14 kms PJP to cnr South Rd and Eastbourne St.
5. 27/09/2023 Hikers. Grade 2 Leaders: Jan and Jan
20 hikers set off from the old Carisbrook Hotel through the very run-down Caversham shopping area. We had a couple of stops to look at a bit of the history of the area. There were other points of interest, but with so much chatter going on, decided to give it a miss! We headed up South Road for a morning tea stop at a house belonging to Jan Y’s brother. It is a large property extending right down to just above the main trunk railway line. He has a stall at the Farmers Market every Saturday and has grown and propagated an extensive number of plants. Also has numerous tunnel houses, a couple of fruiting tamarillo trees and an avocado tree. He is a rockhound and there was a very large collection of rocks, crystals etc. on display.
Because there was so much to look at, the morning tea break was a bit longer than normal. We carried on up South Road to the Carlton Hill area, then cut across a couple of streets and back down to Sidey Street where you got a good view of Corstorphine House. From there we headed up a track which took us into the Kew area, with great views of Dunedin.
Down through a steep set of steps (Killikrankie Pass – a cool name) and we ended up in a park at Forbury Corner for lunch.
Returned to the cars by crossing over the motorway on an overhead bridge, then walked down a path on the north side back to the cars.
It was a pleasant day with no wind, and we covered approx 8 kms, at quite a leisurely pace. Several members of the group had lived in the vicinity of area covered so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane for them. Thanks to Jan and Pam who did a very enjoyable recce with me. The Two Jans.
4. 15/11/2015. Hikers. Leaders’ Choice. Lance and Joshiah. Street Walk: Mornington.
Seventeen of us met at Unity Park, wondering where Lance was going to lead us this time. He took us down High St just a little, across to the Old High St School property, then up through a corner of Mornington Park to the Mornington township. Back down the hill a little, Macnee St took us off into a suburb of Mornington few of us had seen before. Glenpark Avenue took us a long way steeply down and up, surprising us on the way with a bit of handsome Street Art – in the middle of suburbia. We eventually reached the Forfar St corner and down that a bit we stopped off under the shade of a tree in a recreation area for a morning tea break.
Forfar Street led us round to what this reporter reckons has to be the best city view in town.
There were views stretching out on our left to the head of the harbour and on the centre and right displaying St Kilda and South Dunedin beautifully stretched out. We stopped and drank in the scene. Some got into chatting with an unusually large well-dressed group of Jehovah’s Witnesses we passed on the street.
We followed Forfar Street winding on down and down and eventually entered a delightful rough track through an unnamed bush area near the bottom that led us through to the end of Barnes Drive. Now we were into the paths alongside the State Highway before having to confront a long climb up to the Lookout Point bridge at the top.
(Lance had earlier found out that this was to be the morning of the actual bridge opening.) Bad/good? timing saw us arrive just at the point where the official ceremony had concluded.
All the corporate suits and general onlooking public were still there enjoying the “seeing and being seen” of the occasion.
We wandered about for quite a while before one or two of us (was Fred the first?) found we humble tramping riff-raff were welcome to join the large crowd in a marquee for nibbles (nibbbles? – sandwiches and savouries galore) and drinks, and passed on the word. Yum. Eventually regrouped, Lance led us back down the way we had come up to stop off at the bottom in a grassy sloping section of Sidey Park for lunch.
The day had been hot. We were glad of the break. We were nearing the end of the outing, but not of any struggle. We exited further along by South Road and climbed the Caversham Rise to the foot of Eglington Road. Why did they put Unity Park at its top? It was a long weary climb for the end of a day, but all made it to finish off a day with a difference, capped, of course, by the Lookout Point Bridge opening. Thanks, Lance – and Josiah, for yet another creative Dunedin walk, opening up byways of interest we would never have otherwise known had existed. A hot day. Some steep struggles on hard pavements at times. A rewarding day. Well done. Finished off with a goodly social crowd at The Topiary Cafe. We DID miss you, Elaine! – Ian.
On the 9th Sept 24+ Hikers had a enjoyable day around Caversham.
We met at the corner of South Road and Eastbourne Street, walking down south road north to get on to Bridge Street and strolled along a path that was beside the motorway north-going traffic.
Morning tea was at the Barnes Drive traffic lights on a sloping bank and steps.
We walked up the back of the Caversham Valley Road to Aberfeldy Street, where a small car track went up to Baxter House…
…built in 1895 for a David Baxter whose daughter married T K S Sidey, the Mayor of Dunedin.
We also went to Rockyside Road where in 1855 Mr John Thomson the Surveyor for Dunedin built his house. Most of the hikers were unaware about the Baxter House still being there.
We travelled down lots of different streets in ‘Cavy’ and lunch was at the Kew Reserve.
After lunch, we passed the old Wax Match Factory and up to look at a very well done art work on a two-story building.
Then it was back down South Road and along to our cars. Those who wanted a coffee chat stopped off at Flax Cafe first. – Elaine.