Apr 18 2018

Deep Stream, Rocklands Station. Welshs Road. Lawlors Old Farm.

Published by under Hikers

Background Information to Deep Stream project
No. 60 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Lawlor Farm”
20190709_130108c

Gate, Old Lawlors Farm, 2019.

Closed for lambing Sept-Nov.
50 km from car park.

14. 18/4/2018. Trampers. Welshs Road, Old Farm, Deep Stream, Weir. M. Leader: Keith and Arthur.

Route map, courtesy Keith.

It was a beautiful autumn day as 14 trampers travelled for about 40 minutes, out past Clarks Junction to Welshs Road.

The cars were parked by the woolshed near Deep Stream on Steve Nichol’s farm. We all had to sign the visitors book on arrival, for “elf and safety” reasons.

The sun was lovely, but the breeze was decidedly cool, as we made our start.

To be different, the leaders had planned on a clockwise circuit, and also climbing uphill through the paddocks to extend the distance.

The steeper beginning warmed all the participants nicely, before having morning tea in the head of a gully – somewhat sheltered from the breeze.

Morning tea towards Deep Stream. (Phil pic and caption.)

Continuing up through the paddocks the scenery was magnificent wherever we looked. At the highest point of our day we came back to Welshs Road. The wind was keen here, but there was a good view over to the Lammermoors – the “ship at anchor” was visible.

Now it was downhill all the way to Deep Stream, road at first and then following the farm’s boundary fence.

The “Te Papanui Conservation Park” was just over the fence which we had to climb through at the last. The views looking down in to Deep Stream were great as we descended to the weir.

Time for some photographs …

The weir! (Phil pic and caption.)

… before walking the 4W.D. road above the stream.

Follow the leader. (Phil pic and caption.)

Near the mouth of Deep Creek we stopped for an early lunch on a long table thoughtfully provided. A nice spot in the sunshine, and ideal for the occasion.

….and if one should accidentally fall there would be…….sitting on the wall! (Phil pic and caption.)

The 4W.D. road was up and down a bit, but took us back to the cars, after having walked 9.8 km.

All agreed that the walk down through the Deep Stream gorge, below the weir, was the highlight of the day. It had been another very successful and happy day’s tramp for our group.

And so back to Outram, to stop at a the ‘Goat’ for water, food, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold beverage, etc (tick the boxes applicable please). – Art.


13. 17/2/2016. Hikers. Welshs Rd, Old Farm, Deep Stream, Weir. M. Leaders: Bob and Peter.

GPS of route alongside Deep Stream.

GPS of route alongside Deep Stream.

The leaders considerately stopped the cars about 3k short of the old farm house to give some level walking to those who didn’t wish to tackle, beyond there, the climbs over the three steep ridges on the way into the weir. (As matters turned out, they did tackle a further climb or two after all.) We all stopped first, a kilometer or so along the road, for a cuppa.

Hikers. Cuppa. A km or two from the cars.

Hikers. Cuppa. A km or two from the cars.

Eight of us went on  to reach reached the barb-wired locked gate, (some getting further)!

A nostalgic shot (yet once again, couldn't resist it) of the 'confluential' point where the Deep Creek tributary enters Deep Stream.

En route, a nostalgic shot (yet once again, couldn’t resist it) of the ‘confluential’ point where the Deep Creek tributary enters Deep Stream.

En route, (whoops, too many ‘en routes’), we passed a couple of bee hive sets of frames, with Betty getting stung several times from one of them. Happily Lester was there to help remove the bees and their stings.

On our return, we stopped in the a patch of shade for lunch.

The leaders (& Doug) lunching in the shade.

The leaders (& Doug) lunching in the shade.

The day grew warmer but fortunately not nearly as exceptionally hot as it was a fortnight ago. We enjoyed a brief cooling passing shower when getting close to the cars on our return.

