Join me for a super chill trip through the northern Wairarapa! Kicking off at Castle Point I head into the hills, visit an epic waterfall before punching back out to the coast again to wrap things up.
Out on the Wairarapa coast, this short beach run brings you in close to Castle Rock, the towering landmark the place is named for. The popular walk up the rock starts nearby, so it's as much about parking up and stretching your legs as it is the driving. It can get busy, and the coastal scenery is the main draw.
Finding informal camping around here isn't easy. If you're self-contained you'll have more options, but watch for signed self-contained-only areas, where staying without certification risks a fine. Keep your speed sensible with foot traffic around the beach and the walk-up access.
Winding through the hills above the Tinui Valley, this is an easy farm track and a good alternative way into the Castle Point area. It runs from the Masterton/Castle Point road up through the valley and onto Pack Spur Road, with surfaces shifting from sealed to gravel to the farm track itself.
A handy loop back to Tinui without sitting on the main road, and some drivers come out on the Mataikona side instead. Expect a few stream crossings that can run deeper than you'd think after rain, so take care when it's wet.
There are several gates and a few no-exit signs along the way, but it stays open all the way through. Just close every gate behind you. The track crosses a working farm, so stay on the track and leave your dog in the car or at home.
A handy back way between Tinui and Alfredton through the eastern Wairarapa hills, part-sealed and part-gravel. Makes a relaxed alternative to the main Masterton to Tinui route if you're heading north.
Sometimes you just need a free place to sleep - this is that. It's nothing flash or remote, but there's flat ground and a pub down the road.
Out in the eastern backcountry, a well-graded gravel road runs as an alternative to the sealed approach to Waihi Falls. It winds up from Route 52 through rolling farmland, and if time's not an issue, heading back via Pongaroa makes a nice loop on quiet country roads.
The driving is easy, doable in just about any 2WD. The scenery is quietly rewarding, open country where you might spot a few deer along the way. Watch for blind corners on the gravel, as the locals can drive it briskly.
The road ends at a car park. Don't be put off by the sign claiming a 10 minute walk, it takes maybe 2 minutes to reach the falls, which are well worth it, especially after rain. The water in the pool often isn't clean enough for swimming, so come for the views rather than a dip. A proper hidden gem, remote and worth the trip out at any time of year.
A beach run along the open sand below the dunes, with the coast stretching ahead and rolling hill country behind you. Cape Turnagain sits on the eastern coast, exposed and remote, and the drive hugs that shoreline the whole way.
The cape carries Captain Cook's name. He turned back here and sailed the other way round the island because of the sea conditions, which is a fitting bit of history for a stretch like this.
This is a low-tide trip, so check the tides carefully before you head off. At high tide the sea washes right up against the dunes and you could be in for a long wait, or worse, get caught out. As with any beach drive, soft sand and shifting conditions reward sensible tyre pressures and keeping an eye on the water. Best timed around a falling tide.