Oct 18, 2025 Cathedral Cove
An hour’s drive from our B&B took us to the small village of Hahei on the leeward shore of Mercury Bay.
Scenes around town; a beautiful mural, a whimsical ‘fairy apartment’ on a huge fig tree trunk, and a fantastic view looking down on Hahei beach from a camper on the road going up the hill to the trail to Cathedral Cove.
After hiking into town from the remote parking lot (we didn’t want to pay the $ to take the shuttle!), walking to the beach trail, only to find out it is closed, walking back to the road and uphill to the seasonally closed parking lot at the top of the hill, we started the hike down to Cathedral Cove!
It was worth it! The pristine white sand beach, huge arch carved by the sea and fantastical eroded cliffs and sea rocks, bordered by the gentle, bright blue, but cold sea, are beautiful!
Robert, caught at a brief time when other tourists are out of view! I enjoyed a fresh water shower from the cliff top, to wash my feet after I walked in the surf.
The remnants of sandstone cliffs, eroded over eons to produce spires and seabird roosts!