"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

Rivendell, 2018

Our itinerary now took us across a bit of the island, from west to east, above Wellington, to Cape Palliser, the southernmost point on the North Island. Along the way were two LOTR sites, Rivendell, aka Kaitoke Regional Park, which we visited in 2009, and the Dimholt Road, aka Putangirua Scenic Reserve, which we had not heard of before 2018.

Our 2014 satnav, featuring the voice of Darth Vader, found us an
interesting shortcut, crossing perhaps 20k of single lane mountain
road; at least there were no tour buses

Aka Rivendell; we'd visited on a movie tour in 2009; it is still
one of the few LOTR places on public land where there is
official signage; augmented considerably, since 2009, by the
still operating movie tour companies

Official park signage

The rest added by the movie tour companies

Very informative

All these scenes shot nearly 20 years ago; Jackson
and Co. were particularly careful to see that
nothing was harmed, that only footprints were
left behind; seriously; it's New Zealand

Famous Legolas pose; tour visitors are invited
to pose similarly

Thus, myself, in 2009

In 2018, been there, done that pose

"Mordor, Gandalf, is it right or left?"

Tree seen in movie

Well worn props for a tour group visiting while we were there

Some visitors bring their own props

Ascent Of Mount Victoria

We've walked around on Mount Victoria several times--mostly for LOTR sites--but never really walked all the way to the top and to the observation deck there with its 360 view of the whole area. This time we did it.

But first, lunch, not at this building, which turned out to be an
interestingly painted parking garage

But at the Mount Vic Chippery, ranked #1 among such
 establishments; here, examples of their frites

The menu

And staff

And my lunch, with the kumara chips; Vicki had the pulled
pork

Just up the hill is the very old tram tunnel, under Mount Victoria,
which opened up the Miramar peninsula for development; now used
exclusively for buses

Helpful map

"Get off the road!"

On a trail-side bench

Vicki points to the now nearly unrecognizable "Hobbit hide-out,"
where Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin hid from the Black Rider

Thousands of Ring Waifs have since hid here, including us, in 2009

Look closely; Radagast stil frequents the place

Looking across to Miramar, and Wellington's signature

Beyond Miramar, the channel to Cook Strait

Pano of City of Wellington

From left to right

Thus

Harbor-side and harbor

More of harbor

The tan building right of center is Te Papa; Greater Wellington,
including Lower and Upper Hutt and Porirau, has a population
just over half a million

Airport to the left and Cook Strait

A ferry heads out toward Picton; it was a very windy day,
especially atop Mount Victoria

Book Lovers B&B, near the start of the trail