The most prominent geographic feature from our windows is the vast purple silhouette of the Waitakere Ranges, not the Manukau Heads, which only presented their dramatic beauty when I ventured out for my first run.
Head from Avondale up Portage Rd (off Wolverton Rd, turn towards the coast rather than into industrial Portage Rd) and within two minutes of driving or 20 minutes of running, you are greeted by several secluded, bush-clad coastal walkways.
These lead to Green Bay, Blockhouse Bay, Flounder Bay and other secluded little bays that seem to have no names at all.
This is like the New Zealand I grew up in, not always signposted to within a millimetre of its existence.
This bushy coastline winds through vast swathes of lush, green domains. A large, quiet scout camp sits tucked behind the greenery on one hill, its eerily secluded bush chapel down a narrow path that eventually spills on to the mudflats of Green Bay.
No wonder Green Bay has its evocative name. The emerald hue of the sea here is mesmerisingly intense, even on an overcast day at dusk. Blockhouse Bay is nearby. If entered from the coastal walkways, it is quaint and pretty, a serene antidote to our fast-growing, noisy city. The great coastal walks here are close to the city, too, just
15 minutes' drive (on weekends and quiet days) from Pt Chevalier.
Even for Aucklanders who do not own a car, the start of these walks is close, thanks to the New Lynn railway station, a 15-20-minute walk away. Each of these walks takes an hour, perhaps less. The calming coastline is sure to make a positive impression as well as providing a family outing of less than half a day in which to walk, dabble in the water and while away a few hours.
Two great walks in the west
Here are two of my favourite "other" West Auckland walks. Duration is
for granny walking times; no offence to those fit grandmothers out there but most will finish these in significantly less time, unless stopping along the way.
Blockhouse Bay circuit walk, 45 minutes
Birds are the first thing you hear along this quiet walking track, which winds downhill from Gittos Domain, halfway down Gill Cres. It is easy to find a park on the street. The path is initially steep, punctuated by plenty of seats, which might come in handy if you need a breather along the 5.2km track as it loops around Gittos Domain. The domain was renamed in 2012 from Avondale South Domain. The name honours an old local, Francis Gittos, who owned a nearby farm and a couple of tanneries in the 1880s when Blockhouse Bay was known as Whau, the district's name back in the day.
Members of the Avondale-Waterview Historic Society wanted to mark his life and pushed for the name change, which they outline online at timespanner.blogspot.co.nz.
The best views on this walk are, as you might expect, of the water, which emerges from the bushlined pathways as you do. The reward is not only the exercise and the serenity of the setting, but also, should you choose, a cool white vino, a fresh cider or a crafty brew at The Block Cafe, almost perfectly midway between Blockhouse Bay Recreation Reserve, Gittos Domain and Craigavon Park.
Dogs are allowed off the leash on this walk and if it has been raining and you're a keen walker, take boots. A permanent barbecue sits in the large park with plenty of shade trees at Blockhouse Bay.
Where to begin: Start the Blockhouse Bay circuit walk from Gittos Domain on Gill Cres; just off Blockhouse Bay Rd. ]
Blockhouse Bay to Green Bay, 30 minutes
The second great walk along this forgotten coastline is one I have not been able to find a name for.
It begins at Blockhouse Bay and winds up through Taunton Tce, along the coast, through bush, to Green Bay. The path is narrow and can be slippery on the sodden bush leaves that line the pathway and on the steep wooden steps, even in summer.
They lead to many private picnic spots. In summer a couple of us went for a run to the bay, taking a diversion to the intensely deep green waters of a seemingly completely private bay, right next to Green Bay.
The water here often seems unusually calm and flat, making it easy to swim out and get a bird's-eye view back to the coastline before walking back to Green Bay, up the little hill to Portage Rd and back to New Lynn and Avondale.
The reward might be a coffee and a Best Ugly Bagel or a Kohu Rd icecream at The Tannery Cafe, which doubles as the place to get icecream and as my new favourite coffee haunt. Go, the west.
• Joelle Thomson is a writer, author and walker.
