Top 5 Martinborough Outdoor Adventures

Martinborough, a place that just might win your heart, sits snug in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand and is really pretty well known for its pinot noir and, basically, a rather charming village square. Yet, way beyond those gorgeous vineyards, it is also very much a playground for everyone who is into the outdoors. I am going to walk you through the five things I think you should absolutely experience when visiting.

1. Wine Tasting by Bike

What could be better than going between wineries? So, then consider throwing bikes into the mix, and honestly, you have a super great Martinborough adventure, in a way. You will find several places in town that have bikes available to rent, plus the flat terrain actually makes it perfect for even just a slightly casual biker. You’re able to create a route, stopping at various vineyards along the way, to get your sample of the region’s well known wines.

Places I think you need to look into are:

• Martinborough Wine Merchants: Very useful to start to pick some options and, similarly to other merchants, a place to have some top level food and drinks too.
• Poppies Martinborough: If I could visit only one, this could be it. Its wines tend to be delicious. It is usually fairly easy to reach from most places too.
• Palliser Estate Wines: Arguably, they have had good wines and nice staff seemingly for decades. Just try it.

2. Exploring Putangirua Pinnacles

Did you know these extraordinary rock formations came from the filming location for *The Lord of the Rings*? So, too it’s very much just a short drive from Martinborough and certainly feels like another planet, literally. Make a plan so you hike through the Putangirua Pinnacles, as they appear as these tall, crumbly earth pillars. That’s an easy hike, but it can be somewhat challenging based seemingly on what the weather does to the track.

3. A Walk Through the Martinborough Wine Village

Now and again, it pays dividends just taking it easier, right? Yet Martinborough’s village itself is extremely delightful just to walk around. You’ll see pretty colonial buildings, in a way, boutique shops, and some good spots just to grab a coffee or even just an ice cream. More or less, a stroll around the village actually provides a relaxed contrast to all those activities, and I think, similarly to how others feel, I want to slow down a bit.

4. Ruakokoputuna (The ‘Creek’)

Known by residents more simply as “The Creek”, you will soon understand why this location gets this name: Ruakokoputuna is super well known for its canyon-like rock formations plus the experience of going seemingly through it is fairly remarkable. The track seemingly zigzags from one side of the stream to the next. I felt this activity was so very rewarding since it’s pretty different than lots of others.

The track itself may be a bit awkward for some so ensure you:

• Are capable and happy getting wet and having footwear that are fine for this situation.
• Ensure you do not visit after storms or significant rain as stream conditions quickly can be somewhat treacherous.
• Always go with another person. Really, it makes sense not to go it solo just in case something goes wrong.

5. Cape Palliser Lighthouse Visit

For very good views, journey very slightly away from Martinborough out toward the coast to Cape Palliser. You will see the Cape Palliser Lighthouse is really distinctive. So, too it perches on a cliff top overlooking the ocean. The views are, more or less, gorgeous, and you might have the chance of seeing even seals basking on the rocks down by the sea. It is almost like your little excursion and, basically, this scenic drive makes it really worth doing.