Cape Palliser Lighthouse

Cape Palliser is the southernmost point of the North Island, a rocky shelf where the land gives out and Cook Strait opens up. The cast iron lighthouse, first lit in 1897, stands on the cliff in broad red and white bands, and reaching it means climbing a steel staircase of roughly two hundred and fifty steps straight up the face. Below and along the shore lies one of the largest New Zealand fur seal colonies in the North Island; animals rest among the boulders, on the verge and occasionally on the road itself. The drive out is half the experience, running past Ngawi where bulldozers and tractors sit in rows on the beach to launch the fishing boats.

What to look for

• The lighthouse and staircase - the banded cast iron tower and the long climb up the cliff.
• The fur seal colony - seals hauled out among the boulders below and beside the road.
• Ngawi's tractors - the line of bulldozers on the shingle used to push boats into the surf.
• Cook Strait - the strait itself and, on clear days, the South Island across the water.

When to go

Late spring through autumn gives the best chance of a road free of slips and a day you can stand up in. The light on the tower is best in the afternoon. Seals are present year-round, with pups from around midsummer. Check the road before setting out, since the last section is gravel and closes after storms, and fill the tank before leaving Martinborough.

Practical notes

The wind at the cape is relentless and cold even in January, and the staircase is exposed the whole way. The staircase is a real climb, and the handrail is all there is between you and the drop. Seals lie in unexpected places, including well up in the grass, and must be given wide space; they move fast over short distances. There is no food or fuel past Lake Ferry.

Nearby

The Putangirua Pinnacles walk and the fishing settlement at Ngawi are both on the road in.

Key facts