Te Mata Peak

Te Mata Peak rises 399 metres above the Heretaunga Plains to the south-east of Hastings and is the defining landmark of the Hawke's Bay landscape. You can drive almost to the top, and the view from the trig point sweeps from the mountains behind Napier across the bay to the coast. On clear days Cape Kidnappers is visible to the south. The park is free, open year-round, and takes about 40 minutes to drive from central Hastings.

Several walking tracks cross the peak estate, ranging from 20-minute strolls on the ridge to longer loops through the native bush on the lower slopes. The most popular is the Te Mata Peak Track (about an hour return), which follows the spine of the ridge for panoramic views in both directions. Sunrise is particularly good if you can manage the early start. Cyclists should note that the road to the summit is steep but frequently ridden.

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A story
Māori tradition holds that Te Mata Peak is the body of a giant chief who ate through the hills to prove his love for a local chieftainess. She set impossible tasks; he completed them all except one, and died in the attempt. The geological result — a long ridge with dramatic bluffs on the southern face — is one of the most recognisable skylines in eastern New Zealand.

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