WALK: Te Whara Track
The Te Whara track follows an ancient Maori trail from Urquharts Bay to Ocean Beach. Te Whara was the principal wife of the rangatira Manaia.
A reasonable level of fitness, skill and experience is needed to walk the main tracks at Bream Head Scenic Reserve. The hill access leading on to the Mt Lion, Ocean Beach and Peach Cove tracks are all steep.
From Urquharts Bay, the track climbs steeply up Mount Lion until it reaches the ridgeline. Once on the ridge the track becomes undulating and easy going. The ridge track eventually intersects with the Peach Cove track. From there you climb to the Te Whara / Bream Head summit. From the summit, the track heads down to Ocean Beach and passes a WWII naval radar station.
The track passes through some of the best coastal forest in the North Island. At the Bream Head summit, you can enjoy a magnificent coastal panorama taking in Motukokako (Cape Brett) in the north to Tawharanui (Cape Rodney) in the south and includes the offshore islands Tawhiti Rahi and Aorangi (Poor Knights), Marotere (Hen and Chickens group), Hauturu (Little Barrier) and Aotea (Great Barrier) in the far east.
To minimise disturbance to the area, and out of respect to local iwi and their ancestors, please do not venture off the marked tracks.
View Walk Details.
