Whitecliffs Walkway

Begin at the Pukearuhe boat ramp at the end of Pukearuhe Road. It’s just north of Urenui and near the clifftop site of an old redoubt and military settlement. When parking, ensure you allow access to the ramp and farm. From the car park, follow the signs to the clifftop track.

The round trip is 6.5km but be aware of the tide times. There are no exit points along this beach until you are back at the boat ramp.

Key points of interest include:

• Open farmland (which is privately owned so ensure you respect the land and close all gates you open) to Mt Davidson.
• The old Kapuni to Auckland gas pipeline route along the ridge tops.
• Wai Pingao Stream where you can follow the stream to the coast and walk south along the beach back to Pukearuhe. 

For your own safety, do not attempt to walk unless you can reach Pukearuhe no later than two hours after low tide. 

Please also note that there has been active and substantial cliff erosion along the beach section. Extreme caution is urged as rocks are prone to fall. 

• Off the coast is the Parininihi Marine Reserve, home to a variety of fish species, large lobster populations and a colourful tangle of exotic sponges.
• Anglers can surfcast from the beach south of the Wai Pingao Stream, but the beach to the north is part of the reserve.

The walkway continues to the Parininihi trig and then descends to the junction of the Mt Messenger Track leading to State Highway 3. This option is 11km (up to 7 hours). 

For further information contact New Plymouth, Stratford or South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre, or view the downloadable brochures from our website.