Te Raikaihau Point

Southern Suburbs, Wellington, New Zealand

Hilltop walk with views over southern coastline (Taputeranga Marine reserve)

Easy

Foot

The shortest way to the lookout is from the end of View Road in Houghton Bay. This section of View Road is narrow so park further afield and walk up. There are two tracks at the southern end of View Road - a wide 4WD track with a gate, and a narrow path to the right. The 4WD track goes directly to the lookout, and then you can return via the narrow path. This loop section is relatively flat.

The track down to Houghton Bay Road (which emerges about 100 metres north of Cave Road) is steep and very slippery after rain. Better routes up are further round the coast road at Te Raikaihau Point. One track up is about 200 metres round from The Pines, leading off slightly to the right of a driveway to Number 44 (don't go up the driveway). The second is another 250 metres around the coast, adjacent to the Taputeranga Marine Reserve sign. This area is a penguin nesting site in summer. This track leads to good lookout points at the top of the hill at the southern end of the peninsula, where is a railing along the ridgeline.

A good loop walk would be from View Road to the lookout, then south and out beside the Taputeranga Marine Reserve sign, and back west along the coastline and up Houghton Bay Road to View Road.

This is a good side-track diversion if doing the Southern walkway.

Parking is difficult on Hungerford Road and View Road. The best spots are at the bottom of Houghton Bay Road or in one of the carparks on the coast road east of The Pines.

This is really for walkers only, though it is possible to cycle from the end of View Road up to the lookout and back.

2.21km

Single track

57m 3m 60m

29 Jan 2012 by bunty.

ledzep