The Northern Walkway connects points of intriguing social and natural history.

The Northern Walkway can be thru-walked, customised or picked off in sections. It can be done in either direction; the north–south route is described here. 

Start at Johnsonville Park, at the end of Truscott Avenue, by climbing a series of steps. An old tunnel near the ridge once brought water from a reservoir to Johnsonville, and, on the ridge, are remnants of the reservoir.

The walkway now joins the Skyline Walkway that follows the Old Coach Road to the high point of Kaukau (414m). There are options along the way for the ‘steeper route’ or the ‘gentler route’ towards the Kaukau lookout. At the transmitter, and by the trig is a full panorama over Cook Strait, the Tararua Range and, on a clear day, the distant Kaikōura Ranges. 

From the lookout the Northern Walkway descends over a stile into Khandallah Park, home to Powelliphanta snails, kererū and kiwi. The Skyline Walkway, then Bells Track, offers an alternative route with sweeping views. Following the main Northern Walkway route, at the first junction head over the stile straight towards Simla Crescent – or you could diverge left through the lush park to the century-old Khandallah summer pool and a café. 

Out of the bush and back in the city, the walkway passes the former Khandallah Automatic Telephone Exchange, the second-oldest such utility still in existence in Aotearoa. 

Head through Ngaio and into Trelissick Park. This is another corridor of green space which kākā, and other endemic birds, now call home since their reintroduction to Zealandia. There are also tuna in the Korimako Stream. At the first junction the Northern Walkway turns off left. I recommend following the main trail through the gorge. It’s more dramatic and direct than the Northern Walkway’s route up to, and down from, Trelissick Crescent. 

A climb out of Trelissick Park leads to Wadestown and a steep incline up Weld Street to Te Ahumairangi Hill (formerly Tinakori Hill). Here, a scenic option would be to follow Ridgeline Track to Te Ahumairangi Hill lookout. The Northern Walkway follows a lower contour with occasional views. Ecological knowledge will help you appreciate this section – for example, Potamopyrgus oppidanus, a critically endangered tiny freshwater snail is found only on Te Ahumairangi. 

The Northern Walkway arrives at St Marys Street and crosses Tinakori Road to Wellington Botanic Garden. It’s now just over a kilometre, past a series of interesting sculptures, to the Carter Observatory and Kelburn cable car, where your walk will be complete.