Volcanic Auckland

I live in the heart of a busy, sprawling metropolis: Auckland, the commercial powerhouse of New Zealand. I live here because this is where I work, the high-paced throb of the city beats in tune with my heart. It’s busy, people work fast, they live fast, move fast. It’s no New York, but rates consistently as the 5th top city in the world for quality of life. What does any of this have to do with tramping?

Well, this city of Auckland is distinctively New Zealand. I know of few cities where you can sit on a mountain, 10km from the CBD and see cows grazing on fertile farmland, all back-dropped by skyscrapers. This unique Kiwi experience means you don’t have to do much planning, or be particularly skilled, to have a most enjoyable day outside. Perhaps this is why New Zealanders are such active, outdoors people.

I have been known to hit the road on foot with nothing but a collapsible chair in one hand and a book in the other. My goal: a 137 metre ascent up Mount Wellington. This is the mountain I described earlier, this result of an ancient 9,000 year old eruption has produced rich soil that supports farm pastures, replete with cows. It is also historically the site of a pa (Maori hill fort) and thus a few important battles in New Zealand’s history.

I have fond memories of standing on the summit, at the geological survey point, looking down into the cone and out over the surrounding suburbs to the Tamaki Estuary and beyond. Because of the way New Zealand’s volcanic fields work, these outstanding little volcanic gems rise up as little points of interest above the surrounding areas, this affords you great 360 degree vistas from whichever one of them you choose to scale. The image above is a little old, since the quarry now is being filled in with housing.

Mountains in the city I’ve personally experienced include Mount Wellington, Mount Eden, Mount Hobson, Mount Victoria, One Tree Hill and Pigeon Mountain. They’re called mountains because of their volcanic origins, but they’re all easily walk-able by those of all ages even if (like me) you prefer to do things on whimsy rather than have a distinct plan. Most of them (such as one tree hill) have some historical or
cultural significance so it’s more than just scenery you’re looking for.

The most recent of Auckland’s eruptions, however, resulted in an island, rather than a mountain on the mainland. Rangitoto is as distinctive a part of Auckland as the sky tower or the harbour bridge, more stunning is the fact that it’s a near-perfectly regular cone, so it looks the same when seen from almost every vantage point. Recently, I was fortunate enough to take the trip up Rangitoto myself. Unlike most of Auckland’s mountains, it does require a little bit of planning. There’s no fresh water on the Island and no bars or cafes either, so you’ll have to bring your water and latte with you on the ferry which runs a number of times a day.

The walk up is a relatively easy one. It’s only a 45 minute walk at a reasonable pace, taking the time to take photos and read some of the interesting material provided along the walk. All around us, the foliage was starting to take shape after 600 years of erosion had turned some of the hard black volcanic rock into fertile black sand. It will probably take another 600 years before the island can truly support all forms of vegetation. Until then, large swathes of black rock open up scars in the greenery, revealing a glimpse of blue sea and sky in the background. The effect is a rather beautiful layering of colour and texture.

The last little ascent is steep for a city slacker like myself but once conquered, the summit affords breathtaking (and I don’t use that word lightly) views of Auckland city, the harbour, the bridge and everything in between. It is also home to a few old military installations. The observation post was my next stop. Now, far be it from me to suggest doing anything unorthodox, but we found the top of the observation building to be a fine venue for a little picnic, replete with tiny bottles of bubbly.