The Godley Head Walkway is one of the many gorgeous trails dotted around Canterbury and offers spectacular and panoramic views of Lyttelton Harbour and the eastern coastal line.

Track overview

• Difficulty: Easy

• Length: 9km

• Time: 3 hours

The trail loops around Taylor's Mistake (one of Christchurch's best surf beaches) and hugs the coastline, offering views back to Whitewash Head and across Pegasus Bay to the Kaikoura Ranges. If you're lucky, you'll spot some wildlife, including the white-flippered penguin, a pod of rare Hector's dolphins, some seals or a whale!

How to get there

Drive 30 minutes out of Christchurch to Sumner. Then, it's another 10 minutes over the hill to Taylor's Mistake, where there is lots of free parking. You can also start the track from the car park at the Godley Head end of the Summit Road, 50 minutes from Christchurch CBD.