The Help Of The Army Of The Dead Is Needed.

The ‘Paths of the Dead‘ is a haunted pass through the White Mountains. The Army of the Dead accompanied Aragorn to Minas Tirith to defeat Sauron’s orcs, after which Aragorn declared their curse lifted. This scene was filmed at the Aorangi Forest Park where you can’t miss the sight of the weird rock formations of the Putangirua Pinnacles – an amazing collection of hoodoos.

An Unease Feeling.

Cape Palliser itself is an area only very few tourist visit, plus it’s only sparsely populated. During my entire trip, I’ve never felt uncomfortable about hiking by myself or being the only person for hundred of miles; my visit to the Putangirua Pinnacles thought me right! Let’s just say, a serial killer would have his fun down here…

Since I had to get to Wellington on the same day, I decided I would start my hike early in the morning. I packed up my backpack and camera equipment and drove the 13 kilometres along Cape Palliser Road until I reached the Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve. By the time I got there, it was 7.20 am. The camp-site was empty apart from one creepy looking truck and a camper van. From the time I got there, I had a weird feeling, yet my mind was set: I wanted to see these breath-taking pinnacles. The first ten minutes into the track where fine.

And then it hit me: No cell-phone reception, complete stillness, no one around me and that truck at the camp-site. Shivers went down my back and I started realizing, why Peter Jackson chose this place: The eerie stillness really gets to you! I tried focusing on the surroundings, but I couldn’t help to turn around every couple of metres to make sure no one was following me…

One Hour – And Lots Of Sweat – Later.

Finally, after sweating like crazy (due to my running), I reached the Putangirua Pinnacles. It was an impressive sight. And my unease feeling was gone all over sudden. I simply focused on the surroundings and absorbed every minute. Visiting these ancient Putangirua Pinnacles and absorbing the stillness of the ‘Middle-earth’ setting was breath-taking and super scary at the same time!

Length: Three routes lead to the Putangirua Pinnacles from the camp-site. Allow2 – 3 hours for a round trip. For a longer walk, with excellent views of Palliser Bay, allow 3 – 4 hours for a round trip.

The Puntangirua Pinnacles consist of a large number of hoodoos located in a valley of the Aorangi Ranges.

The Putangirua Pinnacles are a geological formation and one of New Zealand’s best examples of badlands erosion.

The Paths of the Dead sequence in the film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was filmed on in the Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve.

The majestic Putangirua Pinnacles were formed over the past 120.000 years by heavy rain which gradually eroded an ancient gravel deposit.

The Aorangi Forest Park and the surrounding area features some of New Zealand’s most striking landforms, including the Putangirua Pinnacles.

The ‘badlands erosion’ of Putangirua Pinnacles is a spectacular landscape feature attracting visitors from all over the world to the southern Wairarapa.

My trip began in Auckland, and I continued to the Coromandel Peninsular, Hobbiton, further onwards to the Tongariro National Park, and finally reached Wellington. But before I got to the capital city, I had two days along the coast on Cape Palliser.

A ferryman and his hotel.

Lake Ferry is a sleepy little village that sits next to Lake Onoke. Following a drowning back in 1850, a ferry service was established across the lake. The ferryman needed accommodation and so he opened the Lake Ferry Hotel in 1851. This is where I would stay the next 48 hours.

Driving down to the hotel already gave me a good impression on what I would get the next two days: Peace and quite. Zero tourists, very few locals and no sounds other than the wind & ocean. Lake Ferry mostly consists of holiday homes and only a few permanent residents, therefore don’t expect a lot of action here.

Sheep, a scenic ocean road and a lighthouse.

Before reaching the coastal road, you drive through an amazing field landscape, with sheep as the only living thing in sight. European settlers brought sheep and cattle into this area in 1844. After about 20 minutes of driving, you’ll reach the winding road along the coast. It’s truly a ridiculously scenic drive with steep cliffs on one side and an endless ocean with black-sand beaches on the other.

Fields decorate the landscape along the road down to the coast on Cape Palliser, New Zealand.

You won’t find many people on Cape Palliser; instead, the fields are full of sheep along the road to the southernmost area of the North Island.

The dramatic weather scene along the coastal road on Cape Palliser was a great photo opportunity.

As a solo traveller through New Zealand, you can really feel ‘alone’ from time to time. Cape Palliser was definitely one of the loneliest places I have to.

I got the most amazing impressions and was overwhelmed with the atmosphere of the area. Therefore I was ready to drive down even further, all the way to the famous lighthouse I read about many months before.

Cape Palliser lighthouse – the southernmost point of the North Island – would test my fitness. To reach the candy-striped lighthouse, you must climb up the 254 (very steep) steps. Being up at the top, you really get the feeling of pure remoteness, combined with stunning views that extend all they way to the South Island on a clear day. But not only the the landscape was unreal; at one point the power of the wind was so strong, I was unable to stand up straight.

Cape Palliser lighthouse was the reason I came to this area in the first place, and it made every minute being there worthwhile. The most photogenic lighthouse in New Zealand was a true highlight!

The ocean road along the coast of Cape Palliser is dramatically scenic. It was one of the most impressive drives during my trip through New Zealand.

Cape Palliser Lighthouse; the southernmost point of the North Island – it’s in fact considerably further south than Nelson or Blenheim in the South Island – and one of the most remote places in New Zealand.

It’s hard to convey the feeling I had up at Cape Palliser lighthouse. Happy and content would describe it best … and I’m sure that the atmosphere was a great factor for this.

While driving along Cape Palliser road, you will come across wonderful creatures along the rocks just off the side of the road.

On your way to or from the Cape Palliser lighthouse, you must keep your eyes open for the nearby seal colony.

It’s easy to see why this area of ocean was known for seafaring disasters. This storm came quicker than I had hoped for and the ocean turned into a ravaging element.

When I saw a storm approaching, I quickly packed up my camera gear and headed back down the stairs. The Putangirua Pinnacles had to wait until the next morning, because just as I reached the Lake Ferry hotel, it started pouring cats and dogs…