Cycling in and around Puketāpapa
Featured Puketāpapa rides
We have designed six interesting and fun rides for all cycling abilities, taking in what Puketāpapa has on offer.
Grand Tour of Puketāpapa
15km loop
Grade: 3
A similar route to the Three Maunga ride but without the climbing. There are one or two steep sections in Monte Cecilia Park. This is suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities. The ride is all on off-road shared paths with one small section on quiet parts of Hayr Rd and Haughey Ave. You might like to plan a picnic in the newly re-naturalised Walmsley and Underwood reserves, or book lunch at the Homestead Café and look at the exhibitions at the Arts House Trust at the Pah Homestead in Monte Cecilia Park.
Three Maunga Ride
Puketāpapa (Mt Roskill), Te Tātua a Riukiuta (Big King) and Ōwairaka (Mt Albert)
22km loop
Grade: 3
A magnificent opportunity to view Auckland from the summit of three of our precious maunga. You will pass through a number of beautiful parks and reserves. Hill climbing is involved (300 vertical metres) on this route with some challenging sections around Big King Reserve. Recommended for fit, confident riders and those on e-bikes who can manage steep slopes. Of course you can always get off and walk sections that might be challenging to ride. Much of the ride is on off-road shared paths. A small section is on a wide, quiet part of Mt Albert Rd. We recommend you undertake this ride in an anti-clockwise direction.
Walmsley Underwood Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek) Loop Ride
4km loop
Grade: 2
All off-road and flat. Fine for children 6 and above. Nice picnic spots along the newly re-naturalised Walmsley and Underwood Reserves. Check out the Māra Hūpara- Traditional Māori Playground and Pump track in this area. There is a 24hr bike repair stand available at the Bike Kitchen near Wesley Community Centre.
Waikowhai Bay Ride
5.5km from Keith Hay Park
Grade: 3
Waikowhai Bay is a beautiful quiet picnic and BBQ area on the shores of the mighty Manukau Harbour. There are walks in either direction through the bush along the foreshore. Swimming is possible when the tide is in. The route to Waikowhai Bay is largely off-road but includes Molley Green Reserve, Quona Ave and of course Waikowhai Rd leading down to the reserve. Please note the last part of the route down to the bay is steep. This route would be suitable for those 12 years and up. Don’t miss the spectacular lookout point over the harbour just off the first car park.
Keith Hay Park Family Ride
2.5km loop
Grade: 1
A great route for little ones. For the very young you can do half the loop. There is the Olympic Café at the Recreation Centre, playgrounds, toilets and of course you can swim at the Cameron Pool.
Taumanu Reserve Family Ride
3.5km loop
Grade: 1
A lovely flat 1.5km path around the newly developed Taumanu Reserve. It is suitable for families with young children, with playgrounds and good picnic spots. Highlights include the beautiful beaches and migratory birds. There is a boardwalk around to a path leading up to Rendcomb Place but at present it is closed due to flood damage. When it reopens, go up the path a wee way and look for the large goat keeping the grass down on a hillside property on your right.
Other rides taking in routes in Puketāpapa
Ride Details
Route Description:
This is a lovely 12km gentle ride on off road paths that will suit families and new riders. The Waterfall is beautiful. The ride will be fine for all levels of fitness. Expect to be riding for 90 minutes total. One can turn back early.
Recommended age of rider:
Suggestion for minimum rider age is 10 years up.
Destination:
Te Auaugna Awa (Oakley Creek) Waterfall in the Waterview Reserve. Oakley Creek Falls is the only waterfall within Auckland City area. Given there are steps down to the Waterfall, bring a lock for your bikes if you need to leave them at the top of the path. They can be taken down with you though.
A good after-ride coffee could be at Café L'oeuf Mt Albert, 4A Owairaka Avenue, Mount Albert.
Suitable bicycle: This route will be suitable for all types of bikes.
A good Start/Finish point is the car park on the corner of Gifford Ave and Sandringham Rd Extension.
Wesley to Waterview Oakley Creek Waterfall
Ride Details
Grade 1 – Off-road
Route description:
No hills. Paved shared paths, sections of the ride are on grass, and gravel roads. The ride is 20kms. Expect to be riding for 90 minutes total. One can turn back early.
Recommended age of rider:
Suggestion 10 years up.
Destination:
Close to Puketutu Island, the path is blocked for construction of the Central Interceptor Project just before the Watercare Mangere Treatment Plant. If you want to go all the way to the island, there is an alternative route in this map.
An after-ride coffee could be at Café Red Ruby Coronation Rd, Mangere Bridge
Suitable bicycle: We would not recommend a racing style bike as sections of the ride are on grass, and gravel roads. Fine for eBikes.
