Castle Point
It's hard to describe the natural beauty of Castle Point. The word "Amazing" really is an understatement. The drive from Masterton leads through lush green hills and farm land. The road is in very good condition, winding but usually free of traffic. When you first arrive at the coast you drive through a small town called Whakataki, then out of the village over a hill and there we have it – Castlepoint.
A long beautiful golden beach stretches all the way to a spit featuring a majestic lighthouse. You will find excellent public toilet facilities opposite of Castle Point's holiday park. Further along is the local grocerie shop/fuel-station/restaurant. The shop stocks limited supplies which are pricey but there is nothing that beats an ice cream on a hot day at Castlepoint!
Carrying on towards the lighthouse you reach a beach which could be submerged in high seas. You can drive out on the beach but we would only recommend to do so if you are in a 4WD vehicle. Out to the right (south) of the lighthouse is this huge beach with a lagoon surrounded by amazing rock formations and a big cliff. The sight of Castlepoint simply took our breath away.
The rock barrier between the deep open sea and the inlet is hard rock with shell fossils enbeded in the rock. This rock barrier is popular with fishermen, but can be very dangerous if a big swell hits. There is a lower part of the rock barrier and you can watch big swells wash over it. Further along is the gap to the sea which is about 5 0metres accross. A lot of fishing boats use this passage.
CASTLEPOINT IS A HOT SPOT FOR SURFERS! The swell is highly rated and very popular. But it never gets real busy. We caught some awesome waves there! This will always be one of our favourite surf spots!
We weren't too sure about camping on the beach as the tide seemed to come up a fare way. But after talking to a local we were assured that we "should" be good on a couple of spots. We parked up in a beach bay and ended up staying there for 3 days. Our mountainbikes were great to ride to the shop and toilet facility. We had the best time but rainy weather with strong winds made us leave this beautiful spot.
So be warned – it can be very windy at Castle Point!
It sure is a place not to miss!
Posted by Gigi - 8 February, 2011 at 3:08 pm, Posted in Campervan Hire New Zealand
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