Sumner Beach

*Image Credit: ** *Sumner, by Burton Brothers studio, maker unknown. Te Papa (C.011685)

Once on the end of a tram route, and before the road tunnel was built, Sumner was on the main road route between Christchurch and it's port, Lyttelton.

Sumner has for many years been a popular destination for Christchurch families wanting a sea-side outing. It is a sandy beach stretching from Shag Rock to Cave Rock. Swimming is safest in the area in front of the Surf Lifesaving Club (patrolled in summer). There are a good choice of cafes, restaurants and takeaways close to the beach.

Scarborough Beach Extends from Cave Rock to the cliffs. Surfers and kayakers use this beach. People swim at the Scarborough Hill end which is often sheltered when it’s windy elsewhere. A children’s playground and cafe are added attractions at Scarborough.

Sumner Beach is also Christchurch's most popular wave sailing location as well as being the finishing point for the annual Coast-to-Coast endurance race from the Tasman sea to the Pacific Ocean. The beach fronts one of Christchurch's more desirable suburbs with no shortage of restaurants, cafes and wine bars.

The suburb of Sumner experienced cliff collapses in the Christchurch earthquakes. With the reopening of a bridge link in March 2015 and the Council's Sumner Village Masterplan, the area is in the midst of a post quake rebirth. In 2017, the new community centre Matuku Takotako opened.

At the beach, Sumner Canvas Print by Simon Williams

Cave Rock by John Gibb