Public transport options: You can take your bike on the train to Onehunga and meet on the Mangere Bridge path, or ride to the Start/Finish point at Taumanu Reserve in Onehunga.
Taumanu to Puketutu
Eastern Manakau Harbour Loop
Ride details
Grade 2 – Off- and on-road
Route description:
This is a little known part of Auckland that has recently been opens up due to the new Orana Esplanade Walkway between Mahanga Drive and Favona Road. Most of the route is on paved shared paths through harbourside reserves. The route from when you will join Favona Road through Otahuhu to the beginning of the path at the end of Hugo Johnson Drive in Penrose is on roads that can be busy with trucks etc during working hours. On Great South Road, one can ride on the footpath. If riding in work hours, you will need to be confident riding in traffic. Note the route takes you over a foot bridge and through the new Otahuhu Rail Station, there is a lift that can take you and your bikes down to ground level. This avoids some busy sections of road.
Recommended age of rider:
The ride is 15kms. Expect to be riding for 90 minutes total. Suggestion 10 years up.
A during-ride coffee could be at Café Red Ruby Coronation Rd Mangere Bridge, or cafés in the Onehunga Mall.
Suitable bicycle: Fine for all types of bicycles including eBikes.
Public transport options: You can take your bike on the train to Onehunga and meet on the Mangere Bridge path, or ride to the Start/Finish point at Taumanu Reserve in Onehunga.
GPX file can be downloaded from here.
Te Auauanga Awa Family
Ride Details
Grade 1 – Off-road
Route description:
No hills. Paved shared paths, a couple of roads to cross at crossings. This is a perfect adventure for a family with small children. The ride is 2.8kms. There are a number of play areas, toilets, a pump track and the beautiful stream to enjoy on your way to Owairaka Park and back. You can read about the Te Auauanga Awa (Oakley Creek) Restoration project here.
Recommended age of riders.
Suitable for all ages.
A nearby café en-route could be at Café L'oeuf Mt Albert, 4A Owairaka Avenue, Mount Albert.
Suitable bicycle: Fine for all types of bicycles.
Other recommended rides in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
Ride Details
Grade 2 – On-road
Route description:
This is a quiet on and off-road route starting and finishing at the Devonport Ferry Terminal. Begin by riding along the waterfront towards the Devonport Naval Base at Stanley Point. Head through Ngataringa Park and then north through Plymouth Reserve, Bayswater Park and Philomel and Northborough Reserves before heading east past the grounds of Takapuna Grammar to the coast and down to Narrow Neck Reserve. Carry on down past Cheltenham Beach and go up to a lookout point on North Head for spectacular views of Rangitoto. You will ride almost 15kms. Grade 2 – On-road but most roads are quiet. The ride could take you a couple of hours with rest stops.
For those who would like to enjoy a late afternoon picnic looking over the harbour before either catching the ferry back to town, or heading home for those on the Shore, we suggest stopping for Fish ’n’ Chips from Catch 22 in the Windsor Reserve. There are lots of cafes in the area.
Suitable bicycle: This route will be suitable for all types of bikes. Some paths are twisty and narrow, there are a few sharp rises. Nothing that cannot be managed by jumping off and walking a bit.
Public transport options: Ferries run every 30 minutes. Start–finish point at the Alison Clock in front of the Devonport Ferry Terminal.
Devonport Loop
Ride Details
Grade 1 – Off-road
Route description:
This is on off-road inner-city cycle paths starting and finishing at the Wilson Car park on the corner of Alten Road and Stanley Street below the University of Auckland. You will start by riding up the Grafton Gully path to Upper Queen Street, then on to the Pink Path down to the Nelson Street cycleway that takes us to Wynyard Quarter.
We stopped for dinner at Miss Clawdy (Kitchen of South & Central Americas) at T6/12 Jellico St. To be recommended. Again the Viaduct Basin is full of cafes if you didn’t want to stop for a meal.
The ride then continues along the waterfront cycleway as far as Kelly Tarlton’s before returning back to the city, and to the Start–finish point via the cycleway along Beach Rd. In total you will ride almost 20kms.
There is a bit of a climb up Grafton Gully, but the rest of the ride is either downhill or flat. While you will be riding on separated paths, and that many of the paths are shared paths, and that we are riding about 20kms, we are not promoting this as a ride for young children.
Grade 1 – Off-road but you will cross busy roads at signalised crossings.
Suitable bicycle: This route will be suitable for all types of bikes. Please bring a lock if you are stopping for dinner.
Start–finish point is the Wilson Car park on the corner of Alten Road and Stanley Street below the University of Auckland.
