Pencarrow Lighthouse is at the southeast entrance to Wellington Harbour. You can walk or cycle from the end of the public road at Burdan’s Gate, south of Eastbourne, to the Lighthouse on the point. It takes about four hours to return by foot and an hour and a half by bike.
A particularly nice feature of this track is the ability to rent bikes at Burdan Gate during summer and on holiday weekends.
Once you get there, it is a 100-metre climb up to the historic lighthouse at the top of the head. It dates back to 1859 and was run by NZ’s only female lighthouse keeper, Mary Jane Bennett.
The track is mostly a flat metal road, so the walk down the east side of the harbour is easy. However, it is exposed, so be mindful of the weather. You can also explore beyond the lighthouse around the south coast to Lake Kohangapiripiri and a bit further to Lake Kohangatera. Swimming is not permitted in the lakes or at the beaches south of Burdan’s Gate.
Photos by Praveen @wanderingpraani_.
