Best Devonport Walks: Mount Victoria, North Head and the Waterfront
Two small maunga, a harbour loop and the parts we nearly treated as filler
Devonport knocked our tidy little plan sideways almost straight away.
We’d come for two easy hills. Takarunga / Mount Victoria was over before the climb had much chance to register. Maungauika / North Head looked just as simple until the first tunnel pulled us under the grass and quietly took the next hour with it.
Then the parts we’d treated as the walk between walks started doing more of the work.
Cheltenham Beach, Torpedo Bay, the old streets and the waterfront back to the wharf weren’t filler. They were half the day.
That’s what made Devonport work for us. We stopped treating the two maunga like separate jobs and let the rest of the place join them.
The quick answer
Start near Devonport Wharf, climb Mount Victoria, cross through the streets to Cheltenham Beach, enter North Head from the northern side and return along the waterfront through Torpedo Bay.
The usual Devonport Heads loop is around 7.5 kilometres. The walking is easy, but three to four hours gives you enough room for both summits, the North Head tunnels, the beach and food back in the village without turning the day into a timetable.
With less time, Mount Victoria gives you the quicker view. North Head gives you more to explore. The waterfront keeps things flat.
We’d join them when the day allows.
The way we’d walk it
Start near the wharf, head through the village and climb Mount Victoria before the summit gets busy.
From there, drop towards Cheltenham, follow the quieter streets to the beach and take the northern stairs into North Head.
That’s where we’d stop watching the clock.
Follow the open tunnels, old batteries and side paths until you’ve had enough of disappearing under the hill. Then leave towards Torpedo Bay and follow King Edward Parade back along the harbour.
The only real climb comes early. The last stretch stays flat, which suits the point where food starts sounding better than one more viewpoint.
For sunset, reverse it. Walk the waterfront first, spend time at North Head, cross through Cheltenham and finish on Mount Victoria with Auckland across the water.
You don’t need every turn planned. A wrong street in Devonport usually gives you another old villa, pocket reserve or harbour glimpse rather than any real trouble.
Takarunga / Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria is barely a climb.
From Kerr Street, the sealed road reaches the 66-metre summit in around 10 to 20 minutes. A side track adds steps, gravel and slightly rougher ground if you’d rather stay off the road.
The view opens across Auckland, Rangitoto and the Waitematā Harbour.
What caught us wasn’t the height. It was seeing the city across the water instead of being buried inside it.
Mount Victoria suits a short visit, easy footing or sunset. The climb is over quickly, which leaves plenty of day for the rest of Devonport.
Our full Takarunga / Mount Victoria walk guide covers both approaches, parking, gate access and what we found at the top.
Maungauika / North Head
North Head kept pulling us off course.
We’d head towards the summit, spot another doorway and disappear into the hill instead. Roads, grass tracks, old batteries, stairs and tunnels cross over each other, so the walk never settles into one neat route.
Some passages barely lose daylight. Others turn deep enough that the entrance vanishes behind you.
Then you step back outside and Rangitoto is sitting across the water.
That was the part we kept remembering.
Allow at least an hour. Give it closer to 90 minutes if you want to explore without watching the clock.
Bring a proper torch. A phone light is awkward over damp floors, puddles and steps that appear late.
Our full Maungauika / North Head walk guide covers the tunnels, parking, Cheltenham entrance, dog rules and the rumours about what may still be buried beneath the hill.
Cheltenham Beach and the waterfront
Cheltenham Beach stops the two maunga feeling like separate trips.
It sits below North Head with Rangitoto straight across the water. The northern stairs climb from the beach into the old defence site, with the first concrete structures appearing almost immediately.
On the other side, Torpedo Bay and King Edward Parade carry you back towards the wharf. Boats, old villas, volcanic rock and Auckland across the harbour make it feel like more than the walk back.
We’d expected this section to be the bit between the hills.
It wasn’t.
Walking let the beach, streets and waterfront run into the rest of the day instead of becoming three more places to park.
Which Devonport walk should you choose?
