The Sea Path
The Sea Path Pilgrimage
From the Ferry Building to Long Bay, Auckland (20kms)
8.00am Sat 5th April to 10.00am Sun 6th April 2025
Bookings are essential as places are limited to 20
Join a welcoming group as we walk the shoreline between the city and the sea.
Our walk begins at the Ferry building, at the bottom of Queen Street at 8am on Saturday morning. We will follow the coastal pathway north with the almost constant view of the Pacific ocean, Te Moana-nui-a -Kiwa and Rangitioto. Our destination will be Vaughan Park Retreat Centre in Long Bay, where we will gather in the chapel for a brief time of reflection.
We are booked in for a delicious meal with time to review the day, hot showers and a comfortable bed for the night.
As we walk, we will explore some of the history of Aotearoa that is still visible in this coastal landscape.
Who is this pilgrimage suitable for?
Please be aware that a moderate to advanced level of fitness is required for this pilgrimage. While we look out for one another, each individual is ultimately responsible for their own health, safety and wellbeing during the pilgrimage. We take care to assess the suitability of each person to cope with the physical demands of this day walk.
Expressions of Interest/Bookings
There are limited places of 20 on this pilgrimage and pre-booking and payment is essential.
Please feel free to ask any questions and/or indicate your interest as soon as possible by emailing us at info@pilgrimagesaotearoa.nz
Then in order to secure a place you will need to choose accommodation that best suits you and secure it via reception at Vaughan Park Retreat Centre using the reference “pilgrimages “ see https://www.vaughanpark.org.nz/
email admin@vaughanpark.org.nz or ph 094732600
Be sure to ask for accommodation overnight for Saturday 5th April, dinner that night and a continental or other breakfast in the morning on Sunday 6th April 2025.
This website is designed to encourage pilgrimage and provide people with some ideas for creating their own. Contact us if you’d like more information or to share pilgrimage ideas of your own.
What to Expect
A Guided Journey
Our pilgrimages are led by experienced walkers who know the terrain. There are signposts along the way. You do not walk alone and others have gone before. It is a led walk, so you can put aside the worries of finding your way or keeping the time and concentrate on the moment that is right in front of you.
Food and Friendship
The spaciousness of walking and talking allows for new friendships, deeper conversations. It is a great pleasure to prepare and share a good meal together after a day of physical exertion. Planning and friendships begin on a pre-pilgrimage zoom meeting, where you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get to know your fellow pilgrims.
Who Can Come?
Anybody with a moderate to advanced level of fitness who is able to cope with the physical demands of the walk. Pilgrimage is an inclusive spiritual practice – open to anyone who wants to walk to connect with themselves, the land, other people. The spiritual dimension of life - our soul terrain - often emerges in a natural, organic way as we walk and talk together. You are free to simply be yourself.
Landscapes
The Northern Route that we are following is a beautiful contrast of coastal tracks in inland landscapes. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes rugged, sometimes surpising. The variety of terrain is all part of pilgrimage. We are slowly making our way north up the Te Araroa Trail, a trail that runs the whole length of New Zealand from Cape Reinga to the Bluff. This pilgrimage is heading toward Rangihoua.
Costs
We are are a not-for-profit and the leaders are volunteers. There are costs for accommodation and koha for mana whenua speakers, as well as some operational costs. Costs are kept as low as possible per pilgrimage. BYO lunch and breakfast. We prepare and share dinners together. But please be prepared to pay a $50 deposit to secure your place.
Mana Whenua
We invite you to be curious about the people who belong to the land we are exploring. As we walk we become more aware of the stories of the land and the people who have inhabited them. We make every effort to have local people share with us some of their stories of the land they call home.
