2016 January ... Short stroll
Mt Eden summit
New Zealand North Island
Mt Eden
Mt Eden (Maungawhau in Maori)
is a dormant volcano in Auckland,
New Zealand North Island.
Its top is a beautiful bowl-like crater
50 meters deep.
The highest point on the crater rim is
196 meters (643 feet), and is also
the highest point on the Auckland isthmus.
As it is the highest point of something,
so I just have to give it a visit 😊
The top of the mountain (can it be called
a mountain if it is only 196 meters high ?)
provides a good view in all directions
over Auckland.
There used to be a large number of tourist buses
driving up to the summit.
They were banned in 2011.
In 2016 January 1, the ban was extended
to all cars. Damn ! ...
As I am here at the end of January 2016,
I have to walk ! Ggrrr !
Naming
Maungawhau means Mountain of the Whau Tree
(Entelea arborescens).
The name "Mt Eden" was to honour
George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland.
The crater is called Te Ipu-a-Mataaho,
the bowl of Mataaho.
Mataaho was a deity said to live in the crater
and to be the guardian of the secrets
hidden in the earth.
Map
- Small blue circle: Where I park my car
- Larger blue circle:
Nearest carpark to the summit.
However all the carparks around there are full.
Hence the reason my car is parked
further away.
- 2 blue bars across the roads:
Gates preventing cars from
driving to the summit
GPS tracklog file & route
The GPX tracklog file of my stroll
can be downloaded from:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B877-h5SCJaSdmQxbFlOVkt0LWM/view?usp=sharing
Also refer to the below map ...
My route is in turquoise colour:
- Start at the carpark, small blue circle.
- Walk in clockwise direction.
Timeline & Distance
19:59 0.0 km Start from carpark
20:07 0.7 km At viewing platform
east of Mt Eden summit
20:08 0.7 km Leave viewing platform
20:09 0.8 km At Mt Eden summit
Explore around
20:12 0.8 km Start to return to car
20:13 0.9 km At viewing platform
east of Mt Eden summit
20:24 1.8 km Finish at carpark
==============================================
Total: 25 mins
1.8 km Distance is from Google Earth
Pictures:
Mt Eden from a distance
1) Mt Eden in the distance ... from One Tree Hill.
(I was at the top of One Tree Hill
prior to visiting Mt Eden.)
2) Now driving from One Tree Hill toward Mt Eden.
- Photo of Mt Eden:
Taken from Mt Eden Rd ...
Near the junction with Balmoral Rd
Stroll to Mt Eden summit
I park my car ...
Refer to the maps at the beginning of this report.
3) Now walking up to Mt Eden.
- There is a road that you can walk on.
(The road is now closed to all cars.)
- But I take a short cut, the yellow arrow.
4) The short cut soon leads to a foot track.
- The crater rim is in front.
5) A short set of steps to climb up ...
6) ... It leads to another view of the crater rim.
7) A minute later, you come to this nice view
of the crater.
- Red arrow: The summit
- Red circle:
A viewing platform ... I'm heading there first.
8) Zooming across the crater at the summit.
(Photo taken at the same spot
as where the previous pic was taken.)
9) Now at the viewing platform ...
It is the red circle in photo #7.
10) From the viewing platform,
looking towards the summit ...
About 70 meters to the west.
- It is getting late. The sun is setting.
Mt Eden summit
11) The summit.
- Lower pic, red circle:
Direction plaque ... Refer to photo #12.
12) Direction plaque ... red circle of previous pic.
- It has directions to various landmarks
around and outside Auckland.
- For example, in the lower pic, there is
a direction to Mt Egmont (ie Mt Taranaki) ...
276 km to the south.
I climbed Mt Egmont (Taranaki) a few days ago.
Photos and a write up on the trip are in my blog:
http://mntviews.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/mt-taranaki-sharks-tooth-new-zealand.html
13) An obelisk erected as a survey mark
on 1872-08-17.
View from the summit
14) Looking towards the north,
across the crater,
with Auckland CBD in the background.
15) Zooming onto Auckland.
- Tall tower: Sky City / Sky Tower
- Bridge near the left edge:
Auckland Harbour Bridge.
The Northern Motorway (Motorway 1)
goes over this bridge.
- I stay in a hotel by the edge of the harbour
somewhere behind the buildings in the red oval.
(The buildings blocks the view to the hotel.)
16) Still at the summit ...
panoramic view of Auckland.
- This view is from north to south-east.
- 3 red arrows, left to right:
1 Mt Hobson (directly east)
2 Mt Saint John
3 One Tree Hill (towards south-east) ...
It is just outside the left edge of this photo ...
Refer to photo #17.
17) (Towards south)
Continuation to the right of previous pic.
Red arrow: One Tree Hill ... towards south-east
18) Zooming onto One Tree Hill.
I was at the top of One Tree Hill 40 minutes ago
at 7:25pm.
Unlike here at Mt Eden, one can drive a car
all the way to its top ...
But may be not for long ...
The road to the top is narrow;
and too many cars driving up;
and parking spaces there are limited.
Sooner or later, cars will be banned
from driving up.
Post Script
It is a nice pleasant stroll to Mt Eden,
well worth a visit ... You'll love
the volcano crater and the view of Auckland.
You may also like to visit One Tree Hill.
You can drive all the way to the top.
Thanks so much for taking the time. Super helpful. You're awesome!! Cheers
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