Rising melodramatically from the Heretaunga Plains 16km south of Havelock North, Te Mata Peak (399m) is part of the 99-hectare Te Mata Trust Park . The summit road passes sheep trails, rickety fences and vertigo-inducing stone escarpments, cowled in a bleak, lunar-meets-Scottish-Highlands atmosphere. On a clear day, views from the lookout fall away to Hawke Bay, Mahia Peninsula and distant Mt Ruapehu.
The park’s 30km of trails offer walks ranging from 30 minutes to two hours: pick up the Te Mata Park's Top 5 Walking Tracks brochure from local i-SITEs.
