"You Must Take The Dimholt Road"

Along the southeastern bit of the North Island, not many miles from its southernmost point, Cape Palliser, is Putangirua Scenic Reserve, aka the Putangirua Pinnacles, and as the North Island's "badlands," and finally as the setting for the Dimholt Road scenes from LOTR's Return of the King. It is off the beaten track and, understandably, one of the least visited LOTR sites. The Road leads into the mountain of the dead, from which none return, where even the dwarf is terrified to go...

It's all 2-3k up a supposedly dry creek bed

(Pinnacles)

The trail turns toward the head-wall, and Vicki, who is ahead of me, disappears;
she forgot to take Narsil with her, too; meanwhile, as I am recording the drama,
a bee climbs up my pants and stings me right on the kneecap; good thing it
didn't get any higher; in any case, hike over... 

I am not reacting as serenely as Legolas might have; for more on
the Morgul bee incident, as it came to be called, see https://roadeveron.
blogspot.com/2018/04/quaint-curious-quirky-kooky_5.html

A look back down the trail

Much of the rock here laden with fossils

Most of it--all of the pinnacles--conglomerate

Despite the injury and pain, I have added to the cairn; testament to those who
have traversed the Dimholt Road and returned

Looking back to the bay

The real roads are scary enough

Very badlandy