This moderate loop track tours the grassy open slopes of Godley Headlands beginning from the last bit of Chch’s eastern suburbs—Taylor’s Mistake beach. Most of the track is gentle and there are ocean views 100% of the time, making this walk a nice escape from the city. After a 40- minute easy walk along the north-facing hills, enjoying views past the Brighton Pier and up the coast, you’ll make a quick ascent up to Summit Rd’s road-end carpark. This is the site of the remains of the WWII gun emplacements and the barracks where over 700 soldiers were stationed in 1941-2. A good optional 30-minute loop heads out to the headlands’ point to see some of the historic bunkers and such. To finish the loop back to Taylor’s you’ll take the marked track 50-minutes back along the Lyttleton Harbor headlands, thankfully skirting the Trig hill rather than climbing it, before heading downhill back to Taylor’s Mistake.
There’s no shade the entire route, so bring the sunscreen and hat. There are mapboards both at Taylor’s beach and up at Summit Rd—the route you want is the red loop. Sometimes the walk is a bit confusing because it weaves in and out with a Mtn-bike track…but it’s fairly easy to head downhill and end up at Taylor’s Mistake.
