Watch this space for details as they become available. Please check this page shortly before joining us in case the information has been updated.

The Auckland leg of the city solidarity walk will be done over four days, from Friday 20 to Monday 23 September. The leg will cover up to 25 km per day and may take 6 hours per day (it is difficult to be accurate, as speed and distance are affected by weather and other factors). We shall walk regardless of rain or shine.

Anyone who wishes to join us is welcome at any time over the four days, and each person need only walk the distance with which he or she feels comfortable. People who cannot meet us at the starting point each day can phone Mairi-Anne (021 213 0151) to locate us and join us at a later time.

Please check the Preparation list provided on the “Join us” page. Our approach is casual and all walkers must be self-sufficient and responsible for themselves. We will probably be a reasonably small group; there will be no marshals, police or St John presence.

The total distance is 97 km. We shall start at the Estuary Arts Centre, 214B Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa (the 548 km mark on the Te Araroa map) and finish at Totara Park, 90 Wairere Rd, Manurewa. (the 645 km mark).

The four-day route can be viewed on the Te Araroa  website under the maps section. The relevant part is Map 25 to Map 29 (on pages 5 to 9 if you wish to print). Access these from the main Te Araroa website or by clicking here.

The route is described on the Te Araroa website under the trail notes section. The relevant part is the page titled “Whangaparaoa Crossing” to that titled “Puhinui Stream Track” (on pages 15 to 26 if you wish to print). Access these from the main Te Araroa website or by clicking here.

(Note that we’ll start in a different place from that specified in “Whangaparaoa Crossing”.)

Start: Friday 20 September (11 km)
We shall depart at 8.30 am from the car park of the Estuary Arts Centre, 214B Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa (548.5 km mark on the Te Araroa map).
End: The jetty on Weiti River, near Wade River Rd (559.5 km mark on the Te Araroa map).
Note: because there are two water sections (the Weiti and Okura Rivers) in close proximity, which make it difficult for a groups of walkers to make transport arrangements either across or around these, Hannah and Mairi-Anne will have already done the 559.5 to 569.5 km sections before 20 September.

Start: Saturday 21 September (23 km)
We shall depart at 8.30 am from the car park at Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve at the lower end of Beach Road, Long Bay (569.5 km mark).
End: The Devonport Wharf at the end of King Edward Parade (592.5 km mark).
Note: Some sections of the walk may be affected by tide. Low tide is at 14.20 on this day. If the tide is inconvenient, we may walk on a road parallel to the beach at certain points.

Start: Sunday 22 September (25.5 km)
We shall depart at 8.30 am from the Ferry Terminal, Quay Street, in the CBD (just before the 596 km mark).
End: Junction of Ascot, Montgomerie and Oruarangi Rds, Mangere (621.5 km mark).
NB: We actually ended at the car park next to the Oruarangi Rd Bridge, Mangere. It turned out to be the only place we could rejoin the road from the track (22/9/13, 5.16 pm).

Start: Monday 23 September (23.5 km)
We shall depart at 8.30 am from the junction of Ascot, Montgomerie and Oruarangi Rds, Mangere (621.5 km mark). the car park next to the Oruarangi Rd Bridge, Mangere.
End: Totara Park, 90 Wairere Rd, Manurewa (near the 645 km mark).

It will be a pleasure to meet you and have you walk alongside us for a while.