Cape Foulwind Walkway
Your Nature Guide
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
Nau mai, haere mai
Nau mai, haere mai
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
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Information
Cape Foulwind Walkway
3.4 km one-way | 1 hour 15 minutes one-way
Fine coastal views along this exposed coastline are complemented with a lighthouse and fur seal colony.
Walking Track
Timing
This is an exposed hilltop coast. Best make sure you are protected in wind and rain.
Access
From Westport head 12 km south on SH6 past the cement factory, then head right before the railway line along Lighthouse Road to the parking area and toilet.
For Tauranga Bay and the seal colony, continue along SH6 a further 4 km to Tauranga Bay. Turn right at the signpost along Coast Road to the large parking area with toilets and picnic tables.
Track
Most start from the Tauranga Bay carpark, as this is closest to the seal colony. The well-formed track skirts the headland with viewpoints over Wall Island and then the seal colony.
Continue along the metalled track climbing to the cliff top with views over the Tasman Sea. Pass the Astrolabe Viewpoint and the old quarry viewpoint to the lighthouse.
From here it is 15 minutes to the carpark, or return via the same track.
Fauna
Seals are known as pinnipeds (wing footed) because of their webbed flippers instead of paws or feet. Streamlined bodies and blubber keep them warm. Their ears and nose flaps close when diving. Their preferred diet is squid, octopus and hoki.
This is a permanent colony. Males arrive in November and December to stake out territories. This can be a battlesome affair, with huge chunks of blubber being removed from their thick skins by sharp teeth. It’s Darwin all the way.
Females who occupy their domain are theirs for the taking. The poor females have only recently given birth to last year’s pups and receive the males, who impregnate as many as possible during the breeding season. They then leave, kick back for the rest of the year and go fishing. Females then nurture their young, suckling and conducting courses in swimming. Nurseries of pups are often witnessed trying to avoid being pulverised on the rocks by the crashing breakers. Once weaned, they must then avoid being eaten by orca or sharks.
European History
The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman passed here in 1642 and named it Rocky Cape.
Captain Cook gave it the welcoming name used today.
The Cape Foulwind lighthouse is 9 metres high concrete tower. It was first lit in 1876 and automated in 1926.
Feature
Famed New Zealand poet, James K. Baxter, likened the seals to boulders on the boulders.
Details
| Feature | Value | Info |
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Organisation |
DOC West CoastCentral government organisation |
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Location |
South Island ▷ West Coast ▷ Westport |
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Directions To Coordinates |
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Coordinates |
Walking
Nearby
Reviews
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4.5/5
Peaceful walk to the lighthouse.
Keep going to reach the seal colony. Saw around 30 seals playing and sleeping on the rocks. A fun place to stop and see these lovely animals.
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4.0/5
We walked to the seal colony and further to the Lighthouse in Westport.
A nice 1.5 hour walk, it is free but bring water!
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5.0/5
It is a little place on the West Coast of the South Island.
On the Cape you have the possibility to see a wildlife seal colony. The Cape also offers a great cliff and a beautiful lighthouse you can visit.
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4.0/5
15 minute walk along the seaside.
The question is, how did some men build this monument?
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4.5/5
Enjoy the track along the cliff up to a seal colony.
Lots of explanation about Maori history.
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4.5/5
See some seals from the lookout on the rocks below.
Round track to the lighhouse.
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4.5/5
Well maintained track, had seals as promised.
Super happy with that! Track had also very good information boards. Easy walk.
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4.5/5
Peaceful walk to the lighthouse.
Keep going to reach the seal colony. Saw around 30 seals playing and sleeping on the rocks. A fun place to stop and see these lovely animals.
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4.0/5
We walked to the seal colony and further to the Lighthouse in Westport.
A nice 1.5 hour walk, it is free but bring water!
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5.0/5
It is a little place on the West Coast of the South Island.
On the Cape you have the possibility to see a wildlife seal colony. The Cape also offers a great cliff and a beautiful lighthouse you can visit.
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4.0/5
15 minute walk along the seaside.
The question is, how did some men build this monument?
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4.5/5
Enjoy the track along the cliff up to a seal colony.
Lots of explanation about Maori history.
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4.5/5
Well maintained track, had seals as promised.
Super happy with that! Track had also very good information boards. Easy walk.
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4.5/5
See some seals from the lookout on the rocks below.
Round track to the lighhouse.
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4.5/5
Beautiful landscape with cliffs and palms and seals (with babies) to observe nearby.
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4.5/5
Great to see seal pups at play this time of year.
Viewing platform quite distant however.
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3.0/5
Viewing area is currently under reconstruction for the seals, which was rather frustrating.
Guide books talked this up but it failed to live up expectations - as others have said there are better seal colonies around. There were a good array of seals, even at this time of year, and the scenery was pleasant. The lighthouse was good and was easy access from the other end of the trail, so the full walk didn't need to be done. The "very good" cafe at the seal colony end was shut for winter.
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3.0/5
I think seal viewing near Kaikoura is better, Kaikoura you'll see lots more seals and closer then this one.
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4.5/5
Easy parking, well signed, plenty of information.
Well maintained paths with excellent viewing points. Lovely beaches nearby.
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4.0/5
Perfect spot to camp free at the ocean side and we could not find any restrictions that would not have been allowed to.
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4.5/5
Worth the drive out of Westport to view the seals and their pups on the rocks.
Well maintained path across the headland makes for a pleasant excursion.
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