Bethells Lake is my favourite spot out in the West Coast beaches. A must-see for tourists and…read moreAuckland locals alike, the Lake is a great alternative to the rough surf at Piha and Bethells beach, but be warned it's a bit of a mission to get there! Located about 40 minutes outside of central Auckland, not including traffic, the drive can be a bit tedious, and once you arrive there is a good walk to the lake itself that will take a similar amount of time. So if you're going to go, make sure you leave early as - trust me - you don't want to be doing this walk in the middle of a summer's day, it's just too hot - especially if you take the route that goes over the sand dunes. Though much faster, the sand gets so hot you can literally burn the bottom of your feet - so be careful! There is another route to the lake that involves following a wee stream around the bottom of the dunes, and while this takes longer it's a really nice walk and the view of the dunes is quite amazing. Plus, you can wade in the water this way so that's always a bonus! Once at the lake, the long trip in will all seem worthwhile. It's a lovely place to spend the day picnicking, swimming and tanning with your friends and family. The water is fresh water so unlike swimming in the sea you don't feel all sticky and dirty, but it's a pretty funny situation - you're at the beach but you're not swimming in the sea. I think it's worth checking out Bethell's just for that! Tip: There's no shade, so make sure you stock up on the sunblock and/or take a big umbrella to set up. The sun out at Bethell's can be harsh!

Get ready for a walk. Wainamu Lake, or Bethells Lake as I've always known it, is this special…read morelittle private lake everyone should visit at least once. The walk itself isn't hard, but it will take you a decent hour and when it's hot and the sun is out, you'll feel like you are walking in the desert. But as soon as you see that beautiful lake in sight, it becomes worth it. Bethells Lake is surrounded by bush and it's a deep, dark, fresh water lake that is a great alternative to the salty beach. It's become pretty popular over the years so you'll be hard pressed to get it to yourself, but when you do, it's so special. My friends and I came here once and decided to swim across right to the buoy and back, and while two of did fine, my other friend found it a bit difficult! Take heaps of water for the trek because you will get hot. Love it.

We engaged a condo on the banks of Lake Taupo for a week…read more Enjoyed this magical area As we planned our New Zealand holiday, it was a no brainer to engage the condo as a base for touring the area Would do again...

This was my second trip around Lake Taupo and without a doubt, both times, one of the prettiest…read moreparts of the North Island drive. This community area is stunning with beautiful lakeside hotels and Airbnb's, fantastic restaurants, and tons of available activities. Mostly what I enjoyed was strolling around the lake edge and admiring the view, but there's actually a lot more options if you have time. There's several companies offering water sports and lake activities, great locations for picnics, and several miles of hiking all around the region. The husband and I were here at the end of winter so we settled with admiring the gorgeous sunset while driving into town and stopping by the lake side and a few vista points before leaving. If you have time, definitely stop by and at least enjoy the view, or better yet actually plan to spend a few days here if you can.

In the area that used to be a quarry is now the Stonefields housing development …read more This is a really nice park to come to , when it's not blowing a gale as the wind really rips through here . There is plenty of bird life about ducks , pukekos . And on the day I was there a lovely display by some swallows dipping in above the lake area . I also got screamed at by a pukeko or purple swamp hen if your Australian . There is a sign about saying please don't feed the ducks bread as it rots in the water and makes them ill , so bring seed instead . Lots of native trees have been planted too Parking is avaliable on the street . And after you've seen and done the park area there is Charlie and George cafe in the Stonefields shopping area .

My best Panmure Basin story involves me coming across at man while I was out on a mid-week walk…read morearound the Basin. He was down at the water's edge, in a suit and tie and looking very smart, but he was throwing a stick for his dog like it was the weekend. As I got closer I noticed he was talking quite loudly into his cell phone, something along the lines of "Oh nah mate we're absolutely flat out here, it's so full-on, I can't talk mate, I've gotta go, I'm in a meeting". And I thought "Good on ya mate". I love walking my dog around Panmure Basin. She's only little so it takes us the best part of an hour to get around the whole thing. It's a great spot to walk or run since there's car parking (not heaps, but enough), and most of the walkway is in good condition, although there are places where the tree roots are busting through.

The Basin is an idyllic recreational facility located in Panmure just off the Pakuranga Highway…read more The track around the basin is a decent 3.6 kilometres, and is perfect for both joggers and walkers - I have lots of memories running around and around lap after lap when I was young and crazy and ran much more than I currently do. There are lots of exercise stations located around the basin, so you can have quite an all-rounded workout mixing up running and body-weight resistance training. There are a decent number of seats to stop and sit at if you get a bit tired, and also a few hills in the mix for that extra challenge on your morning jog. Dogs are allowed and there are plenty of toilets located around the track, making for a convenient and attractive exercise location with lots of facilities available.