10. 16/08/2023. Hikers. Mosgiel Street Walk. Grade 1, $0, 9km, Leaders: Raewyn Keene, Helen Morris
It was a little frosty as 14 hikers set out from Peter Johnson Park for a street walk till lunchtime. Along Reid Street to Factory Road, Church Street to Gordon Road, the pace was steady. As we approached the railway crossing (and unknown to some of us), was the plaque about our own Lester and his beautification efforts.
As we continued on to the old Mosgiel Railway Station for morning tea, it was great to see the daffodils & blossoms beginning to bloom, indicating Spring is not far away.
Refreshed and with the sun trying to shine, we headed off to Cemetery Road, ventured into the new Grange Lifestyle village as far as we could go, and back out to the underpass into Kinmont.
Some hill climbing was considered necessary to get our hearts pumping, so up Leith, Clyde & Braeside Streets we went. Back down to Quarry Road and left at Nellies, we looped back to our cars via Argyle Street & Bush Road.
Ross C joined us today and was apparently looking forward to a ‘flat’ walk (as advised by his lovely wife) – oops! Hopefully the friendly chatter along the way helped.
All in all, a pleasant morning’s walk, good company and 9kms achieved.
The Harwood hike will be rescheduled into the summer programme.
Helen & Raewyn
9. 20/07/2022. Hikers. Mosgiel Silverstream/Wingatui. Leaders: Jan & Jenny.
On a dismal Wednesday morning, 13 of us set out on our walk around Mosgiel. We walked down the Silverstream which was running higher than normal, lifting our feet over the pesky tree roots, and had morning tea down the end of the track to fortify us for the walk ahead.
We walked down Silver Springs Boulevard which brought us out to Centre Road. Crossing over to Hagart Alexander Drive we took the first left onto Ben Lomond Drive in the Highland Park subdivision and came out onto Wingatui Road. Further up the road we spoke with Ady outside her house, chastising her for not being out walking with us.
We then carried on up to Gladstone Road and at the junction with McFadden Drive we climbed the steps up onto Joe Brown Drive, taking the 2 to a 2.5, took a left and back down McFadden Drive onto Gladstone Road again. At the lights we crossed over to Gladstone Road South.
Someone was heard to say they were buying a pie for lunch, and next minute a few more were buying pies for lunch at the Z garage! Further down the road we discovered a cafe and then a few more were disappearing to buy more goodies for lunch. Doesn’t say much for our home made lunches does it!! A little further down Gladstone Road we turned into Cemetery Road and stopped at The Hub for lunch where we found shelter and a seat to rest our weary legs. The pies went down a treat along with a liquid refreshment.
We commenced the rest of our journey heading back down Gladstone Road, turning into Burns Street, right into McDonald Street then into Ayr Street & Argyle Street where we stopped to suss out the honey stall & onward up Bush Road, Forfar Street into Eden Street where we crossed the road and continued down the Silverstream, taking in the progress of the swimming pool and across Memorial Park back to our cars.
Comparing notes we agreed on 12ks for the walk and managed to keep dry for the entirety of the walk. Some wanted to get on home and put their feet up and a few of us adjourned to the Wooden Table for a hot drink and something sweet to go with it.
Jenny and Jan
8. 16/11/2016. Hikers. An East Mosgiel Trek. E. Leaders: Jay, Judy K.
Our scheduled hike for today to Hawkesbury Lagoon was put off until later in the month because of the inclement weather forecast, so an impromptu hike was the order of the day. The hikers left the carpark at 9.00 a.m. and we walked up the Silverstream from Peter Johnstone Park and stopped for morning tea …
… near the Wingatui Road end. From there we checked out the new houses in the Springfield sub-division and took a wander down Rutherford Road which many people had never been down before. We then walked down Factory Road to Haggart- Alexander Drive and through the cutting and up Wingatui Road …
… to Gladstone Road when we decided to have lunch on the bank …
… by the railway line. No trains came!!! After a leisurely lunch we took as many shortcuts as possible to get back to the carpark before the rain came. A welcome coffee break was at Wals. – Jay.
7. 10/6/2015. Hikers. Mosgiel Trek. E. Leaders: Jim and Betty.
Jim and Betty led twenty-two Hikers on a most illuminating illustrated tour of Mosgiel, with historical anecdotes echoed and amplified by several other old identities in the group. At one house, and the next,
Jim would tell us who had originally lived there and what they did. And where this street and that street had originally terminated. And where which dairy and which mill had once been located. And what rubbish dump now boasted as foundation for which set of houses.
As is evident from the route map, the walk was extensive – 14.7 km – a good stretch for the Hikers, necessitating one or two drop-out groups en route, and ending with only the famous six completing a last street-block encirclement on the day. Suspiciously this might have just been a prank, added at the last minute from a wicked sense of humour on the part of the leader, and strongly confirmed by the Back Marker rebelling and leading the remainder by a more merciful direct route back to the cars.
We morning-teaed by the Silverstream,
up near Wingatui Road, and lunched behind the Joe Browns settlement, on the back bank of Reservoir Hill…
…looking down on the small Woodlands settlement,
and speculating on what drainage problems the properties might have experienced in the recent rain storm.
