Classic New Zealand Wine Trail - Putangirua Pinnacles - Cape Palliser

On the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, traveling through the small wine towns of Masterton, Carterton, Greytown, and Martinborough, I continued towards the southern coast with the destination Cape Palliser, the southernmost point of the North Island. Unfortunately, I didn’t see a single vine during the drive, even though Martinborough produces some of the best red wines in New Zealand. At least that’s what the guidebook claims.

During the drive to the Cape, the road winds 13km through the coastal hills from Martinborough before hitting the coast near the Putangirua Pinnacles. And since the sun was shining so beautifully, the sea took on a turquoise hue, while a light mist hung over the distant rocks. It looked absolutely dreamy.

On a little hike, I visited the Putangirua Pinnacles and kept wondering what 'Pinnacles' actually means. Before Wellington, there is a rock in the sea called 'The Pinnacles' and on the Coromandel Peninsula, there is a 'Pinnacles Walk', but I did not visit either. When I arrived, I saw a wall full of small towers, and that is exactly the translation. Learned something new again.

At Cape Palliser, I climbed the 252 steps to the lighthouse and immediately, after reaching the top, questioned whether it was a good idea. It was so incredibly windy that I really feared my phone might get blown away - or even me. And there wasn't a point where the lighthouse provided any wind protection. However, the view was still beautiful, just like the sunset a little later.

Cape Palliser is famous for its notoriously changeable weather, so after a sunny day, a stormy night followed, and a cloudy new day. The fur seals, of course, were not bothered by this weather, and I was able to observe some seals bathing, fighting, or sunbathing the next morning.