If you only have an hour, walk Mount Victoria. The climb is short, the route is obvious and the harbour view arrives before your legs have much to say about it.
With closer to 90 minutes, choose North Head. The tunnels and old concrete have a habit of stretching the visit without you trying.
For flat walking, follow the waterfront from Devonport Wharf towards Torpedo Bay and turn back whenever it feels right.
With half a day, join both maunga with Cheltenham Beach and the waterfront.
That’s the one we’d repeat.
Adding Fort Takapuna and Narrow Neck
Only add Fort Takapuna if you reach the far side of North Head and still want more road under your feet.
Cross Cheltenham Beach, continue through Vauxhall and head for the reserve above Narrow Neck. Allow around 30 minutes each way from North Head.
The old military remains, open ground and channel views make the extra distance worthwhile. Narrow Neck Beach sits below when walking stops sounding better than a swim or a sit-down.
Don’t add it just because the map makes it look close.
The main Devonport loop already fills a good half-day. Fort Takapuna is for when the legs still have something left.
Ferry or car?
Coming from downtown Auckland, we’d take the ferry.
It’s quick, drops you beside the village and waterfront, and saves the whole parking search. Check Auckland Transport before leaving in case the timetable has changed.
Driving still makes sense with a dog, mobility needs or more North Shore stops planned afterwards.
Just don’t expect parking to be painless.
Mount Victoria has a handful of visitor spaces near Kerr Street. North Head has more, but fine weekends and sunset can fill both the internal areas and nearby streets.
We spent longer getting across Auckland and finding a car park than we did walking up Mount Victoria.
Take the first decent space and walk the rest. Another few hundred metres beats another slow lap with everyone getting annoyed.
Walking Devonport with a dog
Devonport works well with a dog, though the rules change between the two maunga.
Dogs can currently be off lead under control on Takarunga / Mount Victoria. At Maungauika / North Head, they need to stay on lead.
We’d keep one close on both anyway.
Mount Victoria’s summit can get busy with children, picnics and people stepping backwards into the view. North Head has roads, stairs, tight passages and dark tunnels where a shorter lead makes life easier.
Some dogs won’t care about going underground. Others may hate the echoes or the enclosed space. There’s plenty outside, so there’s no reason to force it.
Bring water on warm days. Both tops are exposed, and the harbour breeze can make the sun feel kinder than it is.
Cheltenham and the other beaches have separate seasonal rules, so check those before heading onto the sand.
Children, prams and easier options
North Head is the easier sell with children.
Mount Victoria is short enough that most will be at the top before the climb becomes an argument. North Head gives them more to chase: tunnels, old rooms, gun positions and stairs that keep changing the walk.
You still need to stay close. There are drops, vehicles on the internal roads and tunnel floors that can be dark, damp and uneven. Give each child a torch if you can. Sharing one usually ends with somebody walking blind while the person holding it stops to inspect the same wall for five minutes.
For prams and many mobility needs, the waterfront is the simplest option.
Mount Victoria’s sealed road is the smoothest route to a summit, though the gradient may still be hard work for some manual wheelchair users. North Head has sealed roads and upper parking that make several outdoor viewpoints easier to reach, but the wider site quickly breaks into grass, steps, slopes and rough tunnel floors.
You don’t need to force the full loop.
The waterfront, lower North Head and Mount Victoria’s sealed climb are all worth doing on their own.
When should you walk Devonport?
We’d choose a clear weekday morning.
The hills are quieter, parking is less annoying and you get more space inside the North Head tunnels before the day fills up.
Fine weekends build steadily, then sunset brings another wave to both maunga. Mount Victoria gets the cleaner city-facing light, while North Head gives people more room to spread out.
The village can feel warm, then the harbour wind takes a few degrees off as soon as you reach the open tops. In summer, there’s also less shade than the short distances make you expect.
Rain doesn’t ruin Devonport, but it changes the day. The waterfront still works and North Head gives you somewhere to duck underground between showers. Wet grass, concrete and old steps can get slick, though, and low cloud strips most of the reward from climbing either hill.
