To get to Waikaretu from Port Waikato, head left to stay on Port Waikato Road instead of taking Maunsell Road towards the beach. The road becomes windy and narrow in places, and the name changes to Port Waikato Waikaretu Road. It continues to be sealed for a few km, then becomes unsealed. It climbs about 100 metres, passing through several sections of limestone rock formation. Some sections look like pasture-sided mini canyons with streams at the bottom.
The highlight is a cliff edge highpoint, where you can safely stop in several places. On Google Maps, there is a location marked as a viewpoint for a LOTR location, Weathertop, but there is no road marking. You can pick out Weathertop, but it’s a fair distance away and not too obvious compared to the other rock formations.
If you do this in early spring, you will also notice the area around the cliff edge is rich in flowering kōwhai trees with many happy tūī.
