Cracks in hill above coastline. Tunnel – brick-built. Rock cracked – eroding. Middle of tunnel caved in as bricks fell. Middle 30m. Tunnel closed. Cutting through hillside. Railways sank a shaft, covered with sleepers &c. Cut access-steps down to check line on brink of cliff.
8. 1/3/2017. Both. Seacliff/Brinns Point. M. Leaders: Shona and Keith.
For the combined walk 28 people started at the lay by 2kms north of Seacliff township. We crossed the road and wandered uphill for morning tea before most ventured not/into/around the rock or did combinations of these.
We came back down to the cars where several opted to stay. Twenty-one continued downhill to cross the railway line and follow it north for 200 metres where we entered a rugged track formed and marked by the very obliging farmer, which we followed downhill and out to the coast. We had lunched in a clearing out of the sun in among the pines.
At the coast we climbed through the fence and followed single file on sheep tracks in the paddock from Green Point
to the historic Urupa (Maori Cemetery) at Brinns Point, seeing a couple of seals on the rocks below as we were passing.
After climbing uphill we arrived back at the cars. Distance walked 6.5kms. Coffee followed at Blueskin Cafe. – Shona and Keith.
Trampers’ report. Being the first Wednesday of the month, this was a combined tramp to Green Point and Brinns Point in the Seacliff Area.
It was 10am when the cars arrived, so morning tea was taken then. 10 trampers left first, following the railway line north about 1.5km to inspect the disused rail tunnel .
After looking at the south end, we negotiated along the top of the cutting, and down the steep clay bank onto the rail line, and to the northern tunnel entrance. This was blocked completely by a fall a few metres in. The brick roof immediately inside the entrance looked dangerous. The trampers then returned to the cars by the same route as the outward journey, down the paddocks then to Green Point, before following the coastline south to Brinns Point.
The trampers ran out of energy just before reaching the top of Brinns Point, and stopped for lunch, a very picturesque scenery to look at while dining but very hot with no cooling breeze.
A 5 minute climb took us up to the interesting little Cemetery on Brinns Point where all took time to inspect the few headstones and plaques.
Down hill then, to the south, and out onto the bouldery beach. At the south end is an interesting cave. Ian H. did a cliff-side recce first using his crampons, but we then found that the tide was just far enough out, that all 10 were able to scramble around the rocks to view the cave.
It was then back along the beach to the entry point, and uphill to look at the old house ( which is to be restored ) and back to the cars. Some of the trampers also walked around to the Truby King Memorial Gardens, at Seacliff, on the way home. A hot, but very interesting day’s tramp. Arthur H.
Hikers’ report. Very few of the club had been in this area before, and even fewer of those who had, had any memory of it. It was a substitute on the day for the programmed “Mahinerangi Area” tramp for which the leaders could not think of a suitable venue. The Hikers followed the Trampers to the tunnel, but only the southern end. Back at the cars the Hikers leisurely explored the Green Point coast line cliffs and the bouldery beach, being caught up at the latter by Trampers who pushed ahead to stop off just short of the short steep climb to the Urupa which the leaders had planned for the lunch stop. In the confusion, some of the Hikers stopped off with them, although most persisted with the short stiff climb and to take in the wider view at the Brinns Point cliff edge and relax in the shade of the lupins.
After lunch thee two groups split again, with the Trampers going on to explore the cave to the south of Brinns Point.
The hikers meantime made a leisurely climb up from the Urupa, across and back to the cars. In the event, from this point on, cars left on the return trip in their own time, disrupting any organised resorting to the Truby King Reserve. However a few car-loads made it, visiting the highlight of the visit, the famed Magnolia Tree referred to by Janet Frame with the metal plaque below it inscribed with Janet Frame’s poem. – Ian.
Then it was down via a steep descent ending in a gully on the south side of the point and onto the beach. It was then time for a cuppa stop before picking our way over the boulders to the cave near the point at the end of the bay.
The cave is satisfyingly deep. We disturbed birds nesting at its head and with noisy flapping wings they made their way out to sea.
click to enlarge