Our route was obviously the result of much imaginative planning. Highlights for this reporter were the new houses alongside Wingatui Road near the Silverstream (how similar many of them were!), the walk across Brooklands Park…
…and the surprising route through from McFadden Drive to Woodland Avenue.
From the end of Woodland Drive, there was the fraught quick-or-the-dead negotiating of the lanes in the Quarry Road roundabout to land us eventually in Kinmont Crescent. Thence through the SH1 underpass (surprisingly short) into Cemetery Road and back across the railway crossing and into Gordon Road’s SW section of houses.
Here, at the lower end of King Street, Jim pointed out the distinctive turreted house there,
the original Maternity Home where he first entered the world. Further up in Argyle Street was Mossbrae, the onetime Maternity Hospital. When we reached the end of Argyle Street, instead of releasing us back up Bush Road to the cars, Jim took us away down Perth Street and across and back up Tay Street, to go (at last with only the famous six) via the Street lights intersection finally back to the car park.
Nearly 15 km, much on pavement, but a lot on grass too, was a good stretch for the legs, usefully developing fitness for next Wednesday’s climb up the forestry’s Margaret Road, linking Taieri Mouth and Big Stone Roads.
Betty and Jim capped off a wonderful day out by turning on a piping hot pottle of chips to accompany coffee chatter back at Topiary Cafe. Thank you so much, dear leaders, for a wonderful day out. – Ian.
6. 17/9/2014 Wingatui Block. Hikers. E. Leaders: Les and Margaret.
Heavy overnight rain determined cancellation of the Millennium Track. Leaders Les and Margaret instead led us on the street walk recorded on the above map, stopping for morning tea in the shelter of the Wingatui Railway Station. On/off drizzle accompanied the whole walk but we were secure in our parkas. Thirteen of us enjoyed each others’ company and the varied views the route provided. Thank you Les and Margaret for your wisdom in making the tramp change and providing us with a good morning’s ten kilometre workout. Sorry, forgot about taking pics. – Ian.
5. 7/9/2013. Both. Birchleigh Village/Haggart Alexander housing development. Leaders: Bruce and Marjorie.
Thanks to two reports received, from Elaine and Bruce, each with a distinctive style, I have inter- leafed them for a wonderful account of the day.
ELAINE: Approx ten hardy people turned up at the car park at 9.00 a.m. The planned walk to Flagstaff was flagged.
BRUCE: With snow forecast to 100 m the planned hike on Three Mile Hill was postponed and an alternative street walk undertaken from 0900 to 1100.
ELAINE: George’s birthday bash was canned also. Was really looking forward to the wine. Never mind. Next week its all on if George is well.
BRUCE: Seven of us proceeded from the car-park via the Gordon Street verandahs during a nasty shower of hail to the RSA garden and memorial to Church Street and then into Wickliffe Street. (Ed. note: Three had returned back home.)
ELAINE: Bruce and Marjorie decided since the weather said showers … sleet … hillside snow …, that we would walk around the new housing estate at the northern end of Mosgiel. We also checked out Chatsford and Birchleigh for the future!
BRUCE: We turned off Wickcliffe Street into the Brooklands Estate past the BMX track to Doon Street and then via the new subdivision at Birchleigh Village.
We took the path on the left immediately past the main office to have morning tea, in the company of Ria who joined us in Wickliffe Street, in the rotunda assembly point beside the bowling green.
After a circuitous route through Chatsford we left the village and meandered through the new Highland Park subdivision. Although the slogan “My heart’s in the highlands” was repeated, the ground seemed pretty level.
After inspecting a show home from the outside we returned via Factory Road to our cars in the car-park with some comments from a pedestrian about our mental state for hiking on a wintery day. – Bruce
ELAINE: Only seven people came on this walk. The day didn’t get any better weather-wise and I think some of drivers passing us thought we were mad. The trampers cancelled their day altogether. We did laugh a lot and talk a lot. Let’s have a great turnout next week for George’s birthday shout, weather permitting. There could be a change to next week’s programme, so watch out for details. – Elaine.
4. 22/4/2013. Both. Car park, King St, Gladstone Rd Nth, Wingatui Rd, Shortcut to Haggart Alexander Drive, Factory Rd, return.
The Trampers’ trip was cancelled due to illness. In addition, both tramps came to nothing due to recent rain muddying up tracks. So a remnant seven of us did the above (tarseal) route, remarking on various properties passed and exploring a number of new housing developments on the way. A lot of changes! Rain everywhere else came to nothing in Mosgiel. We enjoyed the views and good company, especially Judy’s new South American poncho, lasting the distance only because of some emergency repairs.
– Ian.
3. 25/4/2012. Hikers. Wingatui Block. Leaders: Arthur and Barbara.
2. 9/8/1989. Wingatui Racecourse. Over the Hill. Easy+ Leaders: Betty, Molly, Ria.
1. 14/12/2005 Wingatui Hall, Silverstream End of Year lunch. Leader: Lesley S