Martins Bay Coastal Walk is a scenic trail in Mahurangi West, Auckland, offering stunning coastal views and beach access. This relatively easy walk follows the shoreline, passing through native bush and along sandy beaches. The track is suitable for families and provides opportunities to observe marine life and enjoy the peaceful Mahurangi Harbour environment.
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Find more walks in this area… explore Mahurangi West walks
By Car: From Auckland take State Highway 1 north toward Warkworth. Turn left onto Mahurangi West Road and follow it for approximately 8 km as it winds through farmland. Turn right onto Martins Bay Road and continue to the end where you’ll find limited roadside parking. The last section of Martins Bay Road is narrow and mostly unsealed so take it steady. If you’re towing anything larger than a small trailer you might want to reconsider.
Public Transport: Let’s be honest, getting here without a car is essentially impossible. The nearest bus services run to Warkworth which is still a solid 15 km away with no connecting transport.
The Martins Bay track flies under the radar compared to its flashier Auckland cousins and that’s precisely its charm. While hordes descend on Piha or queue for carparks at Mount Eden, this little coastal gem remains blissfully quiet most days. The combination of harbour and open sea views creates constantly shifting light conditions that photographers absolutely love.
The marine environment here is particularly rich. At low tide the rocky platforms reveal extensive pools teeming with crabs, sea anemones and the occasional octopus if you’re patient and observant. Bring polarised sunglasses to cut through the water’s surface glare and you’ll spot far more.
Tide timing matters more than most walkers realise. High tide limits beach access and can make some sections muddy and slippery. Check the tide tables before you go and aim for the two hours either side of low tide. This gives you maximum beach exploration time and safer footing on rocky sections.
Early mornings offer the calmest conditions and best chance of spotting wildlife including little blue penguins returning to their burrows after night fishing. Late afternoons provide spectacular golden hour light for photography but can get windy.
The track description says “easy” but there are a few gotchas. Those gentle undulations add up and your quads will definitely know they’ve been for a walk. The path can be slippery after rain particularly on the clay sections through the bush.
Exposed sections cop the full brunt of northeasterly winds. On breezy days the wind chill factor drops temperatures noticeably so pack an extra layer even if the carpark feels warm. I’ve watched too many underdressed walkers huddling behind rocks wishing they’d brought that fleece.
The lack of facilities means planning ahead. No toilets, no water, no cafe at the end. The nearest amenities are back in Warkworth so sort yourself out before you arrive.
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The regenerating bush includes coastal broadleaf species gradually reclaiming former farmland. Karaka trees indicate historical MΔori settlement as they were extensively cultivated for their edible berries. The gnarled pohutukawa clinging to rocky outcrops show the resilience of these iconic New Zealand Christmas trees.
Birdlife includes fantails flitting through the undergrowth and tui in flowering trees during spring and summer. Keep your eyes on the water for spotted shags diving for fish and occasionally pods of dolphins cruising past the headlands. Little blue penguins nest in some rocky areas so give any burrows a wide berth and never use flash photography near them.
Yes with supervision. The track itself is manageable for kids who can walk a few kilometres but the proximity to cliff edges in spots requires keeping little ones close. Most families turn around at the first beach rather than completing the full walk.
The sheltered harbour sections offer calm swimming conditions in summer but there are no lifeguards and no patrolled beaches. Ocean swells can surge around the headlands unexpectedly. Only confident swimmers should venture in and never swim alone.
No, this is an out-and-back track only. The terrain and private property boundaries prevent loop alternatives.
The track is too narrow and coastal sections too exposed for safe mountain biking. This is a walking-only track.
Sandflies can be troublesome around the beaches on calm days particularly during summer. Mosquitoes lurk in the bushier sections at dawn and dusk. Pack repellent just in case.
Coverage is extremely unreliable. Some networks get patchy signal on the higher sections but assume you’ll have none. Tell someone your plans before walking.
The wind hit differently at Martins Bay. I’d driven past the turnoff a dozen times before finally pulling over one Saturday morning, boots laced tight and a thermos of coffee rattling in my backpack.
The track started easy enough through coastal scrub, but within twenty minutes my calves reminded me I hadn’t done this in months. The path hugged the cliffs, and every few steps opened up another view of the Tasman Sea crashing into rock formations that looked like they’d been there since the beginning of time.
I passed maybe three other people the entire walk. An older couple with matching rain jackets nodded as they went by, and a lone runner bounded past going the opposite direction. Otherwise, it was just me and the gulls screaming overhead.
The best part came around the halfway point where the track dips down closer to the water. There’s a small beach tucked between two headlands that doesn’t show up in any of the photos online. I scrambled down and sat on the sand for twenty minutes, watching the waves roll in with a rhythm that made checking my phone feel ridiculous.
Coming back, my knees complained on the uphill sections, and I definitely should have brought more water. But standing at the carpark afterward, salt-crusted and pleasantly exhausted, I made a mental note to stop driving past the turnoff. Some things are worth the sore legs.
