Important Notice: Walkway access has been reopened for Cathedral Cove, but access remains closed for access to Gemstone Bay and Stingray Bay. DOC continues to warn of potential safety issues on the track. You can find out more here.
The sealed Cathedral Cove Walkway begins at the top of Grange Road at the north end of Hahei on the Coromandel Peninsula. You can no longer park anywhere on Grange Road, so get a bus from the bottom of the hill or walk up the road. The walk is quite steep and will add about 20 minutes each way.
It takes about 40 minutes to walk to Cathedral Cove from the top, which has a couple of quite steep ups and downs. Along the way, there are two other small bays to visit, Gemstone and Stingray, and a short side track to a mature grove of puriri trees. All are worth exploring.
Also note that there is an access track about ¾ of the way along the main track from a private paid parking area on Lees Road, with a turnoff just before Hahei. It is less attractive than the walkway and takes just as long, but you can park there.
