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.

Ok, I have to admit that for my age, Hobbiton shouldn’t have been on my main agenda for a first visit to New Zealand. Though when planning my one-month route across the country, I had focal points that – among other things – consisted of LOTR filming location – and Hobbiton was a must of course.

When Peter Jackson flew over New Zealand scouting film locations for “The Lord of the Rings“, he was impressed by the green hills and peaceful pastures surrounding the little farming town of Matamata. He knew that he had found the perfect location for the Shire…

Personally, I felt like Hobbiton was not as exciting as I thought it would be. I mean the site itself is cute and all, but I guess only real LOTR geeks feel a tingle when crossing Bag End, The Old Mill or the Green Dragon Inn. I much rather got that feeling while climbing up Mt. Doom during the Tongariro Alpine Crossing or trekking around Mount Sunday (aka Edoras) in the Rangitata Valley.

… Although, after watching “The Fellowship on the Ring” last night (for the first time after my trip), I’m happy for having seen it at least one time.

Bag End – home of Bilbo Baggins – at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

The Green Dragon Inn at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

The Old Mill at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

Sam’s House at Hobbiton in Matamata, New Zealand.

Hobbiton is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area.

Even if you are not a LOTR fan, Hobbiton is still a unique place, found nowhere else.

But before I go into detail, I was ordered to clarify something though: Ulli would very much like to distance herself from this post. LOTR is not really her thing. I tried to convince her to watch the 12 hours with me before I leave (after all it’s almost a documentary film at this stage haha), but she wasn’t too amused about my suggestion after I showed her the trailers. So, this post is entirely on my head only…

North Island.

The Shire – Hobbiton Set in Matamata.

The Shire is the home of the Hobbits and my real Middle-earth adventure stars right here!

A visit to the Hobbiton Movie Set, featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, is a real must for every Lord of the Rings fan. It’s a picturesque 1.250 acre sheep farm with spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges. You can look at Bag End, where Frodo and Bilbo’s adventures began and get lost among the hobbit holes and visit the Green Dragon Inn.

Mordor & Mount Doom – Mount Ruapehu & Mount Ngauruhoe, Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Mordor was chosen to be Sauron’s fortress, creating a natural fortress against his enemies. During the War of the Ring, Sauron gathered all his forces to Mordor. The Battle of the Black Gate or Battle of the Morannon was the final major battle during the War of the Ring.

“Draw out Sauron’s armies. Empty his lands. We will march our full strength on the Black Gate” - Aragorn

Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Puapehu were digitally altered to appear as Mt Doom and is a feature of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. In 2012, the Tongariro National Park was again used as a backdrop for the prequel ‘The Hobbit‘.

Paths of the Dead – Putangirua Pinnacles, Aorangi Forest Park.

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. Filmed was this at the Putangirua Pinnacles Scenic Reserve in the Aorangi Forest Park, where I will be at the beginning of March as part of my journey to Cape Palliser Lighthouse.

Paths of the Dead.

South Island.

Rohan’s Capital Edoras – Mount Sunday, Rangitata Valley.

Edoras was the capital city of Rohan (The Kingdom of Men). The city was built on a hill in a valley of the White Mountains by Rohan’s second King. The city was built on Mount Sunday in the Rangitata Valley near Mt Potts Station and it took about 9 months to do so. Today, nothing remains of the set, yet the landscape in this area is supposed to be one of the most amazing in New Zealand. It will definitely be one of my highlights during this trip!

The Pillars of Argonath – Kawarau River, Queenstown.

The Argonath, also known as The Gates of Argonath or The Pillars of Kings, is a monument comprising of two enormous statues carved in the likenesses of Isildur and Anárion, standing upon either side of the River Anduin at the northern approach to Nen Hithoel. It marked the northern border of Gondor, as nearby down south were previous outposts, the Amon Hen and the Amon Lhaw.

Ford of Bruinen – Arrowtown.

The Ford of Bruinen was a way of crossing the river Bruinen, which was located in Eriador. In the Fellowship of the Ring film, Arwen carries Frodo on her horse while the Nazgul follow her on an epic chase. She then summons the flood to get away. The Arrow River is located just upstream of Arrowtown and is easily accessible.

Different Scenes from Middle-Earth – Rockburn Chasm, Glenorchy.

The film industry has fallen in love with the landscapes surrounding Glenorchy. Locations for Isengard, Lothlorien and Amon Hen for The Lord of the Rings trilogy were all filmed nearby.

Isengard, Lothlorien & Rivendell – Milford Track.

Milford Track is considered on of the finest walks in the world. It’s a 53.5 km walk over 4 days in the beautiful Fiordland National Park. Several scenes from the Lord of the Rings films where shot here, including scenes involving Isengard, Lothlorien and Rivendell.

And for all you Lord of the Rings fans, here’s a little something to dive into: A journey through Middle Earth.