If you’re at Cable Bay, you’ve gotta make the climb up to the lookout. The trail kicks off right near the campsite and first car park, so it’s easy to spot.
It’s a solid leg burner, about 1km each way up Sentinel Hill with around 240 meters of elevation walked. The track gets pretty steep in parts, so you’ll definitely work up a sweat, but it’s worth every step. The higher you get, the better the views get. You’ll be looking out over the contrasting waters of Cable Bay, with the lighter, murkier side on one end and the deep blue rocky side on the other.
From the top, you get a proper birds-eye view of the whole bay, the rolling hills around it, and if the weather’s clear, you can even spot Nelson in the distance.
If you’re feeling keen, the walkway keeps going. It’s a 7.2km stretch one way (14.5km return) that goes along the ridge and through bushland, so you can turn it into a decent hike if you want. But if you’re like me, after that climb, the best reward is jumping straight into the refreshing waters at Cable Bay to cool off and chill out.