Nov 29 2019

Kempshall Road, Maungatua

Published by under Trampers,Year round

3. 27/11/2019. Trampers. Maungatuas Meander via Kempshall Road. M Margreet and Neil

It was warm and balmy as 20 eager trampers set out on our ‘meander’ today. Several in the group were adamant that ‘meander’ slightly understated the nature of the outing – and thought a better description would be ‘a very long Baldwin street’!!
The steep gravel road access to the parking spot proved challenging for some cars and passengers/pushers, but we all made it!

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Photo and Caption Gordon _ “And we’re off”

In order to prepare for the ascent ahead we decided to have morning tea on the balcony at the landowner’s bach, which was just a short side trek from the main track.

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Photo and Caption Gordon -“A great place for morning tea”

Views from there were stunning and to be honest the group was a bit reluctant to move on.

The steep climb up Mt. Maungatua to the top boundary took around an hour of huffing and puffing and moaning and groaning!
There was no sign of the aggressive NZ falcon and group of fallow deer encountered on the reconnoitre.

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Photo and Caption Helen – “At the top looking out over the plains”

But once conquered the vista over the fertile Taieri Plain, wetlands and lakes; was outstanding.

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Photo and Caption Gordon – “A view of Saddle Hill and the Taieri plains”

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Photo and Caption John – “the beautiful Taieri Plain”

Heading south we traversed gullies of verdant native bush and ridges of lush long grass.

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Photo and Caption Gordon – “Still climbing”

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Photo and Caption John – “Further than I would usually take my dog”

We stopped for lunch on a grassy knoll prior to descent.

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Photo and Caption Gordon – “Lunch, a disappearing view and a very special birthday shout”

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Photo and Caption Helen – “Birthday wine shout by the birthday boy Dave”

Within minutes a light easterly brought in low cloud which reduced visibility to a few metres. The leader,using all his native tracking skills, led the beleaguered group safely downhill to the lower track. What a hero!!

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Photo and Caption Helen – “Walking down one of the many hills”

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Photo and Caption Gordon – “”Heading down to the cars we hope”

From there it was uphill and down dale back to the cars, pausing briefly to inspect the adventure course being used by the chatty children from Hampden school.
Recovery was commenced at Outram’s Wobbly Goat with coffee and cake.
P.S. A consensus asserted that this adventure be reclassified from M to H!

Margreet and Neil

2. 19/4/2017. Trampers. Meander the Maungatuas via Kempshall Road. M. Margreet and Neil.

As we drove through Outram heading for our ‘Maungatua Meander’; the rain bearing cold front forecast for lunch-time, arrived 3 hours early! Nevertheless 5 hardy gentlemen and 6 ‘complaining’ ladies set out on the steep 78 minute climb to the top boundary of this private property! We passed ‘Climbing Rock’ and inspected the outdoor adventure course where a tiered viewing platform made a handy stop for morning tea, sheltered from the wind and rain.

 

Morning Tea. (Margreet pic and caption.)

 

Confidence course. (Margreet pic and caption.)

Jill on the helipad. (Margreet pic and caption.)

Plodding (and puffing) upwards past ‘Falcon Rock’, the top junction was soon reached, but the awesome scenic vistas promised by the leaders, were less than spectacular!

Heading South we followed the farm track passing through gullies of beautiful native Beech forest, and ridges of productive pasture. Destructive wild pigs had been busy in many places. The weather dictated an early descent for lunch beside a waterfall in the sheltering beech forest.

 

Lunch. (Helen pic.)

A side-trek to visit the landowner’s beautiful ‘Bunker’ completed the meander, during which we covered 8.5 KM and climbed to 1900 ft.

We enjoyed a debrief at the Wobbly Goat Café before heading home. -Margreet and Neil

1. 28/1/2009 Kempshall Road, Maungatua Leader: George
(Off Maungatua Road, beyond Grainger Road.) Permission.

Small waterfall. Doug, George. (Hazel pic)

Small waterfall, small pool, big rock. Doug, George. (Hazel pic)

Twin rocks. Taieri Plain from Kempshall Rd Track. George, Glenice, Doug (Hazel pic)

Twin rocks. Taieri Plain from Kempshall Rd Track. George, Glenice, Doug (Hazel pic)

Back at the cars

Back at the cars. Glenice, Doug.  (Hazel pic)

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