Te Mata Peak

Te Mata is a tilted block of limestone rising to 399 metres, with a gentle grassy slope on the Havelock North side and a near-vertical drop of about 140 metres on the other - which is why the summit car park sits a few metres from a genuine cliff edge and why the paragliders launch from it. From the top the view runs over the Heretaunga plains and vineyards to Cape Kidnappers, Napier and, on a clear day, Ruapehu. The peak is a maunga of significance to Ngati Kahungunu, associated with the story of the giant Te Mata o Rongokako, and the ridge is read as his reclining form. Roughly thirty kilometres of walking and biking track cross the park below, through redwood plantings, limestone gullies and open farmland; the Peak Trail Loop is the standard hour. You can drive to the top, which makes it the easiest big view in the region.

Highlights

• The summit view - plains, vineyards, Cape Kidnappers and Napier.
• The cliff face - a drop of about 140 metres on the far side.
• The track network - about thirty kilometres below the summit.
• The paragliders - launching from the top in the right wind.

When to go

Any season; sunrise and sunset are the local favourites. October to April for the tracks. Wind at the top can be severe.

What to expect

The cliff edge is unfenced in places - keep well back, especially with children. The summit road is narrow with blind corners and shared with cyclists. It is exposed and windy.

Nearby

Havelock North and the Hawke's Bay wineries are below; Cape Kidnappers is on the coast.

Key facts