The ridges are getting higher and steeper than ever to climb over and the tramp extension by the extra three or so kilometres gap between cars and house wearied this reporter a bit but for the others it was a breeze. A good day out. A good reminder of a tramp the club has enjoyed many times before. – Ian.
12. 23/4/2014. Hikers. Welshs Rd, Old Farm, Deep Stream, Weir. M. Leaders: Peter and Wendy.
GPS

GPS of route. The tail with “2” in it was a false uphill recce with none of the necessary downhill bits one or two of us had remembered.

A good memory is an attribute we came to wish we collectively had more of. Driving down Welshs Road, we  made two false stops before plucking up enough courage to take our cars yet further on to the actual Holiday Camp yards. (However, from recollection (what’s that again??) the “Both” 8/2009 group [indicated below] walked virtually the length of Welshs Rd just to reach the HP, well-notified on its gate).

Neat Caption (John pic)

Neat Caption editing, John! (John pic)

Well, we eventually made it there by car and walked on and up a bit to stop for our morning cuppa.

After that stop, taken briefly because of a strong cold wind at the time, memory let us down again. A few recalled the road had several ups and downs in  it, but the road that we then took led us only up and up and up. After some confused conferring, with nervous hope of finding the right way, we retraced our steps back down the way we had come, to a gate just adjacent to our morning tea stop. Soon the reassuring ups and downs emerged, and a morning tea spot taken on an earlier tramp confirmed we we on track. (See Trampers 11/2009 for the morning tea break pics)

However the earlier uphill foray had served to discourage four of our 22-strong group from further uphill struggles and they returned to the cars. That was too bad. But eighteen still persisted.

The stream views were most rewarding. The view of the Deep Creek (exit/entrance?? – well, confluence, then) into Deep Stream looked better from an angle different from that of a pic below taken on an earlier trip.

 

Confluence

A more picturesque view of Deep Creek debouching into Deep Stream. (See “Deep Creek Tributary” below for the other one)

A locked gate (part of which can be seen at the right in the pic below) just prior to the weir proved a further deterrent, and only five persisted beyond it. On rejoining the other twelve they found them already getting into their lunch. It was the right time too.

Lunch

Lunch by the locked gate. (John pic)

We straggled back to the cars in a long drawn out string of ones and twos, but all eventually made it, to unsurprisingly  find the earlier four long gone.

Then it was only for a dwindling ten (did Elaine deliberately hide herself behind Pat?) of us to reunite at the No 8 w Herbs cafe for a drink of …

Cafe

After tramp coffee at Outram.

… – you’ve guessed it – coffee, not to mention a tasty treat of chips and dips, courtesy Elaine. – Ian

11. 26/2/2014. Trampers. Welshs Rd, Old Farm, Deep Stream, Weir.
GPS of route

GPS of route, courtesy Ken. We only walked 7.6 km; 1 hr 57 mins moving time, 3.9 km/hr; climbed 318 mtrs; max elevation 544 mtrs.

This was a tramp that most of the 9 that turned up had never done before.
We walked up the gorge all the while looking down to Deep Stream to see if we could find a more interesting walk than on the road with it’s quite steep climbs. Once again most of the ones who are going on the Motatapu trip next week were carrying their big packs with some weight in them.
We found some nice rocks to sit on for morning tea …
Morning tea breakHeb

Morning tea break. (Heb pic and caption)

… at the top of one of the hills we had to climb, so we got a good view of the countryside. Then it was further into the gorge, until we arrived at the weir.
The weir. (Heb pic and caption)

The weir. (Heb pic and caption)

After a look around there, & a drink to freshen up …
Topping up the fluids at the weir. (Heb pic and caption)

Topping up the fluids at the weir. (Heb pic and caption)

