This is a very scenic route from Seaford that heads out to the West Coast, through Anatori and eventually down to Kahurangi Point Lighthouse.
At Mangarakau watch out for the Nugget cafe on the left, the cookies and muffins have got be some of the best I have tasted.
The Antotori River crossing was fairly deep on the established route but about 200 metres upstream a much shallower crossing is available.
The final section of track to get to Kahurangi Point Lighthouse involves riding down the beach which means you need to time your arrival around the tides, allowing enough time to get down to the lighthouse, take photo’s etc and return. We had to stop at the end of the road so the final beach section isn’t included in the GPS Track download.
A local said to either cross the Anaweka river close to the sea or go inland until you see a track on the other side, he suggested walking it first as it can be a bit soft in the bottom.
At Kahurangi Point Lighthouse the DOC managed Kahurangi Keepers House has recently been renovated and can be used to stay in, however you cannot book the house as it operates on a first come first served basis.
When we rode this route it was straight forward for smaller bikes but getting out of the rivers may be a challenge on bigger bikes.
Contributed by: @chriscole
Track type: Gravel Road
Track composition: Smooth, Firm, Undulating
Slippery when wet?: No
Suitable for bikes <650cc? Intermediate
Suitable for bikes >650cc? Experienced
River crossings? Yes
Has anyone crossed the Big river on the way to the Kahurangi lighthouse lately?
Nice. Only been as far as the Anatori River myself (twice). I’m scared of the water 😉
Easy ride on big bikes as far as the river.