A gravel route winds through native bush, with the trees closing in as you follow the valley up. Easy going for most vehicles, no technical stuff, just a steady cruise with the bush around you.

Puketui Valley Road runs into the historic Broken Hills area, full of old mining tunnels and walking tracks left over from the gold-mining days. Keep an eye out for the old jail about 200m before the bridge, another relic from those times.

If you're around after dark, glow worms light up the banks along the valley. Good one for a day trip if you want a taste of Coromandel history and scenery without anything tricky underfoot.