bring a camera. I rarely turn down an opportunity to hike in Shakespear Park, especially ones that involve the lambs. Living on the doorstep of an Auckland Regional Park, we have access to great …
Intimidated by Cows I Climb Over an Electric Fence
I am intimidated by cows. There, I said it. Growing up in a city, I had almost no exposure to farm animals. And while other people walk through the paddocks, passing cows without incident, I am nervous. On part of today’s hike through Shakespear Park in Auckland New Zealand, hubby and I parallel an electric fence. This …
