We found ourselves with a few weeks up our sleeves while waiting for a ferry crossing to South Island, so decided to make a different kind of crossing in the interim. The Remutaka Range separates Wellington and the Hutt Valley from the southern Wairarapa, which offers Wellingtonians (and others) a choice of wineries, walking paths, tramping routes, and coastal excursions.
Coordinates
Remutaka Range
The Remutaka Range sits at the bottom of a three-range mountain chain that divides the lower half of North Island (the other two are the Tararua Range and Ruahine Range). Remutaka Pass is a 31km section of State Highway 2 that links Upper Hutt to Featherston, with a summit at 556m. The weather can be variable (as below) so views aren’t a given, but the summit lookout is a convenient stopping place to clear the backlog of traffic that followed our slow camper up the tortuous road!
Putangirua Pinnacles
Our first destination was the Putangirua Pinnacles DOC campsite. The pinnacle landscape was featured in Lord of the Rings (Return of the King, as the Dimholt Road). Here 7–9 million year old soft gravel has been eroded by rains over the millennia to create badlands (gullies) and earth pillars. Although some remain, many have lost their capstones, taking the form of spikes instead. The walk in begins in the streambed, so some leaps across water are required:
The walk then forks, the right one of which continues up the streambed and through some bush to arrive at the foot of the pinnacles. From there you can go as deep as you dare into the gullies, keeping a watchful eye for any orcs who might throw stones down on you (no, not really—but it does all look rather unstable—and earthquakes are a local feature!).
While the pinnacles are remarkable for their size, don’t forget to examine the smaller details too. For example, aggregate rocks may contain interesting splashes of colour, and even the dull-grey coating on the pinnacles themselves has a curious texture to it:
Some of the rocks tell of a seabed long ago uplifted, containing a variety of entombed shells:
The following day we took the second fork to the left, up to the lookout. This bush-clad loop walk is worth it for a different perspective on the formations and will drop you back down to the streambed, from where you can go back in for a closer look or make your way downstream and out:
Cape Palliser
Cape Palliser Road continues, unsurprisingly, past the pinnacles to Cape Palliser. En route it passes the remote coastal settlement of Ngawi, with its characteristic line of bulldozers and tractors on the beach ready to haul up fishing vessels:
It’s also quite possible that you’ll see seals sunbathing on the rocks as you approach the lighthouse:
Fur seals
The fur seal colony at Cape Palliser is the largest in North Island; sea lions and elephant seals also breed in NZ and leopard seals are visitors. Fur seals and sea lions both have external ear flaps and forward-rotating hind flippers that facilitate movement on land; fur seals are smaller than sea lions, have large dark eyes, long whiskers, a pointed nose, and prefer rocky coastline (sea lions likely sandy beaches). Hunting for meat, fur and oil during the early 19th century almost drove New Zealand’s seals into extinction, but they have been protected since 1875. Males are territorial so fights may be witnessed; females give birth to a single pup each year.
🌲 Rewilding
Cape Palliser Lighthouse first shone in 1897, with the original oil lamp long since superseded by a 1000W electric bulb controlled by computer from Wellington. The 18m tower is reached via a strength-sapping 252 steps, but views from the platform are rewarding:
As you climb the steps your ears may be assailed by the sound of cicada, who appear to favour the handrail as a sound stage. At Putangirua Pinnacles we saw Kikihia ochrina (also known as the April Green Cicada; below left) but here the dominant species was Amphipsalta cingulata (the Clapping Cicada; below right):
Getting to the more remote places sometimes means taking unsealed roads; not infrequently these are associated with fords, one-lane bridges, sheer drops, overhanging vegetation, blind corners, jarring corrugations and deep potholes. The road to the lighthouse is one such road—all part of the adventure in a large vehicle!
Lakes Onoke and Wairarapa
Lake Ferry (named for a former ferry service) is the name of a small settlement at the edge of the estuarine Lake Ōnoke, which drains into Palliser Bay via a gap in the sand spit. During our visit the lake was overflown by a helicopter dangling a large hexagonal boom. We later learned it was carrying out an electromagnetic geological survey, and was not in fact the taniwha detector we supposed it might be.
