The Watercare Coastal Walkway is a hiking area at Patumahoe in Franklin, holding a solid 4.3 Google rating from those who have walked it.
Coastal walking is shaped by tide and weather more than most kinds of track. Foreshore sections can be soft underfoot or cut off at high water, and harbour winds arrive with little warning, so it pays to check both before setting out. Good grip helps too, as estuary paths often stay muddy well after rain. Regulars tend to walk early or late in the day, when the light is best and the New Zealand sun is kinder, and they carry water and sun protection even under cloud. Time your visit with the tide and there is usually birdlife to slow you down.
For a quiet stretch of shoreline and open air close to Patumahoe, this is a walk worth making a habit of.