This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper in May 2025
Upper Pencarrow Lighthouse
Wednesday 2 April. E.
It was a beautiful still, clear, warm, windless Wellington day when 10 club members left Burdans Gate at 10.30 a.m. A light sea mist over the harbour made the long flat walk very pleasant, with lovely big white waves over the rocks at the end.
It was decided to take the short climb up to the Pencarrow Historic Lighthouse for lunch. We passed interpretive panels which told us about the history of the upper lighthouse and were particularly impressed by the story of Mary Jane Bennett, the first and only female lighthouse keeper in New Zealand. Mary Jane's husband, George, became the first lighthouse keeper at this post in 1852. They lived in a house very poorly suited to the exposed conditions. Tragedy struck when first their infant daughter died and then George drowned. Mary Jane then became the lighthouse keeper, to support her large family. The upper lighthouse is no longer in use. The lower lighthouse was built in 1906 as sometimes the upper one was obscured by fog.
After lunch we walked down the Kohangapiripiri Track which led us past the lake. Then it was the long trudge back around to Burdans Gate.
The coast is obviously a very popular surfing area. We passed surfers in the water in the morning and quite a few on their way to surf as we were walking back, boards on bikes, being towed by bikes or sometimes carried.
We arrived back at 4.15 p.m. (Not bad for an Easy trip). A tired but happy bunch had a very enjoyable walk n' talk trip!
Lois Kluger (leader and co-scribe), Alan Benge, Ann and Hadley Bond, Elizabeth Bridge, Michele Dickson, Liz Martin (co-scribe), Lynne Pomare, Sue Tunnicliff, Rosemary Wilson.