Picnic in Cook's Cove and try to imagine the HMS Endeavour at anchor. This is where Captain Cook restocked and repaired his ship.
From the Tolaga Bay Wharf you can hike across farmland and through regenerating forest to Cook's Cove where, in 1769, Captain Cook halted to repair his ship the Endeavour and take on fresh supplies.
After about 20 minutes of walking you'll come to a lookout point that provides excellent views of Cook's Cove. The cove is sheltered by the weather-beaten Mitre Rocks and Pourewa Island.
The track continues down to the cove, where you can explore the Hole-in-the-Wall (Te Kotere o te Whenua) and inspect the New Zealand Historic Places Trust memorial, which commemorates Cook's visit. This is a good place for a picnic lunch.
It takes around an hour to walk to Cook's Cove. The track crosses private land, so please respect the property and do not disturb or approach farm animals. The walkway is closed for the lambing season each year from 1st August until the start of Labour Weekend in late October.
By Christine Officer