2/10/2013. Bus Trip. Roxburgh. River Walk, bridge to Pinders Pond. Leaders: Chris and Dot.
The first thing to say is Bravo to Chris and Dot for their planning a most interesting tramp; and providing the ‘cycle and walking trail map’ of the ‘trail’ from Lake Roxburgh Village to Lawrence, parts of it still to be completed this year. Our trek was from Roxburgh to Pinders Pond. along the edge of the MIGHTY Clutha river. Most impressive, that huge quantity of water swirling this way and that as it silently and swiftly surged along. It prompted the writer to call to mind the considerable number of lives lost in its powerful cold waters. Ugg. The track was well paved with gravel and allowed walking two abreast.
There were minor ups and downs, but it was largely flat, although varying from road to river level. Hate to think of its cost. A one spot there was a ‘bridge’ walkway alongside a steep bank where there was no room between road and river. Thick piping protective rails seemed over-engineered. It would keep OSH or whoever happy anyway. And there were the odd occasions of crumbling edges on the downward sides and gravel slides on the upper, portending regular maintenance expenses in the future.
Anyway, it was a good walk of some 12 km return. A good stretch-out for Hikers. Two or three stopped and made their own way back but the majority made it to Pinders Pond with plenty of time for a leisurely lunch.
The GPS of the route below was belatedly started someway down from the bridge so doesn’t account for the full distance.
Alt. Trampers. Bullock Track Climb.
Distance 9.71km
Moving time 2h 36m
Stopped 1h 10m
Ave 3.7k/h
Climbed 613mtrs.
After hearing various reports of the steepness of the Bullock Track at Roxburgh, we decide to go & see for ourselves if the stories were correct. I have to tell you, the stories are correct, this track is steep, & how they ever got bullock teams up there remains a mystery. The sign at the bottom says 2.5 hrs to the top, we only went for 1.5hrs, then decided to have lunch [it was 12:30 by then] as it was looking very threatening with dark clouds overhead, & the very occasional drop of moisture. At this point we had walked 2.6km, but climbed 535mtrs. The views were amazing,
but the wind was quite strong, so lunch was held in the shelter of some large rocks.
As it was still very dark overhead after lunch, we decided to go back down in case it rained, which would’ve made the track very slippery.
On the way down we picked up a newborn lamb that was still in the exact same place it was in when we walked up past it 1.5hrs earlier, with no sign of it’s mother to be found. We even tried to offer it to other sheep we found some distance away, but they didn’t want to know, so I carried it all the way to the bottom, where we put it in a small enclosed paddock, then went looking for somebody to take care of it. I eventually found an orchardist who made a ph call for me to the people who he thought would own that part of the hillside, & I think the lamb will get some care from the children of this farmer. I hope it survives, as my arms felt like they were about to fall off after carrying it for so far, with it wriggling around etc.
There were 7 of us that tackled this walk, two pulled up early, due to not feeling so good, but all agreed it was a good walk. – Ken
26/10/2005. Bus Trip. Roxburgh. Bullock Track Climb.
