Castlepoint is the wild, lighthouse-topped headland an hour east of Masterton — a long sand beach, a sheltered lagoon, the cone-shaped Castle Rock rising 162 metres straight out of the surf, and the 23-metre Castlepoint lighthouse on the cliff above. It is one of the most dramatic coastal landscapes in the lower North Island and a popular weekend getaway from Wellington.
A wooden boardwalk runs along the cliff to the lighthouse and offers a long view down the empty Wairarapa coast. The beach is good for swimming inside the lagoon, where the reef breaks the waves; outside the reef the sea is rough and dangerous. The road out from Masterton is sealed but winding and takes a full hour; allow most of a day for a visit including the drive.