Laird Thomson Track
Waitakere Ranges Regional Park
- 20 min one way
- Easy
- Rose Track leads down to Whites Beach (10 minutes) or up to Anawhata Road (15 minutes).
Short walk from North Piha onto Te Waha Point, with access to Whites Beach.
Walking time
|
20 min |
---|---|
Distance
|
0.6km |
Type
|
One way
|
Grade
|
Easy |
Bookings
|
No bookings — open access
No — open access
|
Starts
|
Kohunui Bay at the northern end of North Piha Beach. |
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Maps
|
NZTopo50-BA30
|
Altitude
|
Sea level
–
80m
Altitude change 80m
|
Laird Thomson was a local landowner and secretary of the Alpine Sports Club from its foundation in 1929. He gave land in 1966 to provide public access to Whites Beach.
Starting from the beach at North Piha, head up the beach to the foot of the headland. The Laird Thomson Track climbs gently onto Te Waha Point under coastal pohutukawa and light forest. On the ridge, a shortcut directly down to Whites Bay is signposted nearby. Turning left, a quick climb leads up to the lookout point and seat. There are good views Whites Beach and the coastline north from here.
Back at the junction, head along the spine of the headland under low forest, up through manuka scrub to a dirt road. Follow this to the junction with Rose Track. You can take Rose Track down to Whites Beach.
Connecting tracks