Taieri Recreational Tramping Club

Distance from PJP car park 48km.

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3. 25/10/2023. Trampers.  Cairn Valley/Shannon, Grade 3, 48km. Leaders: Heather Kirk, Diane Paterson.

Lovely sunshine greeted 30 keen trampers for a good day’s walk on Cairnvalley Farm Shannon. Strath Taieri offers something different in scenery with tussock hills, huge rock formations and at this time of the year fresh green vistas of paddocks and the Rock and Pillar range.
Just to make the day a bit different and to keep our eyes on what’s around us, not just chat and walk, I set a challenge! An observation quiz, with 6 teams of 5. Each carload had a sheet of 11 questions to answer during the walk. So you had to keep a lookout for things around you and work together as a team.

Well it was so funny watching who the competitive folk are they were off and very motivated.

We had to keep looking around for things like; take a photo of the rock shaped like a sun dial, what is the colour of the bird in the spiky nest, how many ponds we passed in the day etc.

We had morning tea at the big photo rock wall but it turned out too shaded to be a great picture.

During the rather warm day we walked up many hills, amongst some young energetic Hereford cattle, saw some cows with calves, spring grass paddocks, great rocks, and lovely distant views.

We enjoyed lunch overlooking the deep ponds and generally just enjoyed each other’s company.

It wasn’t a walk in the park, we had to push ourselves in places especially down the gully over the stream and straight up the other side.

No idea how many kms we covered but we were back by 2.30 pm.

Afternoon tea was enjoyed on the veranda where the results of the quiz were – 3 teams got 9/11 and 3 teams 8/11 so the chocolates were shared by all! Good result. It showed everyone had been keeping their eyes open and had fun as a team.
Big thanks to Diane who kept good track of the back of the pack, Wendy B’s crew serving the tea/coffee cake and to everyone who came, it was fun!
Heather

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2. 28/4/2021. Shannon’s Farm Walk

Wednesday 28th April dawned with blue sky on the Strath Taieri, much better than expected after the freezing cold southerly winds and light snow the day before. This was just as well as 22 keen trampers turned up for a walk on Cairnvalley farm at Shannon.
Just before 10 am we headed south up the farm track with plenty of lively catch up chatter going on.

There’s a large old interesting pine tree up there that is growing completely out of the rocks and reaching its big feeding roots down into the ground for support. Not unlike a giant bonsai tree to my mind. Then on to a huge tall natural rock wall, ideal spot for a group photo.

From here we skirted a winter feed paddock and found a shel00tered spot for morning tea.

Refreshed we then walked on in single file on a slim trail into a deep rocky gully of tussock. Where four ponds step down gradually through the ravine. They look deep, dark and mysterious with huge rocks above standing guard.

 

Hereford cows happily grazing here looked us over, and decided to retreat from the long colourful snakelike formation of trampers. It was a nice place to stop and gaze around at nature’s scenery around us.

 

Then onwards and upwards towards some flatter paddocks, and gates to manoeuvre. Places to look across at the dusting of snow left on the Rock and Pillar range. Views south towards Clark’s junction and beyond, before the grey clouds started to accumulate. After such a dry summer and autumn here, rain sure would have been a welcome sight, but alas none arrived. We walked on and eventually found a sheltered spot for lunch behind hill and tussock.

Warm jackets and woolly hats appeared from packs with the cooler weather as we moved on up and back towards the west.

We were happy enough to walk down the track after some 14 km covered. Back at the house we relaxed with afternoon tea and nice bickies on the warm veranda.

Another good walk in great company of tramping friends.
Heather

1. 15/1/2020. Both. Shannon. Leaders: Jill R and Heather, Jan and Jenny.

Cairnvalley Farm Shannon

Silvery grey foggy conditions greeted about 40 keen walkers at Cairnvalley farm SH87 Shannon just before 10 am. But  that did not wipe the enthusiastic smiles off everyone’s faces at the thought of a new year of great  walks. This was somewhere new to explore.

Cars were parked, boots laced and off down the farm track we went, gradually walking  up towards a tussocky hill. Wonderfully the fog lifted as we sat among the weather beaten rocks and tussock to enjoy our morning tea and the lovely views of the Strath Taieri area.

We managed to stir ourselves away  from the vista and continued eastward towards the back of the farm. Past the contented Hereford cows and calves

to checkout the deeper ravines into the Shannon creeks. We walked a few kilometres through paddocks and hilltops and down across the creek. Everyone found their own walking pace and  met up for lunch from another lovely high  vantage point.

It had plenty of natural rocky seating , 360 degree views looking  across to the Rock and Pillar range.

We enjoyed our rest and as always plenty of happy chatter with our sandwiches.

The next stage of the walk, was down

through a deeper rocky gully with cool black water ponds

and tussock.

Huge rocky peaks to gaze at made the trickier sheep track slower and really interesting.

As the walk was ending …

… some continued up and across the paddocks towards the house to kindly put the kettle on. While others had a wee detour through a pine tree block then up the hill towards the house . We all enjoyed a chat, cuppa and afternoon tea on the veranda in the sunshine to complete a most interesting day’s walk in great company.   – Heather.