So to be fair my stomach kind of drops when I walk in here. And you're unlikely to see me up the…read morewall unless I'm in a particularly belligerent frame of mind. It's pretty scary. Kids however don't seem to have issues with height; perhaps because indoor rock climbing has become a part of school holiday programmes and most of them have had the opportunity to do it at some point. Mine love it. I don't like watching them up there so to be fair it's not often me that brings them here. Love it or fear it, this is a great place to come and face a mental challenge while getting a different kind of workout. Just go with a buddy - they will responsible for your life. Just kidding. While being part of a pair is helpful it's not necessary as of course Clip'N'Climb has trained safety professionals. One thing to note though is that climbing happens in sessions; on the hour every hour.

Get your sweat on because an hour at Clip N'Climb is an excellent workout. And even better, you're…read morehaving so much you don't even realise it's quite a fair bit of exercise. This indoor climbing is great for wet days but having said that, it's fun regardless of the weather. They have 34 walls of various themes as well as the extra Leap of Faith or Vertical Drop Slide. You go through a brief safety and harness/ auto belays guide at the beginning then let loose onto all the options to climb. The auto belays mean you don't have to have a partner on the floor and that you could come alone and still be able to climb up and get back down no problems. It takes some time getting used to just letting go once you're at the top to drop down but it makes things a lot easier. Love the colorful walls and unconventional climbing holds that sometimes makes for extra challenges. Personal faves though definitely not the most easiest- the ice pick climb, loose rope netting military style and tall wobbly green pole height climb. Highly recommend. Such a great activity for all ages.

I love Camp Adair and now so do both my kids. I used to go for a week during the school holidays…read moresome 30ish years ago (lordy how that dates me!) and it was one of the best things I did in my childhood. It was scary and fun and totally out of my comfort zone and looking back that was exactly the kind of thing I should have been doing more of. My son was recently there for his Year 6 camp and it was everything I remembered and more - somehow exactly the same but maintained. Just like me yeah : ) The cabins are completely basic but you would not believe how exciting a room of bunk beds can be to a child. The ablution block is a bit rough but does the job and the dining room and dishwashing area unchanged. The setting is beautiful and the activities are out of this world cool-ness. Day One and we were straight into the mud-pit that was the confidence course. Literally head to toe mud and swimming in mudpools. There's a huge number of terrifying things involving heights, a wicked flying fox and lots of entertaining team building activities. And then there's the waterslide - the biggest bumpiest most excellent zoomslide you ever saw going down the side of a hill into a lovely brown swimming hole. There's a pump to keep it slick and my saddest moment here was realising my back was not up to me hooning down it. I hate getting older. Camp Adair still runs holiday camps in the school holidays and I can't recommend it enough for building confidence in children of all temperaments. All meals are provided and the independence does them the world of good. Most importantly, there's a lovely family vibe about this place and the instructors are fantastic - part teacher, part friend, part psychologist, they do an amazing job and the kids love them. Awesome place.

The Waitakere ranges was one of the biggest draw cards for my husband and I to settling out West…read morewhen we moved here last year from Australia. The West of Auckland has a hit and miss reputation, but that is ok, so does Tasmania in Aus where we were living for the last five years. We have managed to go camping out in Whatipu, Waitakere Ranges, once so far, visited most of the beaches, and done a couple of tramps around the bush a bit closer to the city side. No major, hard-core tramps/camps for days on end, but more leisurely 'park the car day trips' kind of thing. I would highly recommend going with the kids if you are interested too, there is a variety of walks set out that would suit many levels of fitness. It is also well maintained with conservation awareness well set up, so taking the kids would be educational as well as the many other blessings you get when you go.

This past Easter weekend, my family and I spent two of the four days travelling across the…read moreWaitakere ranges. First visit was to the amazing Bethells Beach to get through the ranges, we had to start our journey at scenic drive, merging with Te Henga road, and then Bethells road which travels up the northern ridge of the ranges. We travelled through the beautiful cascade Kauri zone (where if you're keen for stretching the legs walk the 8 km track to see the biggest Kauri trees in Auckland) and finally arrived at the west coast- Bethells Beach. The drive is purely scenic as its name describes, and nature at its finest. The other journey I took was to Huia and Whatipu Beach, We started at Titirangi, and following signs headed towards the southern part of the ranges, first you past turn off's for Cornwallis, Huia and once in Little Huia, follow the Whatipu road which climbs up into the forest before plunging down towards Whatipu and the beach- this road is gravel and very twisty so be prepared for the drive. I really enjoyed my adventures through the ranges and loved the scenery and beaches I found.

