Great news for 2020…the Hunua Ranges walks (tracks) are open again after closure due to the Kauri Dieback disease…and I was one determined lady who wanted to stomp my way around the Cossey Massey Loop track.
After my walk to KiteKite Falls…the following day, I chucked on my walking shoes (I swear by this brand!) and was off again…
…the Hunua Ranges are located in the south of Auckland and they’re a total gem (along with Waitawa Regional Park).
You start the walk by cleaning your shoes at the cleaning stations which are at the start of the each track…I followed the signs for the Massey Loop Track which takes you up to Cossey Dam and is the longest part of the loop…
…a 2 hour walk to Cossey Dam (however I knocked 15 minutes off the 2 hours)...regardless if you start with the Cossey or Massey Loop Tracks, you’re going to encounter a lot of stairs and inclines….
…you’ll end up looking like a Sweaty Betty….
…like me! But goodness once you reach the top of all those stairs and it starts to level out, you feel so good…you know your bottom is going to look more peachy!
The Massey Loop Track is definitely the one that the runners love…so you’ll be stepping aside to let them run down this trail…just a word of warning.
I did spot a lovely vantage point part way up the loop overlooking the farms in the Hunua Ranges…I grew up out south so these pastures aren’t new for me…
…but it was the Cossey Dam Look Out Point that was pretty darn magical…
…it was a perfect summers day in Auckland and this was a much needed rest stop as my calves were calling me a bitch in various languages!
^^^I had a hair colouring incident…I went just a tad too red and I have to say that I’m not a fan of the John Frieda colouring mousse (avoid!)…taking my love of gingernuts to a whole new level…a pun for the Kiwis that read the blog!
It wasn’t too far till I hit another shoe cleaning station…after a scrub and a squirt…
…I had reached Cossey Dam…
…it was much better than a few days earlier when I had visited in the drizzle! Cosseys Creek Dam was completed in 1955 and is one of four water supply dams in the Hunua Ranges; it can hold more than 14 billion litres of water which makes it the third largest dam in Auckland.
Passing my friendly Keruru…the New Zealand Pigeon…I’ve seen them every time I’ve visited Cossey Dam recently…and I love pointing them out to families as they come through…I hope the children appreciate our precious New Zealand wildlife…we all have our place in the world
The Cossey Loop Track is an hour walk and can be done as a there and back 2 hour trek (this is what I’d done a few days earlier and it was a good starting point for me) or the shortest section of the Cossey and Massey Loop Track…and my first big solo walk so it will forever hold precious memories for me.
Heading back down to the car park at Hunua Falls, it’s an easy walk…no real upward climbs…it’s just the stairs coming down which can make the knees feel a bit wobbly…
…there is a little bridge to cross…
…and a stream which changes due to the weather obviously so be mindful of the crossing after heavy rain…
…I love the Cossey & Massey Loop Track as most of the track you are actually covered in a beautiful canopy of trees…
…which is hard to beat on a sunny day!
This is definitely my favourite of the Hunua Ranges walks…and one I’ll definitely do in the future…stairs, fresh air and nature…what’s not to love!
Cossey Massey Loop Track…completed!
Tips for the Hunua Ranges Walks
- The Hunua Ranges Regional Park is located in the south of Auckland; you will need transport to access the park as there is no public transport
- Click here to find the Hunua Ranges Walking Maps through the Auckland Council website
- Make sure you take plenty of water if you intend to do any of the walks…and please wear proper walking shoes; I did see people walking the tracks in jandals!
- Take sunblock, a hat and nibbles as the Cossey Massey Loop walking track takes approximately 3 hours (8.3 kilometres) to walk depending on your speed and ability.
- There are also mountain bike trails in the Hunua Ranges.
- The Hunua Falls carpark is the starting point of all the Hunua Ranges walking tracks and this is free parking but often busy during public holidays and weekends
- Hunua Falls is a beautiful destination that is often overlooked by tourists!
- The address for Hunua Falls – Hunua Ranges Regional Park Falls Road, Hunua 2583
xx
If you liked this post on Hunua Ranges Walks: Cossey Massey Loop Track, Auckland then why not come and join me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest – I won’t bite!
