Lake Wainamu Loop Walk

4km, 90 minutes, easy breezy walking. 45 minutes out of Auckland heading to West Auckland’s beautiful Bethells Beach, aka Te Henga, before you reach the ocean you’ll spot a car park and that’s where the walking starts. Setting off along a well marked path, you can choose to either follow the stream or head up towards the mountainous sand dunes which are a destination in their own right and give the impression of being on another planet or possibly the moon. Unsurprisingly, these dunes attract a lot of people who like to ‘surf’ down on them on cardboard boxes or old boogie boards. But if you keep on walking, you’ll arrive at a most picturesque body of water known as Lake Wainamu and on a still day the reflections are mesmerising. If you choose to follow the stream though, you’ll walk the lake in a clockwise direction and if you reach the lake via the dunes, you might like to try the counter clockwise route, with the start of the circumnavigation to the right of the lake. The track is mostly a combination of well-packed earth and rocks, with plenty of birds to chaperone you. With a fetching little waterfall near some lovely public art and interpretation panels, the lake is also a popular swimming spot, so in the warmer weather be sure to pack a swimming costume and towel.