Walk Details

NZ Walking Routes > Hawkes Bay > Cape Kidnappers Gannet Reserve

Cape Kidnappers Gannet Reserve

Location

Cape Kidnappers is southest of Napier on the East Coast of the North Island in the Hawke's Bay region. Click here for a map.

Description

This famous scenic beach walk is a highlight of any visit to Hawke's Bay. Best months at the gannets are November through February; the reserve is closed July through October.

The 13 hectare reserve includes the Saddle and Black Reef gannet colonies. Both are closed to public access, however the Black Reef colony can be viewed from the beach. The Plateau colony is the main place for viewing the nesting gannets where there are also good panoramic views from this elevated headland.

Take an enjoyable scenic walk or trip along a remote coastline. On the beach journey to the Cape visitors can see towering cliffs which expose the many rock types and fault lines which underlie Hawke's Bay.

The cliffs are made up of sandstone, river gravel, pumice and silt, originally deposited between 300,000 to 1 million years ago.

Look for the fragmented fault and tilt lines along the cliffs, they tell the story of many earthquake upheavals and movements

You can also enjoy close-up views of nesting gannets at the Plateau and Black Reef colonies.

Visit the below website for more information.

Amenities

• Birds
• Historical

Source

www.doc.govt.nz

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