Days Bay – Pencarrow
Experience a lovely, relaxed walk or ride to Eastbourne and on to Burdan’s Gate, where you will follow the wild coastline along a gravel track to the iconic Pencarrow Lighthouse. Start this route at Days Bay or in Eastbourne.
Route Map
Distance: 14 km one way (add 9½km to return from Pencarrow to Burdan’s Gate)
🚶 Average walking time: 2-3 hours
🚲 Average cycling time: 1-1½ hours
Surface: footpaths, some on-road cycling, gravel track
Route Sections
Days Bay to Eastbourne is a nice short, easy walk. Just after Days Bay, it picks up the short section of the Tupua Horo Nuku path. At the start of Marine Parade, cyclists must use the road. Enjoy a visit to one of Eastbourne’s cafes or ice cream shops.
Distance: 1½ km
🚶 Average walking time: 30 minutes
🚲 Average cycling time: 10-15 minutes
Surface: shared path, footpath, on-road cycling
🚌 Bus to Days Bay / Eastbourne
Ferry to Days Bay
☕ Cafes at Days Bay and Eastbourne
🚻 Toilet and water facilities at Days Bay and Eastbourne
Cafes
Days Bay Pavilion
611b Marine Drive, Days Bay
Google rating: 4.4
Price per person: $20-30
Hours: 8am-8pm Mon-Fri (9am-8am Sat-Sun)
O’Malleys Bar & Kitchen
612 Marine Drive, Days Bay
Google rating: 4.7
Price per person: $30-$40
Hours: 10am-12am Wed-Sat (10am-11pm Sun-Tue)
Chocolate Dayz Cafe
614 Marine Drive, Days Bay
Google rating: 4.3
Price per person:
Hours: 7am-4:30pm Tue-Fri (9am-5pm Sat-Sun)
Hive Cafe
16 Rimu Street, Eastbourne
Google rating: 4.3
Price per person: $20-$30
Hours: 8am-2pm Mon-Sat (9am-2pm Sun)
Tartines Cafe
Village corner 1, 2 Rimu Street
Google rating: 4.5
Price per person: $10-$50
Hours: 7am-3pm Mon-Fri (8am-4pm Sat-Sun)
Starting at the Rona Bay Wharf, continue along Eastbourne Marine Parade. Cyclists need to stay on the road. At the HW Short Recreation Ground, it becomes a shared path. After that, it is back to the Marine Parade, which turns into the car-free Promenade shared path. Where the Promenade ends at the Muritai Road, cyclists need to continue on the road till it ends at Burdan’s Gate.
Distance: 3½ km
🚶 Average walking time: 1 hour
🚲 Average cycling time: 30 minutes
Surface: footpaths, shared paths, on-road cycling
🚌 #81 or #83 bus to Eastbourne or Burdan’s Gate
☕ No cafes
🚻 Toilet and water facilities just before Burdan’s Gate
Points of Interest / Services
Rona Bay Wharf
A historic timber wharf, built in 1906 to serve passenger ferries and supply ships. These operations stopped in 1948. Now a popular place for swimming. Next to the Eastbourne outdoor swimming pool and by Rona Beach.
Serving coffee, incredible sandwiches and baked goodies.
48 Tuatoru Street, Eastbourne
Google rating: 4.8
Price per person: $10-$20
Hours: 7am-1pm Thu-Sun
HW Shortt Recreation Ground
Local sports field, playground, public restrooms, and the Eastbourne RSA (Returned Services Association) building.
Wahine Memorial
The Wahine Mast Memorial in Eastbourne is a commemorative site honouring the 53 people who lost their lives when the inter-island ferry TEV Wahine capsized on the nearby Barrett Reef on April 10, 1968.
From Burdan’s Gate you will follow the Pencarrow Coast Road gravel path to the Pencarrow Lighthouse. This is very exposed, so can be a particular challenge for cyclists in strong northerly or southerly winds. At Pencarrow, you can do a steep climb up to the Lighthouse, but we recommend doing the more gradual walk up along Lake Kohangapiripri. Enjoy the views from the lighthouse, but get even better views by continuing up to Bluff Point. From here, take the more direct downhill track back to the Pencarrow Coast Road for your return trip to Burdan’s Gate.
Distance: 9½ km one way (19km return)
🚶 Average walking time: 2-2½ hours (4-5 hours return)
🚲 Average cycling time: 1-1½ hours (2-3 hours return)
Surface: gravel track
🚌 Bus to or from Burnham’s Gate bus depot
☕ No cafes
🚻 Toilet at the Pencarrow Lighthouse
Check weather forecast. Take sunblock, raincoat/windbreaker, and plenty of water.
Points of Interest
Burdan’s Gate
Burdan’s Gate was named after the Burdan family, who were early European settlers. Its important function today is to keep unauthorised vehicles out.
Lower Pencarrow Lighthouse
The Lower Pencarrow Lighthouse was built in 1906 at the base of the cliffs on Pencarrow Head, as fog, low clouds, or bad weather often obscured the main upper Lighthouse. It is still operational.
Lake Kohangapiripiri
An unspoiled coastal wetland that supports native bird and fish species. Because of its importance to local Iwi, swimming in the lake is not allowed.
Upper Pencarrow Lighthouse
New Zealand’s first permanent lighthouse, erected in 1857. Mary Jane Bennett was the first and only female lighthouse keeper, earning an annual salary of just £125. The upper was deactivated in 1935, after being replaced by a new automated light at Baring Head.
Bluff Point
Bluff Point Lookout sits just east and up from the main Pencarrow lighthouse, providing fantastic panoramic views across to the South Coast, the lighthouse, the harbour entrance, and, on clear days, toward the Kaikoura ranges in the South Island.
Transport options
| Bus | The #81, #83, and #84 bus services all run to and from Days Bay, Eastbourne, and Burdan’s Gate. See the Metlink website for more info. |
| Ferry | Catch the East by West ferry from or to Days Bay. |