The must do walking trail to experience all the best of the Whakatāne district. Along the Ngā Tapuwae o Toi or the ‘Footprints of Toi’ trail you’ll come across pā sites of great historical significance, stunning coastal views from high cliff tops, down to walking on pristine beaches, lush native forests with beautiful Pōhutukawa trees (the New Zealand Christmas Tree) and many native birds.
The trail is difficult in places but well worth the effort for these incredible sites. Take a look at the highlights with us and get all the information you need to follow in the footprints of Toi yourself!
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Details
Starting Point: Pōhaturoa rock outcrop on The Strand.
Distance: 16kms on all trails, we did 17kms in total
Duration: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Hard
When: June
Local iwi: Ngāti Awa
Additional Information: The trail can be broken up into smaller sections if you’d rather not take on all 17km at once.
Trail Map
Getting to the Starting Point of Footsteps of Toi
There is full day parking in town, just be sure to read the signs as some are only for a few hours. We parked at the Kakaharoa Drive car park in the Free all day parking area. This is to the left as you drive in from the street (Do make sure to check this though, as it could have changed since we were there).
The Trail
A beautiful trail consisting of coastal bush and stunning beach views before winding back into some inland native bush and conservation areas. This is a relatively taxing hike with a lot of uphill sections and some beach walks along sand which seems easy but is hard when you have a day pack and hiking shoes on, making you sink in a bit more than normal. The walk was a highlight of our time in Whakatāne.
Tiled Vertigraph
Never heard of a Vertigraph before? Don’t worry, we hadn’t either! It’s actually pretty cool. This was the very first one in the world!! 14 local artists worked together to create this masterpiece. Opened in 2007, it makes a beautiful way to start this hike and is the only time you’ll be glad to see some stairs!
From here you will follow the track along Hillcrest road turning left onto Seaview road before following the trail to pass over the top of Wairere Falls. Lush bush will surround you before leaving you at the Kapu-te-rangi pā site.
Kōhī Point Lookout
The Kapu-te-Rangi pā site is one highlight of the Kōhī point. The stronghold of the great chieftain Toi, for whom this trail is named. It’s one of the oldest known pā sites in Aotearoa, so be sure to visit it and marvel at the pā site and the history it holds.
From here, you will continue along the track following the cliff top above Whakatāne township. You’ll come out towards the tip of Kōhī point with some incredible views out to the Moana (ocean).
Otarawairere Bay
After rounding the headland, you’ll be greeted by several staircases on the cliffs leading down to the beach at Otarawairere bay. The beach is inaccessible on foot at high tide, so be sure to check tide times here before planning your walk. The climb down to the beach is rather beautiful along the limestone cliff faces. It provides the perfect place to stop for a quick snack and dip your feet into the water. We wandered along the rocks a little and picked up some washed up trash as we went. You’ll then need to join the track off the beach to climb up and around the headland to reach Ōhope Beach on the other side of the cliffs.
Ōhope Beach
You’ll be back down at the beach in no time finding yourself at West End. If you time the hike correctly, you could watch the West End Wiggle here! An annual longboard surfing event hosted at the beach, usually during April, but check the dates to make sure you don’t miss it. It’s pretty cool to watch the surfers here. But don’t worry if you aren’t there for the event; you’ll most likely see someone catching a wave as its a popular surfing beach. The walk along the beach is an easy 30mins. We chose the end of the beach stretch as a good place to stop and enjoy some lunch before continuing across the road to Ōhope scenic reserve.
Ōhope Scenic Reserve
To enter the reserve, you’ll walk under an impressive, traditionally carved entranceway. Be sure to stop and read the signs about the reserve before entering the lush bush here. Not only is the reserve one of the largest remaining Pōhutukawa forests in Aotearoa, it is also home to over 300 kiwi (the birds, not the people)! Unfortunately, you won’t see any on your hike unless you are finishing this stretch of the walk at night. The trail takes you through some climbs, twists, and turns in the scenic reserve before meeting the Mokorua Reserve Walkway at White Horse Drive Junction. We are disappointed to report we didn’t see any horses here, white or otherwise! There is still a bit of a climb to go, but the views are worth it! After your climb, you’ll enter private land and jump over a few fence crossings before reaching a boardwalk section of native forest and wetland. It gets a little steep going down hill here before walking alongside a beautiful bubbling stream. You’ll exit here to a car park and follow the road back to where you started!
Extra Tips/Info for Footsteps of Toi
No matter what time of year you go, pack your sunscreen for this one! It’s a long day and you’ll find yourself needing to reapply at least once, if not twice. A dip in the ocean is definitely recommended before you leave the beach, as the climbs in the reserves back to the start are rather sweaty work. In fact, a dip after the hike is well worth it too!
Keen for more inspo? Be sure to check out:
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