Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → Canterbury → Castle Hill

Location: Castle Hill Basin area, Canterbury, New Zealand

Time Required: ~1 hour (more if you’re climbing)

Red Tape/Notes: There are various climbing routes in the area. A few are listed on Mountain Project, but it doesn’t appear to be a comprehensive list.

What’s Nearby?: Devil’s Punchbowl Falls, Arthur’s Pass, Cave Stream

This excellent stop oozes otherworldly charm – presumably that’s why it was chosen as one of the film locations for Narnia. Huge outcroppings of limestone spring up out of rolling hills, looking like fortresses and ruined towers. You can easily hike up amongst the rock and explore the natural features – this stop is visited by the annoying tour buses, but most of those tourists won’t make the tiny effort to actually climb up into the rocks. There are also more areas further from the parking area that virtually noone but the climbers visit, so if you have a little extra time, you can enjoy a ramble around. Or bring your climbing gear – there are heaps routes in the area; Mountain Project lists a number of bouldering routes and a handful of sport climbs, but a good guidebook will have more.

Epic Travel → Asia & the South Pacific → New Zealand → Canterbury → Castle Hill