Buskin Track from Bottom Tramps

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4. 30/11/2022. Hikers. Highcliff Track/Buskin Track/Highcliff Road/Karetai Road. Grade 3. $7. Leaders: Max and Mike W.

M & M aka Max and Mike demonstrated their commitment to the TRTC by agreeing to lead a hike instead of sitting in front of a TV watching England thrash their Welsh cousins in the FIFA World Cup. I am not sure that this commitment was fully appreciated as shortly after the commencement of the hike there were mutterings of “when are these Poms stopping for morning tea?”

Ten hardy souls ignored the dodgy weather forecast and set off for a hike that took us around a boulder strewn hill with great views down to Boulder Beach and Sandfly Bay before descending down a zig zag poled track to join up with the Buskin Track.

The steep descent was made without incident although some knees were creaking a bit by the time we had got to the bottom of the hill.
Gymnast of the day award was given to Jim Finnie. At the start of the Buskin Jim demonstrated his prowess by performing an impressive backward somersault with a half pike and a reverse tuck. The landing left a bit to be desired and stopped him getting a perfect 10.
Special mention also to Jay who re-arranged some of Max’s clothing after she spotted that he had his hi vis vest on upside down and back to front.
An early lunch was taken at 1130 in a sheltered part of the Buskin Track from where we could see the views of the coast disappearing in the mist and drizzle.

The Buskin Track does not appear to be used much as the grass was quite long in places with a few areas of thistle and nettles to be aware of.

It was also a wee bit muddy and slippery towards the top where a few planks of wood had been laid.

Once at the top of the Buskin, it was a short walk along a private road to Highcliff Road and Karetai Road back to the cars.
The weather was not as bad as forecast. It was overcast with a few drizzle patches and one short bit of “wet rain”. Poms know the meaning of this.

Debrief at the cars agreed that grade 3 was about right and that there would not be a coffee meeting on the way home.
As usual, great company and interesting conversation made this an enjoyable hike.
Mike

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3. 11/8/2010. Trampers. Tomahawk, Soldiers Memorial, Highcliff Rd, Buskin Track, Karetai Road. Leaders: Ria, Hazel.

Buskin

We parked in the Tomahawk Lagoon carpark, & walked up the track to the Soldiers Monument,

Dunedin from soldiers monument. (Ken pic and caption)

stopping in the gorse for morning tea break,

Morning tea stop on track above Tomahawk inlet. (Ken pic and caption)

then a long road walk to get to Buskin track.

Buskin track. (Ken pic and caption)

Great views from this track down to the coast

Boulder Beach from top of Buskin track. (Ken pic and caption)

& along to Sandfly Bay, & Sandymount. Stopped for lunch at the junction of the Boulder Beach Track, & the Karatai Rd. track,

Lunch stop at junction of track to Boulder Beach, & Karatai Rd. (Ken pic and caption)

then it was a steep climb up to Karatai Rd. where we turned left, & walked down to Smaills Beach, then back to the cars. About 15.6km on a very nice day, most enjoyable. – Ken

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2. 16/7/2008 Buskin Track, Boulder Beach, Highcliff Track, Paradise Road. Leaders: Bruce & Marjorie

Cliff View

Seven trampers met beside the Penzance Kennels on Highcliff and, undaunted by the thick fog that covered the whole of the Peninsula and beyond, set off on what proved to be an interesting walk.

We walked down the Buskin track until it intersected with the Highcliff track. A little way along the Highcliff track we found a very sheltered spot amidst some old macracarpas for a morning tea break, being very careful not to make contact with the prolific growth of ongaonga bushes. Refreshed, we began the very steep haul up to the top of the cliff and a clearing in the fog enabled us to wonder at the white lichen covered rocks, sheer cliffs and steep drops.

View of Boulder Beach

Hardy trampers

Boulder beach, aptly named, stretched far below us, white waves curling in a placid sea. We were unable to see the vista of coastline – that will have to keep till another day. Retracing our steps down the steep and at times slippery gradient we stopped for lunch at the same place where we had morning tea. After lunch we made a detour to the end of Boulder Beach where we were lucky to find one yellow eyed penguin standing sentinel on the rocky shore. We then laboured up Paradise Road and returned to the cars. Although unable to enjoy the views for most of the walk, Bruce made up for this by pointing out to us sites and remains of the old homesteads, stone fences and old fence posts. Even more interesting were the accounts he read to us of what life was like for the early farming families from a book by Hardwick Knight. Thank you Bruce for sharing this with us, enabling us to have a very enjoyable tramp on a grey day. – Marjorie

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1. 13/4/1994 Tomahawk Lagoon, Smaills Beach, Karetai Road, Buskin Road, Soldiers Track and return. Medium. Leaders: Ria H, Jean A, June G, Betty H