If you're a student at Auckland Uni and you enjoy hitting the gym, then I would recommend checking…read moreout and signing up to the Auckland Uni gym! It's cheap as chips! Only $295 for a 12 month membership (upfront payment for enrolled UoA students), that works out to be roughly $5.70 a week!! Bargain! This gym is fully equipped with machines and free weights, a climbing wall, cardio machines, a stretching room, classes and a female only section. Just recently they have also renovated the bathrooms and showers, so youre able to get fresh and clean before hitting class. They have great locker facilities, however make sure you bring your own lock. However the downside is, after leg day you have four flights of stairs to walk up to get out of the building...... Feel the BURN!! If you're a Uni student wanting to go casually it costs $15. If you're a non-Uni student it costs $20 to go casually. Being a Uni student who likes to stay fit this is a great investment. Although forking out $295 is a lot of money for most Uni students, it will be a cheap investment long term.

The gym which is responsible for the Greek God like body you see before you, well I guess I have…read morekind of let myself go, but let me tell you, back in the day I was looking ripped. Also the cheapest gym around, ends up costing you about $60 per month, and half that if you are a student. Patrons range from casual gym goers to super serious gym buffs, and they have an impressive range of machinery and free weights to comfortably cater to the diverse crowd. It can be a little crowded at times, especially the month leading up to summer, everyone trying to drop those winter pounds. It is a student gym, no plush extras like a sauna, but for $60 a month it's a great deal.

Tree Adventures is awesome. My little sister had gone a few weeks earlier with her friends and had…read morebeen pushing for us to do a family trip out there ever since. Finally a couple of weeks ago, we made it out there. Out near Woodhill forest, it really is a beautiful environment, and a perfect way to spend a day. The staff welcome you and give you the obligatory safety briefing and a few instructions and then you're away! The course is fantastic, you can start where you want and there are a number of different routes to take in varying difficulty. The relaxed approach means you don't feel the pressure to hurry through, which is good for those who are a little nervous, and also just to take in the view from up there. You can do as much or as little as you like and you can spend as long as you like there. The staff are always on hand to help if you need and the whole vibe is just of a fun and safe activity. While you're out there, try out one of the restaurants in the area or go visit the beach. Get a bit of fresh air, challenge yourself and have fun!

Some people would have out never take a risk ever. Such people wouldn't go to Tree Adventures,…read moreespecially after all the hysteria around the recent accident there where a bloke fell. Let me tell you right now - don't buy the hysteria - the staff know their shit, and they provide all the safety briefings that you could ever need without it getting old. It's perfectly safe - sometimes shit just happens. Now with that aside, I can get to the fact that Tree Adventures is awesome! It's all about freedom and challenging yourself - like a confidence course at a school camp but much, much larger. You can do whichever bits of it you like, and once you complete it you get the most wonderful sense of accomplishment. After you conquer any immediate fears, it's a heck of a lot of fun. **As an aside, please note that they're only open by appointment during the weekends - minimum of 10 people. That's why the opening hours are only shown for Saturday/Sunday.

I decided to take my one year old to my local swimming pools called Osborne Pools within the North…read moreShore Leisure centre in Birkenhead. I paid my fee to the ticket office at the adjoining indoor rock climbing centre, turned out to be about four dollars and twenty cents admission, I could enter free as my toddlers caregiver. You can also pay direct at the pools ticket office, as a first timer I found this out after. The pools have an outdoor pool which is around thirty metres long, perfect for doing laps, or having a casual swim with family or friends. It was the school holidays so the pool was packed, felt assured of everyone's safety by the four onsite lifeguards working. The indoor pool is also heated to about thirty degrees and is perfect for teaching the young to swim, there is paddling boards, and lots of water play toys for the kids to enjoy. After two hours in the pool you can reward yourself with a refreshing warm or cold rinse off in the bathroom facilities, which also has a baby change table. A cool way to spend a summers day with the kid.

The big pool is outdoor wich is cold in winters. indoor pool is ok but a bit small…read more but whole facility is in good condition and very handy for birkenhead residences.