If getting lost on backroads is your idea of a good time, the drive to Pahaoa Station and the adjacent beach will be right up your alley! From Martinborough, head east on Hinakura Road to Hinakura Hall and continue to Bush Gully and Pahaoa Road, following the Pahaoa River south.
The sealed road gives way to gravel, and signs inform travellers that dogs and guns are prohibited at the Station. At this point, the landscape transforms from pastoral grazing land to clumps of native bush. But don’t let the tī kouka and mānuka fool you; there is still a decent number of cows and sheep through the Station, often standing in the middle of the road as you round a sharp corner! Plus, the road is narrow, windy, and has no markings, meaning the best way to travel it is slowly, though there were no other vehicles exploring on the day in question.
The Pahaoa River winds back and forth towards the coast, and the road mostly follows it, giving beautiful views along the way. At Glendhu Road, you can turn left over the bridge to Glendhu Station or continue to the coast south of the river mouth. Note that this is the kind of drive best done with a full tank of petrol or fully charged batteries, as there are no service stations and cell phone reception along the way.
