Puponga Hill Top Track
- 3 hr 30 min – 4 hr one way
- Easy/medium
- Wharariki car park to beach: 20 min
- Beach to Cape Farewell: 1 hr
- Cape Farewell to trig: 1 hr 20 min
- Trig to Puponga: 1 hr
Spectacular coastal walk from Wharariki Beach to the base of Farewell Spit.
Walking time
|
3 hr 30 min – 4 hr |
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Distance
|
18.0km |
Type
|
One way
|
Grade
|
Easy/medium
Windy unfenced cliffs. Grades explained
|
Bookings
|
No bookings — open access
No — open access
|
Starts
|
Wharariki Road end, Cape Farewell |
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Ends
|
Farewell Spit Information Centre, Puponga |
Maps
|
NZTopo50-BM24
|
Altitude
|
Sea level
–
161m
Altitude change 161m
|
Before setting out on this walk, it is a good idea to sort out return transport. There is no mobile phone service in the area. If you can find a bicycle, the return by road is just under 6km. The track is easily walked in either direction.
From the Wharariki Road end, cross farm paddocks and a patch of coastal forest to the beach. Offshore are the beautiful Archway Islands. Head up the beach to the right and a deep bend in the river. Cross over to a sign on the opposite bank. A poled track leads from here uphill over grass, edging around cliffs to reach Cape Farewell. This cape Captain James Cook's point of departure from New Zealand 1 April 1770.
From here the track continues over farmland, before crossing into kanuka scrub and climbing up onto the Old Man Range, toward the signal light at Pillar Point.
A smooth and easy track offers panoramic views, and descends then climbs to the trig at 155m. From here, the track drops quickly toward Farewell Spit. At a junction, take the Triangle Flat route down to the base of the spit or continue on the Hill Tops route: both options take 30 minutes to reach the Puponga car park and information centre.
Walking times: