Coastal Walkway @ Top Tracks.info

To find the eastern end, drive east on Devon Street to the Fitzroy traffic lights. Rather than following Devon Street to the right past Tasman Toyota, continue straight on to Clemow Road. At the end of Clemow Road is Lake Rotomanu, turn left and follow the road around the lake, continue left beside the Fitzroy golf course to the Waiwhakaiho breakwater. Officially the walkway begins here, but there is a walkway behind the lake where the shade can be appreciated on a hot day. The walkway begins with around 500m of gravel through the sand dunes. On a clear day Mt Taranaki can be seen beyond the golf club’s rooms. The concrete walkway begins at the camping ground, going through it to the Fitzroy Surf Club. Here a high level board walk provides lovely coastal views, and it does reconnect to the main path a couple of hundred metres further on. After the East End Surf Club cross the lightning bolt shaped Te Henui bridge, and continue around to below the Woolcombe Terrace cliffs. Again a high level alternative is provided, useful if the sea is particularly rough. This takes you past the bowling club, to the sea side of Placemakers and back down between the railway and walkway.
Cross the Huatoki Stream and underpass access to Puke Ariki, go past the iconic windwand to below the Kawaroa Aquatic Centre, below the Belt Road camping ground to the boat trailer car park, where the concrete walkway ends. Many people walk to the end of the breakwater at this stage before returning, or you can continue on. A footpath begins below the terrace another hundred metres further on. This takes you through to the sheltered Ngamotu Beach, one kilometre further. At the far end of this a zigzag track has been formed to provide potential for continuing on to Paritutu and Back Beach.
Toilets These can be found at East End, the Windwand Car Park, Kawaroa Playground, boat trailer car park, and Ngamotu Beach. The camping ground toilets are for campers only. Features The Windwand, engineering feats –bridges and retaining walls, fresh coastal air! Track Surface Mostly 3-5m wide concrete
Accessibility The TSB Bank has provided mobility scooters for those unable to walk this walkway, so I guess accessibility is complete. The scooters can be borrowed (or hired?) from the New Plymouth Aquatic Centre at Kawaroa (ph 759 6060) Dangers This walkway is not closed to cyclists. Beware. Additional Notes There are extensions proposed, to go further east would require a considerable cash injection to bridge the Waiwhakaiho River. The benefits of linking to Bell Block could see this happen. There are plans for an overpass or bridge from the car park at the end of Liardet Street, but currently there is no access from here, either go up to and behind Placemakers, or down to the Windwand. See the New Plymouth District Council website for further info, http://www.newplymouthnz.com/VisitingNewPlymouth/ Attractions/CoastalWalkway.htm This information gathered while on site in 2004.

To find the eastern end, drive east on Devon Street to the Fitzroy traffic lights. Rather than following Devon Street to the right past Tasman Toyota, continue straight on to Clemow Road. At the end of Clemow Road is Lake Rotomanu, turn left and follow the road around the lake, continue left beside the Fitzroy golf course to the Waiwhakaiho breakwater. Officially the walkway begins here, but there is a walkway behind the lake where the shade can be appreciated on a hot day.

The walkway begins with around 500m of gravel through the sand dunes. On a clear day Mt Taranaki can be seen beyond the golf club’s rooms.

The concrete walkway begins at the camping ground, going through it to the Fitzroy Surf Club. Here a high level board walk provides lovely coastal views, and it does reconnect to the main path a couple of hundred metres further on.

After the East End Surf Club cross the lightning bolt shaped Te Henui bridge, and continue around to below the Woolcombe Terrace cliffs. Again a high level alternative is provided, useful if the sea is particularly rough. This takes you past the bowling club, to the sea side of Placemakers and back down between the railway and walkway.


Coastal Walkway

The Coastal Walkway runs along New Plymouth’s foreshore from Ngamotu to Fitzroy, around seven kilometres. Except for about 500m at the eastern end, the walkway is 3m wide in concrete.

Where is it? Access can be gained from too many places to name, identifying definitive start and end points is slightly easier. If you are planning to walk both ways, definitely begin in the morning at the Fitzroy end so the sun is behind you and not in your eyes both ways.