The Round the Mountain via Curry Track is a 13-kilometre loop track that runs through Purple Peak Curry Reserve and Heritage Park as it wraps around Purple Peak and offers outstanding views over the peninsula and Akaroa Harbour from the summit ridgeline. Including a climb up Stony Bay Peak adds three kilometres to the total trail distance.

The trail combines two tracks, the Purple Peak stock route and the Curry Track to form a circuit around Purple Peak and Purple Peak Curry Reserve. This land was completely cleared of native forest for dairy farming in the early pioneering days but now comprises 192 hectares of remnant and regenerating native forest.

The official website describes this trail in a clockwise direction, but I believe the Purple Peak stock route to be a little steeper climbing to Purple Peak Saddle than coming down the Curry Track through Heritage Park, hence favouring the anticlockwise direction.

Starting in the village centre, walk up Rue Balguerie to Nettle Creek Studio, turn left into Purple Peak Road, then continue past Mt. Vernon Lodge and follow the Purple Peak stock route uphill through farmland. Close to the summit ridgeline, you’ll reach the Paripai Track junction with the Paripai shortcut forking off to the right.

You’ll be coming down this track from Stony Bay Peak later, but first, make your way to Purple Peak Saddle and follow the Summit Track. It’s a rough path overgrown with shrubs that leads to the summit plateau and highest point of Hinewai Reserve at 806m but the panoramic views over Hinewai Reserve, Akaroa Harbour, and the Pacific from the top are sublime.

Re-join the Purple Peak stock route via the Tara and Paripai tracks and when you’re back on Purple Peak Saddle, follow the trail as it dips down to Brocheries Road car park and climbs back up to Browntop Saddle on the summit ridgeline.

To complete the circuit, turn right at the Hoheria track junction at the bottom of Purple Peak Curry Reserve towards Heritage Park, or turn left towards Rue Grehan for a quick shortcut to Akaroa.