MacKintosh Beach Family Walk Near Waipara, North Canterbury

What makes MacKintosh Beach worth a visit?

MacKintosh Beach is just 20-30 minutes’ walk from the parking spot, and it’s an easy, flat walk until you get to the last 200 metres, where a vehicle track takes you down to the beach itself.

This makes the beach easily accessible for those with young children. You could even take a pram (one that’s a little more ‘off-road’) most of the way, just parking it above the final 50 metres down to the beach. Having said that, it can be quite muddy and slippery, and you may be walking through a field of cows, so keep that in mind. The last 50 metres in particular is a little precarious when wet. Great for kids, tricky for the elderly. Also bear in mind that you’ll need to come back up the steep 4WD track for 200 metres before returning to the flat.

The approach to the beach has great views of cliffs and ocean, and there’s a picnic bench at the top just before the final walk down.

The beach itself has a lot to explore for inquisitive children. There’s a shallow stream feeding into the ocean, a flat sandy area, and then lots of rocks for fossil hunting. You can also walk further along for a view around the cliffs, but a couple of expired sheep that had fallen from the clifftops made us hesitate and turn around.