For the full loop, wait until the harbour is actually there to see.
Before you head out
Devonport doesn’t need much.
Comfortable shoes, water, sun protection and a light layer for the harbour wind will cover most days. Add a proper torch if North Head is part of the plan.
We wore the sort of gear that still made sense on the ferry, across both hills and over food in the village afterwards. That same low-fuss space is where our Hiking Gear Essentials sit, though Devonport certainly doesn’t need a shopping list.
The torch matters more than anything clever.
Final take
We went to Devonport for two small hills.
Mount Victoria gave us the quick view. North Head kept us longer than expected.
What made the day stick was everything joining them: Cheltenham Beach, Torpedo Bay, the old streets and the waterfront back to the wharf.
Give it half a day and walk the whole thing.
The hills get you there.
The space between them is why you remember it.
Best Devonport Walks FAQ
What is the best walk in Devonport?
For a first visit, walk the loop linking Devonport Wharf, Mount Victoria, Cheltenham Beach, North Head and the waterfront.
How long is the Devonport loop?
The commonly mapped Devonport Heads route is around 7.5 kilometres. Allow 75 to 90 minutes for continuous walking or three to four hours with tunnels and stops.
Are Devonport walks difficult?
No. The main routes are easy, with short climbs, some stairs, grass and uneven tunnel floors.
Can you walk Mount Victoria and North Head on the same day?
Yes. They’re close enough to combine comfortably, with Cheltenham Beach and the waterfront joining them into a half-day loop.
Which is better, Mount Victoria or North Head?
Mount Victoria is better for a quick skyline view. North Head is better for tunnels, history and exploring.
Which should you walk first?
We’d start with Mount Victoria and finish through North Head and the waterfront. Reverse the route when you want Mount Victoria at sunset.
How long does Mount Victoria take?
The direct climb usually takes 10 to 20 minutes. Allow 30 to 60 minutes for the return and time at the summit.
How long does North Head take?
Allow around 40 minutes for a direct walk or 60 to 90 minutes when exploring the tunnels and batteries.
Can you walk to North Head from Devonport Wharf?
Yes. North Head is roughly 1.5 kilometres from the wharf along the waterfront.
Can you walk to Mount Victoria from the wharf?
Yes. The summit is roughly 1.3 kilometres from the ferry area and usually takes 20 to 30 minutes to reach on foot.
Is the ferry better than driving?
From central Auckland, usually. It avoids the parking search and drops you at the natural start of the route.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes. Dogs can currently be off lead under control on Mount Victoria and must remain on lead at North Head. Beaches have separate rules.
Are the walks suitable for children?
Yes. Mount Victoria is short, while North Head’s tunnels and gun positions make it particularly good for children who enjoy exploring.
Do you need a torch for North Head?
Yes. Some tunnels become properly dark, and the floors can be damp or uneven.
Can you take a pram?
The waterfront and sealed roads on both maunga are the most practical options. Stairs, grass tracks and tunnels limit where a pram can go.
Are the Devonport walks wheelchair accessible?
Partly. The waterfront is the easiest option. Sealed roads reach parts of both maunga, but gradients, stairs and uneven ground prevent full access.
Can you include Cheltenham Beach?
Yes. Cheltenham sits naturally between the two maunga and is one of the better parts of the full loop.
Can you walk from North Head to Fort Takapuna?
Yes. The walk through Cheltenham and Vauxhall takes roughly 30 minutes each way.
Is Devonport good at sunset?
Yes. Mount Victoria gives the cleaner city-facing view, while North Head offers more space and different harbour angles. Both become busier late in the day.
Are there toilets along the route?
Public toilets are available near Devonport Wharf and around the upper area of North Head. Mount Victoria has no toilets at the summit.
Are the Devonport walks free?
Yes. The public walks, both maunga and the open North Head tunnels are free.
How much time should you spend in Devonport?
Allow at least 90 minutes for one hill and part of the waterfront. A half-day is better for both maunga, Cheltenham Beach and the village.