… it was decided that we would go up the steep road opposite to where we were sitting, & walk back through the paddocks. George & Rea both remembered doing this in earlier times, so we set off, & headed away from the gorge up into the paddocks where we split up a bit & had lunch in two groups. Then it was down a gravel road that George assured us we would find, & back a short distance to the cars. The stream looked inviting, as it was a reasonably hot day, without a cloud in the sky, but nobody was game to get wet !!
After examining some peoples’ packs, & the way they were wearing them, we had an adjustment session to see if we could improve the fit for one member of the group, & I’ll also be looking at mine before next week, as it seems to be sitting too low on my hips.
We are becoming the Coffee Club No. 2 as we once again called into Outram for a chat over a cuppa on the way home, although Rea, & Hazel walked  all the way around to the Berry Farm shop for a Yoghurt Ice Cream !!
Everyone agreed that it was a good walk with interesting scenery along the way. – Ken.
10. 25/11/2009. Trampers, with a lot of Hikers! Deep Stream Holidays.  Pipeline Road. Deep Stream Weir. Easy+. Leaders: Bill and Pat.
It was 10.00 a.m. before our cars reached the Deep Stream Holidays Park. So we walked on along the pipeline road before stopping for a delayed morning tea in a sheltered corner of the road.
cuppa

We stopped for a late cuppa.

Other group at tea break

Other group at tea break. (Bill pic)

The road wound on up and down as the pipeline followed up beside the stream.
road

The road stretched on.

A point of interest was to see the Deep Creek confluence point with Deep Stream.
Deep Creek tributary.

Deep Creek tributary.

Eventually we arrived at the weir.
Weir. (Ken pic).

Weir. (Ken pic).

We climbed the steps from the weir to the road above. Some of us found a way up to the rock looming behind.
Steps up from the weir.

Steps up from the weir. (Ken pic).

From the rock buttress, we had a grand view of weir and dam.
dam

View of dam from the rock buttress. (Ken pic)

On the way back, Bill pointed out a rock wall built by Chinese goldminers to divert the stream.
wall

Old diverting wall from Chinese goldmining days.

9. 5/8/2009 Both. Welshs Road, Deep Stream, Lawlors Old Farm now Deep Stream Holidays. Easy+. Leaders: George, Bev.

click to enlarge

RomdalesB4

Romdales. Where there’s a wool…. (Bruce pic and caption)

RomdalesAftr

….there’s away (Bruce pic and caption!)

Climbing Welsh Road by Deep Stream. (Bill pic). Molly

Climbing Welsh Road by Deep Stream. (Bill pic). Molly

Another view of Deep Stream

Another view of Deep Stream. (Bill pic)

Deep Stream above the weir. (Bruce pic and caption)

Deep Stream above the weir. (Bruce pic and caption)

In holiday mood.

In holiday mood. (Bruce pic and caption). Evelyn, Pat, Bev, Molly, Fred, Bill, George

Pot of Gold

If we just keep straight ahead we should hit a pot of gold (Bruce pic and caption)

8. 14/4/2004 Hikers. Deep Stream. Lawlors Old Farm. Easy+. Leaders: Joyce , Jim & Thelma
7. 15/5/2002 Alt. Deep Stream, Lawlors Old Farm. Easy. Leader: Mary L, Margaret and Les.
6. 23/9/1998. Lawlor Farm, Deep Stream. Leaders: Mary L, Sabina.
5. 25/9/1996. Deep Stream from Rocklands Station to Dam. Leaders: Jack M, Diana and Ray
4. 10/5/1995 Lawlor Farm. Medium. Leaders: Peg C, Mary L, Sabina, Diana W
3. 2/12/1992 Welsh Road, Deep Stream, Lawlors Farm. Average. Leaders: Daphne, Peg A, Peg C, Peg M
2. 25/4/1990 Welsh Road, Deep Stream. Great tramping area. Easy+. Only one small hill. Leaders: Mary Y, Diana B, Hugh D, Betty B
1. 1/2/1989 Deep Stream. Rocklands Station. A long but not difficult walk. Follow pipeline to dam. Leaders: Daphne, Denise, Mary

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