Officially known as Te Araroa – Paekakariki Escarpment Track, this opened at 11 am on Saturday 9 April.

The track is 10 km long and is said to take about four hours to complete. It runs high above the railway line between Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay and presents plenty of steps up, where there are great views of the Kapiti Coast and beyond, often the South Island.

To dodge the traffic and catch the train to Paekakariki then home again from Pukerua Bay.

Please note the following:

– Catching the train is the best form of transport, however if you choose to drive please park in the Paekakariki Railway Station

– To enter the track, from Paekakariki village walk south to the end of Ames St turning left onto the path along SH1 and then down the steps immediately north of the rail overpass

– The walk is unsuitable for people with vertigo and children younger than 8 as it is a challenging walk with a lot of steps, climbs and two swingbridges. It can be exposed in poor weather

– Bring sunblock, appropriate clothing, and food and water

– There are no toilets on the track – use the facilities in Paekakariki (corner Beach Rd and Wellington Rd) and adjacent to the Pukerua Bay shops

– There are cafe and bar facilities in Paekakariki, to fuel up before or after your walk

– No dogs – the track passes through private farming land

Update

We can endorse the “challenging” description above — at one point the track ascends in narrow zig-zag fashion from the level of the railway line to the top of the escarpment — this is not a track for the unfit!