THE MAKARA BEACH WALKWAY, WELLINGTON

The rugged Makara Beach Walkway climbs to vantage points with spectacular views, making it a good spot for walkers and photography types, such as myself.

But the beauty of this walkway isn't just about scenery - there's also a some relics of the past (in addition to yours truly, the author). For centuries, the high cliffs and panoramic vistas have also served as a strategic vantage point for defending the land. In fact, a Ngati Ira pa site can be found on the promontory at the western end of Fisherman's Bay, while more recent gun emplacements on top of the cliffs mark the location of Fort Opau - once garrisoned by 100 soldiers during World War II.

The Makara Walkway, a rugged 6.6-kilometre loop trail, begins and ends right on the waterfront of Makara Beach. Just a half-hour drive from Wellington city, this popular route offers a 3-4 hour walk. For city dwellers such as myself, that makes it handy enough for a spontaneous day-trip adventure. 

The Makara village at this road end is more a desolate cluster of boarded up and sand blown batches than anything very permanent. But this small quiet spot serves as the gateway to the journey.

The trail begins at the southern end of the stoney beach. After setting off, for a short distance the trail winds along the rugged coastline. This first section is a plesant stroll in and of itself, but the big views don't start until you begin the ascent to the top of the cliff. As you climb and the ocean views gradually unfold. Once you reach the top, it's not just the panoramic vistas that capture attention, but also the remnants and decaying history embedded in the landscape - the gun emplacements. These are a somewhat delapidated, yet fascinating reminder of the area's past.

To the south, the Marlborough Sounds ripple in a mosaic of blues and greens. Cast your eyes to the north and east, and you'll find a more contemporary kind of view - giant white windmills. They stand like sentinels against the sky, blades carving arcs in the air, sometimes creating an audible hum. Their ceaseless movement is a testament to humans harnessing the power of the elements, contrasting against the bigger untamed wild scope of the landscape.

From the gun emplacements and cliff tops, the track then descends quite steeply through farmland back down towards the beach. From there, it's back along the coast for a few kilometres until you return to Makara.

As you make your way back along the coast, you'll notice plenty of nice little spots. These include rock pools and little bays, tucked away along the shoreline. There are also the remnants of driftwood huts here and there - makeshift shelters, cobbled together by previous beach-goers. The remains of old machinery, too, also appear - rusted relics of a bygone era, now an integral to the landscape.

A few things to keep in mind with this walk. Firstly, because this is a working farm, don't bring your dog. Secondly, avoid this walk in a strong northerly, it is quite exposed.

We visited on a still and clear autumn day - unusually windless for the Wellington region. If you don't have the energy to climb the hill, the coastal section is still very enjoyable. 

Photos taken by a Fuji GS645 medium format camera and Ektar 100 120 film