I absolutely loved this walk, it was the perfect way to break up the road trip between Napier and Taupo and get some extra steps in. The only downside was the drive to get there was SO painful. Both routes involve long gravel roads. They’re not to bumpy or corrugated, but they’re winding, and if you go too fast, you might find yourself taking the bends a little too quickly. So queue up a good playlist or podcast to make the journey more enjoyable. Honestly, by the time I got there, I was so ready for the walk to start.

From the carpark, it’s about 3.4 km to reach Bell Rock, and I’d recommend turning the hike into a loop when you head back. The trail starts off through dense bush with tree roots and uneven terrain, which eventually opens up to dry farmland. You’ll get to say hi to plenty of sheep and walk through some private paddocks along the way. The hike up has a bit of an incline, but nothing too crazy, it’s very manageable.

When you finally reach Bell Rock, the views are well worth the effort. The rock formation itself is impressive, sitting high above the surrounding landscape. From the lookout at the top, you get 360-degree views over the rolling farmlands, valleys, and distant hills. It’s a peaceful spot where you can sit, take in the view, and feel on top of the world. On the way back down, you’ll need to walk about 300 meters along the road to return to the carpark, so just be careful and keep an eye out for oncoming traffic. The full loop is 7.2 km.