Perhams Road
Paraparaumu · Wellington
This walk was suggested by the community and checked against the authority quoted above before it was published. The route line comes from official track data. The rule-setter’s own wording: “Dogs are welcome in most areas but must be under control. Dogs must be on a lead on the southern portion (Tulsa Park and Zig Zag entrance) of the Cannon Point Walkway as it crosses private land. (Greater Wellington, Akatarawa Forest page.) Greater Wellington defines under control as on a leash or under voice control while carrying a leash, within sight of the handler. The on-lead exception is on the Upper Hutt side of the forest and does not touch this walk”. Evidence: the rule-setter’s own published wording. How we check dog rules.
Good to know
Dogs are allowed here. Watch for ground-nesting birds and stock, and read the signs at the gate.
About Perhams Road
Near Paraparaumu in Wellington, Perhams Road runs 5.5 km.
Akatarawa Forest is Greater Wellington's biggest patch of back country, 15,000 hectares of bush and old logging roads between the Hutt Valley and the Kāpiti Coast, and Perhams Road is the classic way into it from the northern, Kāpiti end. From the end of Maungakotukutuku Road, south of Paraparaumu via Valley Road, cross the stream and follow the wide gravel road uphill for close to 6 km of good steady climbing to a T junction with Titi Road on the ridge, the natural turnaround at about 400 metres up, with wide views opening along the tops. Call it 11 km or so out and back with a bit over 200 metres of height gained; walk as much or as little of the climb as the day allows. It is a proper road formation the whole way, firm underfoot in most weathers. Dogs are welcome under Greater Wellington's park rule: under control, which the council defines as on a leash or under voice control while you carry a leash, within sight and not bothering people, stock or wildlife. The only named on-lead area in the whole forest is the southern end of the Cannon Point Walkway over on the Upper Hutt side, nowhere near this walk, which matches what Kellie, who sent this one in, told us. The reason to keep the recall sharp here is traffic: these are shared roads, and Greater Wellington runs the Akatarawas for trail bikes, quad bikes, 4WD club trips, mountain bikers, horse riders and hunters as well as walkers, so expect company on a weekend and put the lead on when you hear engines. Two housekeeping notes. Greater Wellington's current notices for the forest include logging in Maungakotukutuku Forest, the plantation block this entrance shares, with no weekday access to that block while operations run, so plan this one for a weekend or check the notices on the Akatarawa Forest page before a weekday visit. And the Maungakotukutuku Stream at the start is part of the Kāpiti water supply: cross it at the ford and keep the dog out of the water otherwise. Vehicle gates open 6am to 6pm in winter and 6am to 8pm in daylight saving, but the park is always open on foot. No toilets, no water, patchy phone coverage: carry what you and the dog need.
Expect moderate going, with around 275 m of climb, and takes about 1 hr 33 to walk.
Dogs are welcome here. This walk is on the map because Kellie & Jack suggested it, and we checked it against the source above.
