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Puheke Hill

Extinct Volcano / White Sand Beach

Difficulty: Moderate walks
Bring: Firewood
Puheke Hill
NZGps: 34° 51' 28.584" S 173° 19' 54.84" E
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)

When was the last time that you climbed a volcano sprouting from a white sand beach? (oh yeah, maybe Mauao, entry E1.) OK then, when was the last time you gazed from the top of a volcano that bisected a 12km stretch of sugar-white sand, not another soul in sight? Never heard of Puheke? Neither have many others. A small (130m) volcanic hill, vast white sands, azure waters…all protected from bach-ism by drifting dunes and boggy dune lakes…thank jah! The only public access to Puheke Hill is via a washboardy 4.5km road from Rangiputa. A walk to the top takes 20 minutes. From the upper carpark a skinny path leads down to 7 secluded snow-white (dwarf) coves.

If you really want to see NOBODY all day on a gloriously unspoiled shoreline, this is your place. Heading east from Puheke there’s no access to the beach for 5-6km—just a solitude of white dunes and beachcombing. A walk to the Maitai access point takes about 80 minutes. The small coves with their caves are wonderful. Puheke is the diamond in Doubtless Bay’s not-so-rough.

Excerpt from "NZ Frenzy Guidebook" by Scott CookNZ Frenzy Guidebook

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Comments

Stunning views and very nice

Ben and Lol's picture

Stunning views and very nice walk from the beach to the top (very steep at the end but not very long). Well recommended if you are in the area. The 360 degrees view at the summit is a must. Thanks for the tip!

5

Submitted by Ben and Lol on Sun, 2016-03-27 22:17