Peace aplenty by the sea in New Zealand's charming Devonport village

By Julia Kirchner Jan 24, 2012, 3:06 GMT

Devonport, New Zealand - The New Zealand city of Auckland is not exactly renowned for its hectic atmosphere yet for those seeking an even gentler pace, the historical naval village of Devonport just across the harbour is the place to be.

Devonport is a mere 10 minutes by boat from the city of 1.4 million residents. It is the site of one of the earliest settlements around Auckland and was a strategic stronghold in both world wars. A deep water anchorage has assured its role as the home base of New Zealand's navy but the town owes its enduring popularity to ensembles of magnificent Victorian houses with their generous verandas and whitened wooden facades.

There are two ways of getting to Devonport. Drivers can take either a 20-minute drive across the elegant Harbour Bridge, whose outline has earned it the name of 'coathanger' or opt for the ferry which offers a more scenic route. While chugging across the inner Hauraki harbour, tourists get a fine view of the Auckland skyline and the Sky Tower which dominates the waterside view.

From the harbour the roads radiate in all directions. To the left and right are handsome beaches with the centre of Devonport straight ahead. Victoria Road is flanked by cosy cafes, intimate book stores or shops selling works of art or souvenirs.

A few metres farther on and the road inclines steeply upwards to one of the best viewing points in the area, the extinct volcano Mount Victoria which the indigenous Mauris call Takarunga. It rises to a modest 87 metres and for those who prefer not to exert themselves unduly, the ascent is not essential. Turning right just beforehand leads visitors through streets with redbrick churches which look as if they were imported directly from colonial Britain.

Devonport spoils its residents with four impressive beaches. Cheltenham Beach, a safe tidal favourite with local families, lies to the east. A stroll along this strip of sand offers fine views of the symmetrical island of Rangitoto. This is the largest and youngest of about 50 volcanic cones and craters in the volcanic field around Auckland. It erupted from the sea in a series of dramatic explosions between 600 and 700 years ago, but today is extinct. Local Maori tribes call it 'Sky of Blood.'

A rewarding hike follows the coastal path from the southern end of Cheltenham Beach. It runs underneath North Head, another inactive volcano. At this point the path quickly diverges from the beach and turns into a rocky track. To the left are metal railings and to the right are carved-out rocks. The heavily-weathered emplacements in the stone are remnants of the defences built here during the First World War. They were built to house batteries and also electric searchlights which were trained on the sea to spot enemy vessels.

From 1880 onwards the army built a fort here with a maze of tunnels and underground rooms which were used to store ammunition and as barracks. They can still be inspected today. Fears of a growing Russian fleet in the North Pacific led to the introduction of heavy guns on the 65-metre-tall hill, with massive batteries designed to deter enemy ships from sailing into the harbour. In 1941, when Japan entered the World War II, the defences were scaled up again and guns were camouflaged in anticipation of active service.

History is ever-present at North Head or Takapuna but the hills are best-known as vantage points. Their popularity makes them busy at the weekend and in the evening and tourists will find themselves competing with locals for a place to sit on one of the park banks, which are few and far between.