Red Rocks - Pariwhero

Quite the hike out to the red rocks....worth it. But the shining gem was hiking all the way to Sinclair Head and catching the fur seals basking in the sunshine. Not for the faint of heart... 3 miles out and then back, over sand and rocks, some water hazards and steep, rocky climbs! But the breathtaking views and seals make up for any struggle to get there!

It's almost an "out of this world" experience. The terrain is rugged & rocky. Walking mostly on gravel, so wear good walking shoes and take water & snacks if you need. Cover up with clothing, sunscreen, and a hat. My strava map recorded 5m elevation, so expect flat most of the way, with a couple of mounds. If you do the full walk to Devil’s Gate at Sinclair Head, it's about an 8km there & back walk. Or 6.5kms if only going to the Red Rocks & back to carpark. Thoroughly enjoyed this walk, took my family and I, 2 hours, but we only went a little past the Red Rocks, where we enjoyed seeing a seal. So, I guess that means we will return one day to do the full walk and maybe the 6-hour walk in the reserve. Neat to see the bachs along the path. What an amazing place to live! This walk is highly recommended! Free & you can even 4 wheel drive it if you need to. We walked it on New Years Eve (Saturday), so it was very busy. It did read on a website that it was closed to vehicle's on Sunday from 9am to 6pm. That would be a far better day to walk!

I recently went for a trail-run from Redrocks Paiwhero to Newtown and I have to say the scenery was absolutely gorgeous! The majority of the coastal section is on a 4WD track, with the rest being on gravel and mud, which made for an interesting and varied terrain to run on. While there were some steep sections that I had to walk up, most of the trail was very runnable and I had a great time exploring the area. Overall, I would highly recommend Redrocks Paiwhero as a starting point for anyone looking to go for a trail run or hike in the area. The views are breathtaking and the terrain is challenging enough to keep things interesting without being too difficult. Whether you're a seasoned trail runner or just starting out, you're sure to have a great time here.