It was only last week that we went to Castlepoint for an impromptu beach day, and this weekend, we visited Cape Palliser plus stopped by Oriental Bay in the city. There’s been a streak of sunny weather lately, and we want to take advantage of these good days. Besides, in a few weeks, I won’t be able to go out much because of Baby #2, and autumn is approaching. I am still getting used to these changing seasons.
Once again, we went on the road towards the Wairarapa Valley to get to Cape Palliser. This time, we started a bit earlier so we can maximize the good weather. Here are some pictures of our day.
Cape Palliser Lighthouse
To get to the lighthouse, you have to drive at least an hour from the town of Martinborough. On the way, you will see a breathtaking display of New Zealand farms on one side, and a gorgeous view of the sea on the other. The only thing I regret is not taking pictures of the countryside, which is probably one reason why I will ask JP to take us there again! When we got to the cape, this is what greeted us.
The road towards the lighthouse gets a bit tricky, since there were portions where only one car can pass. Also, there’s a part where the sea water comes into the road. I wouldn’t recommend coming here on a rainy day, or when it’s high tide. And definitely make sure you have an experienced driver to manoeuver the road. It took all of JP’s concentration to get us to the bottom of the lighthouse.
Once we got there, JP and I had a debate whether I should climb up the stairs to the lighthouse. At 30 weeks, I was quite heavy. But I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the view from that height. I told him I’ll go slowly and will get back down if I feel uncomfortable.
After 253 steps, we eventually got to the top!
From November to January, the area around the lighthouse is home to the largest seal colony in New Zealand. Too bad we missed them by a few weeks. Hopefully, next time, we’ll get the chance to see them. Maybe when Katie (and her sister) are older and can walk on their own.
One other tip for going to Cape Palliser is to make sure you bring water and food with you. The drive is long, and the town is quite remote. There was only one food stand in the town below the lighthouse, so make sure you have enough snacks.
And that’s our first time at Cape Palliser. We hope to come back soon!
