Tākaka Hill Walkway

Peter Jackson’s famous Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies featured the magnificent landscapes of Tākaka Hill, also known as ‘Marble Mountain’, and this loop track takes in an array of Middle Earth scenery. The public walkway is on private land, but three QEII Open Space Covenants protect the area and recognise its unusual geology. You’ll follow a 4WD road uphill through karst outcrops, sub-alpine scrub, tussock ranges and dense beech forest before reaching a lookout with picturesque views over Golden Bay and the Kahurangi National Park. If your stomach can handle it, there is an abandoned farm shack near the beginning of the track. Inside, you’ll find a mummified cow that has been there for approximately 35 years. Curled around the doorframe, it is thought that a unique combination of weather conditions has prevented it from decomposing completely. Note: Keep to the marked track, as the area's sinkholes are prominent and often hidden by vegetation. How to get there: The Tākaka Hill Walkway is accessible near the top of Tākaka Hill. The access point is signposted, and a parking bay is nearby.