Baldwin Street BNB

The view from the top is stunning, and there’s a fountain where you can get cold water. The steep climb takes some effort; walking backwards now and then can give some muscles a break. Hard to believe people live on this street. Imagine driving home on a wet evening. Going down is easier on the left, where 400+ stairs help with the descent.

Standing on Baldwin Street, the incline feels almost unreal. It’s a fun challenge to walk up, and the view at the top is worth the effort. Definitely a place to see while exploring Dunedin.

Worth doing, but only a quick visit. Is it really the steepest street? You can walk up easily using the footpath stairs, but driving up is limited to residents. There’s a $2 certificate for sale at the bottom. It’s hard to get a good photo. A sideways shot with a house and its horizontal lines works best.

The climb up Baldwin Street looked like a mistake in the road’s geometry. People were heading up metre by metre, all hoping for the summit or at least a good photo, and I joined them after my attempt to cycle was defeated by gravity. Within seconds, pedalling felt pointless: the front wheel went light and the rear one protested. At the top, looking down felt more like staring into an existential drop than a scenic view. Then I got back on the bike and pointed it downhill. It picked up speed right away, as if it had been waiting all day for this. The wind roared, the brakes complained, and the houses became streaks of colour. I went far faster than a sensible rental bike should. The bottom was rushing closer, and then the unthinkable happened.