A 3-kilometre return coastal walk near the township of Leigh, north of Auckland, inside the Cape Rodney–Okakari Point Marine Reserve. The track starts at the western end of the Goat Island Marine Reserve car park. The website grades it intermediate, takes 1.5 to 2 hours for a return walk at a leisurely pace, and says it climbs steeply from sea level through regenerating coastal forest before opening on to farmland and ridgelines. Panoramic ocean views are the main reward. A lookout about 20 minutes in is named as a good place to spot rays and other marine life in the clear water below. The website says the walk is exposed, so it can be windy on the ridge and there is little shade on the farm sections in summer. Dogs are banned from the reserve, according to the website.
Customers describe a mix of bush, open fields and coastal views, with native forest along the way. One says the walk takes 30 to 40 minutes and is about 15 minutes from Matakana, and another says a 45 to 60 minute return walk is worth doing if you are in the area. The water is described as beautifully clear. Our pick in Leigh for a short coastal walk with views of the marine reserve.