Taking the Western Lake Road we passed the adjacent freshwater Lake Wairarapa, but as the road lacks stopping places (for large vans) found no lake access. Like Ōnoke, this lake is part of the Wairarapa Moana Wetland. We pitched up at Lake Domain Reserve on the northern shore (just south of Featherston), which provided a very restful freedom camping spot. Established trees provide shade, black swans bob gently on the lake, a carpet of lush grass offers ample parking space, and juvenile cabbage trees fringe a panoramic view of the water and surrounding mountains (Remutaka Range).
Martinborough and Greytown
The Wairarapa is known for its vineyards and wineries, and the historic town of Martinborough is a hub for quenching your thirst.
We preferred Greytown for its overall charm. There are some great examples of historic commercial and residential architecture on the main street to admire and if wine tasting isn’t your thing, there’s also a broad range of quality shops to browse.
Tararua Forest Park
From Holdsworth Campsite (DOC) in the Tararua Range we recommend this loop (13km in total, approximately 4h duration):
- From Holdsworth Lodge take Gentle Annie Track to Rocky Lookout for views (and maybe some cellular signal!)
- Continue to Mountain House Shelter for a rest/ lunch stop
- Descend via the River Ridge Track (quite steep) to join the riverside Atiwhakatu Track back to the trailhead
- Cool off in the river near camp (optional!).
We found this a good mix of walking and tramping. DOC make the distinction as follows:
- Short walks: Well formed, suitable for most ages and fitness levels. Walking shoes suitable.
- Walking tracks: Mostly well formed, suitable for people relatively inexperienced in the backcountry. Light walking boots required.
- Easy tramping track: Track surfaced, rivers and major streams bridged. Suitable for relatively inexperienced backcountry trampers. Light walking boots or tramping boots required.
- Tramping track: Generally follows lie of land, often not formed, but significant water crossings are bridged. Tramping boots required.
Having offline topographic maps is helpful. The Topo GPS app (purchase required) allowed us to see not only where we intended going, but also where we were at present and in what direction we were facing.
Further along the Tararua Range, from Waiohine Gorge we hiked along the Waiohine River from the suspension bridge at camp to the next (smaller) bridge across Clem Creek, in the direction of Totara Flats. It was a “rooty” path at times muddy, about 6km/ 2.5h return at an easy pace.
The next day we made towards Cone Hut—go left at the suspension bridge near camp. The first 30 minutes or so are a hard slog (an unrelenting climb on slippery roots and mud) with little to see but your footholds; the track then levels off and the bush opens up into beech forest (but still without views). We gained only 350m elevation after an hour, then turned back, 4–4.5km return.
Wairarapa’s eastern coast
Southeast of Masterton, Riversdale is a coastal community with a 2km beach loop walk we found very pleasant:
Aiming for Mataikona we took Langdale Road as an alternative to back-tracking, which proved a rather scenic route:
At the Mataikona settlement regimented shore rock formations had apparently trapped/ confused fish on the morning tide. Locals were collecting them by the handful, if still breathing. “Can’t waste ‘em” they said! Shortly after and by coincidence, we came across a news story about the dangers of eating kai that washes up on the shore…
It is Castlepoint, however, that is arguably the primary reason visitors head to the Wairarapa coast (it’s about 2.5h from Wellington). The AA Traveller atlas marks a visit to Castlepoint as a “Must do”. The 1.5h Deliverance Cove Walkway curves around the sheltered bay at elevation, with the option to climb Castle Point itself, and return via the beach (although the path was closed for our visit).
The shorter Lighthouse Walkway (30 minutes) includes dramatic cliffs and views back to the sheer “castle” walls:
It was then time to head back to Wellington, as we had an appointment to investigate and resolve a (relatively minor) water leak.
Join us on future away missions
Add our 📡 feed or enter your 📧 email for post notifications:
Curiosity Drive 