Best walks from Newmarket
The best walks from Newmarket are the Mt Eden Loop for volcano views, Hobson Bay for boardwalks and mangroves, and the Parnell Loop for the Domain and a bit of city bush. All five start and finish at Newmarket train station, so you don’t need a car.
They’re mostly footpaths, parks and back streets with a few steps. Good for a lunch break walk, a morning before the shops open, or a day out with coffee at the end.
Newmarket walks at a glance
| Walk | Distance | Time | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Eden Loop | 6 km | 90 min | Mt Eden summit, Mt Eden Village |
| Hobson Bay Walkway Loop | 7.25 km | 90 min | Boardwalk, mangroves, Mt Hobson |
| Mt St John Loop | 5.56 km | 60 min | Mt St John summit, Mt Hobson |
| Auckland Museum Loop | 5.29 km | 60 min | Auckland Domain, Auckland Museum |
| Parnell Loop | 4 km | 60 min | Holy Trinity Cathedral, Ayr Reserve |
1. Mt Eden Loop from Newmarket
The Mt Eden Loop is a 6 km, 90 minute walk from Newmarket station to the top of Mt Eden and back. It’s the best view on this page, right across Auckland’s volcanoes.
Time it so you hit Mt Eden Village for morning tea or lunch. On the way back you can stop at Eden Garden or Highwic House before you finish in Newmarket. It’s a good workout with the climb to the summit.
| Distance | 6 km |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Track | Level paths, steps and gentle slopes |
| Footwear | Boots in wet weather, running shoes when dry |
| Highlights | Mt Eden summit, Mt Eden Village, Mt Albert Grammar, Government House gates |
Mt Eden Loop map and directions
2. Hobson Bay Walkway Loop
The Hobson Bay Walkway Loop is 7.25 km and takes about 90 minutes from Newmarket station. It’s the longest walk here and the most varied, with parks, bush, boardwalks over the mangroves and quiet Remuera streets.
We walked it on a windy spring day with rain threatening, so pack a raincoat if it looks iffy. On a fine day take a picnic to the edge of Hobson Bay or the top of Mt Hobson.
| Distance | 7.25 km |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Start | Newmarket station or Victoria Avenue |
| Track | Level paths, steps, boardwalk |
| Dogs | Off leash areas in Newmarket Park, Waiata Reserve and Thomas Bloodworth Park |
| Highlights | Mangroves, shore birds, boardwalk, Mt Hobson |
Hobson Bay Walkway map and directions
3. Mt St John Loop
The Mt St John Loop is 5.56 km and takes about an hour, heading south from Newmarket station to Mt Hobson and Mt St John. From the top of Mt St John you can see heaps of Auckland’s other volcanoes.
Going up Mt Hobson is optional. Even from the path around its side you get glimpses of the Waitemata Harbour and Rangitoto Island. The rest of the walk is leafy Epsom streets.
| Distance | 5.56 km |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Track | Level paths, steps and gentle slopes |
| Footwear | Boots in wet weather, running shoes when dry |
| Highlights | Mt St John summit, Mt Hobson, Epsom streets |
Mt St John Loop map and directions
4. Auckland Museum Loop
The Auckland Museum Loop is 5.29 km and takes about an hour from Newmarket station through the back streets to the Auckland Domain and Museum. It’s mostly flat, with one gentle hill up Mountain Road past Auckland Grammar.
The surprise for us was The Arts House, an Arts and Crafts house with a lava forest garden and over 100 sculptures. Worth stopping for. Outhwaite Park has a playground if you’ve got kids with you.
| Distance | 5.29 km |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Track | Mostly level, one gentle hill on Mountain Road |
| Facilities | Playground at Outhwaite Park, cafes in Newmarket |
| Highlights | Auckland Domain, Auckland Museum, Rangitoto views, Jubilee Building, The Arts House |
Nearby: Domain Wintergardens, Domain Sensory Garden, Newmarket Pool, Rialto and Event cinemas, and Highwic House.
Auckland Museum Loop map and directions
5. Parnell Loop Walk
The Parnell Loop is the shortest walk here at 4 km and about an hour. It goes from Newmarket through the Auckland Domain to Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell and back through Ayr Reserve.
The best bit is a patch of city bush along a little stream, it feels miles from Broadway. You can add a visit to the Museum or the Sensory Garden, and Parnell has plenty of small shops if you want to browse.
| Distance | 4 km |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Parking | Newmarket Park off Ayr Street, Parnell |
| Track | Level paths, steps and gentle slopes |
| Dogs | Off leash areas in Ayr Reserve and Newmarket Park |
| Highlights | Auckland Domain, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Ayr Reserve stream |
Parnell Loop map and directions
How to get to Newmarket for these walks
Catch the train to Newmarket station, it’s a few minutes from the city centre and all five walks start there. Plenty of buses run along Broadway too.
If you’re driving, Newmarket parking is mostly paid and busy. Start the Parnell Loop from Newmarket Park off Ayr Street, or the Hobson Bay loop from Victoria Avenue in Remuera.
Best time to walk from Newmarket
Weekday mornings are quietest, before the shops get busy. The volcano summits are best on a clear day for the views.
After rain, the grass tracks on Mt Eden and Mt St John and the Hobson Bay boardwalk can be slippery, so wear shoes with grip. Finish late morning and you’ll have your pick of Newmarket’s cafes for lunch.
One Response
Very helpful. Thanks!