Last updated November 2026
The Head to Head Walkway is Christchurch City Council’s long-term plan for a walking route around Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, from Awaroa/Godley Head at one entrance to Te Piaka/Adderley Head at the other. It is being built in stages with community volunteers, and today it is a chain of open sections around Lyttelton, Governors Bay and Te Waipapa Diamond Harbour, with gaps still to be filled.
The sections described here run from the 20-minute Sandy Bay to Jetty Road track to the 3-hour Coastal Cliffs Walkway, so you can choose a short harbour walk or a half-day walk.
Track Facts
Tracks can close at short notice for slips, storm damage or maintenance. Check with Christchurch City Council for updates on Head to Head Walkway on the day you walk.
More from Christchurch City Council
Practical Information
- Start
- Several entry points: 7 Park Terrace in Lyttelton, Sandy Bay in Governors Bay, Paradise Beach car park in Charteris Bay, and Kai-o-ruru Church Bay
- Distance from the city
- About 13 km from Christchurch
- Track length
- No total given; the four sections described here range from 1.1 km to 7 km
- Walking time
- From 20 minutes to 3 hours one way for the four sections described here
- Dogs
- On a leash on all formed tracks and paths; prohibited from the Governors Bay foreshore and mudflats, the Teddington mudflats and the Coastal Cliffs Reserve and foreshore
- Managed by
- Christchurch City Council
- Status
- Check Christchurch City Council’s tracks and safety page before you go.
About Head to Head Walkway
The council calls the walkway “an aspirational goal”: a coastal route linking the two headlands at the mouth of the harbour, put together section by section by the council and local volunteers.
Formed sections suit people without expert tramping skills, though the level of challenge varies, and some sections are fully accessible for people with disabilities or buggies. Mountain bikers share sections where possible.
The open sections fall into three areas. Around Ōhinehou Lyttelton, they run from Awaroa Godley Head to Urumau Reserve, through Urumau Reserve and the township, and along the Coastal Path Lyttelton.
In Governors Bay, they are the Māori Gardens, Sandy Bay to Jetty Road, and Governors Bay to Allandale Layby. Around Te Waipapa Diamond Harbour, they are Te Wharau Charteris Bay to Orton Bradley Park, Paradise Beach to Kai-o-ruru Church Bay, and the Coastal Cliffs Walkway.
Some links are not yet open. The council lists Coastal Path Lyttelton to Māori Gardens and Allandale Layby to Hays Bay as not open or marked.
Between Pūrau Bay and Camp Bay there is no formed track, only Camp Bay Road, and from Camp Bay to Te Piaka/Adderley Head the land is private with no public access without the landowner’s permission.
Sections of the Walkway
Coastal Path Lyttelton
About 4 km and an hour one way from 7 Park Terrace to Pony Point Reserve, past Magazine Bay, Corsair Bay and Cass Bay, with toilets at Corsair Bay and Cass Bay.
Sandy Bay to Jetty Road
A short 1.1 km and 20 minutes one way in Governors Bay. This undulating single track follows the water’s edge through coastal bush, then climbs stairs to Jetty Road, where a walk of about 100 m along the road joins the Governors Bay Foreshore Track.
The council notes it is “a little rough underfoot”. Dogs must stay on the track and are prohibited from the foreshore and mudflats.
Paradise Beach to Kai-o-ruru Church Bay
About 3.1 km and 45 minutes one way. From the Paradise Beach car park you walk along the beach, with a marked high-tide route if the tide is in, then climb and drop to Charteris Bay Yacht Club Road.
A marked track leads to Hays Bay, round Black Point and down a wider gravel track to Kai-o-ruru Church Bay, where the Coastal Cliffs Walkway begins.
Coastal Cliffs Walkway
About 7 km and 3 hours one way from Kai-o-ruru Church Bay to Pūrau Bay, in two halves of about 90 minutes. The first follows an old road line through pines above the cliffs and round Pauaohinekotau Headland to Diamond Harbour Wharf, with some bluff areas where scrambling might be needed.
The second edges round Stoddart Point through bush and pine to Pūrau Bay, on a track the council says is “very clear, but not well signposted”.
Out in the harbour you can see Rīpapa Island, a former pā site, quarantine station, prison and fort. Toilets are at a small beach before the wharf, in Stoddart Point Recreation Reserve and at Pūrau Bay.
Cautions
For the Coastal Cliffs Walkway, the council’s tracks and safety page asks walkers to “take care of the exposed steep cliff edges”, warns that “Tracks can be slippery, especially when wet”, and asks that children are well supervised. Its general advice is to stay away from the tops and bottoms of coastal cliffs and bluffs and to obey closure and warning signs. Check the page on the day and tell someone your plans.
Where to Learn More
Christchurch City Council: Head to Head Walkway: open and planned sections, dog rules and maps for the whole harbour route.
Christchurch City Council: Tracks and safety: the Coastal Cliffs Walkway caution and other current track notices.
Christchurch City Council: Coastal Cliffs Walkway: route, toilets and dog rules from Kai-o-ruru Church Bay to Pūrau Bay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I check if the track is open?
Check Christchurch City Council’s tracks and safety page before you go.
Can I walk the whole way from Godley Head to Adderley Head?
Not yet. The walkway is being built in stages, and the council lists gaps including Coastal Path Lyttelton to Māori Gardens, Allandale Layby to Hays Bay, and private land beyond Camp Bay.
How long is the Coastal Cliffs Walkway?
About 7 km and 3 hours one way from Kai-o-ruru Church Bay to Pūrau Bay.
What is a good short section?
Sandy Bay to Jetty Road in Governors Bay takes about 20 minutes one way, and Paradise Beach to Kai-o-ruru Church Bay about 45 minutes.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes, on a leash on formed tracks and paths. Dogs are prohibited from the Governors Bay foreshore and mudflats, the Teddington mudflats and the Coastal Cliffs Reserve and foreshore, and summer rules apply on beaches.
Can I bike the walkway?
The council says mountain bikers share sections where possible. Check each section’s page before you ride.
What happens at high tide on Paradise Beach?
The council marks a high-tide alternative for when the beach is covered.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 1
- Track Facts: Track line and facts: Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, Outdoor Access Commission, from LINZ and DOC data (CC BY 4.0). Elevation: LINZ (LiDAR), CC BY 4.0.