Army Bay is immediately on your right as you enter Shakespear Regional Park, one of 28 Auckland regional parks. On the park's northern edge, a long-established army base explains the bay's name.
At high tide, the water comes right up to the edge of the grassed reserve and cliffs in front of the bay, but there is a lovely beach as the tide retreats. You can walk west along the top of the cliffs for a distance, with several mature pōhutukawa trees and nice views north of the coast and Kawau Island. The large cliff on the bay's east side is also a feature, especially at golden hour when it directly faces the sun.
Immediately at the start of the western cliffs, a pōhutukawa is grimly hanging on. At dusk, it must be one of the most photogenic trees around the Auckland region.
