17. 11/10/2023. Hikers. St Clair, St Kilda, Ocean Grove. Grade 2, $5, 17km, Leaders: Bruce Spittle/Alex Griffin
Nineteen hikers left Marlow Park in sunny conditions at about 0930 after singing happy birthday to Liz Griffin and walked over the Kettle Park Sports field and up a track to the Barnes Lookout.
At Barnes lookout st Clair (Photo & Caption Bruce S)Not quite in-step! (Photo & Caption Phil)
We then followed the now cleared ridge line track along the sand hills to come down above the sand sausages and the concrete ramp to walk along the esplanade to have morning tea at the far end closer to the new toilet block.
Morning tea at st Clair (Photo & Caption Bruce S)
Into the promised land (Photo & Caption Phil)
After morning tea we explored second beach before walking on the beach towards Lawyers Head.
At second beach (Photo & Caption Bruce S)
View from second beach (Photo & Caption Bruce S)
Phil Keen left us at St Kilda to support Raewyn who is currently recovering from an ankle injury.
Bruce auctions off Forbury Park (Photo & Caption Phil)
When the incoming tide started wetting some lower limbs of the group, we ascended to the John Wilson Drive and stopped for lunch at the Sir Leonard Wright memorial at 1215.After lunch we walked around the perimeter of the golf course and down the footpath, across the bridge and then to the far end of Tomahawk beach.
Living proof that today’s hike reached the far end of Tomahawk Beach! (Photo & Caption Bill Cubitt)
At the end of tomahawk beach (Photo & Caption Bruce S)In the dip at ocean Grove on the way to the playground (Photo & Caption Bruce S)
Some of the group waited near the bridge and footpath or came part of the way along the beach. Those who reached the end of the beach then climbed the sand hills and followed the track through a big dip to the Ocean Grove playground on Tomahawk Road and the proceeded up Luke Street and across the football fields back to the bridge.
We followed the path near the top of footpath to the cemetery and looked briefly at the memorial to the victims of the Seacliff fire in 1942.
We proceeded back through the golf course and playing fields and reached the cars at 1445.
Bev Faye and Dot (Photo & Caption Bruce S)
Distance 15 km on Garmin GPS. Refreshments were at the Village Green, Sunnyside, where we were joined by Dot Bennet and Bev Hardy who rambled around Sunnyside.
Thanks to all who participated especially Alex Griffin as tail end Charlie and Liz Griffin for liaising with Village Green about the numbers.
Bruce Spittle
16. 09/02/2022. Dunedin Beach walk. Leaders: Clive Crossman and Mike Webb
Instead of walking up to soldiers memorial todays walk was along the beach to St Clair. (11.8kms)
Seventeen hikers set off around the side of Chisholm park golf course.
Setting off for a walk and talk Photo and caption Clive
The keen golfers in our group must have wished they bought their clubs. It was only approaching the 16th tee that we encountered some golfers so we stopped and made the 16th tee our 19th and tea stop.
the 16th tee (tea) Photo and caption Clive
Then it was across to Kettle Park before dropping down onto St Clair Beach. It was full high tide so we stayed amongst the dunes.
Photo Michael
After a leisurely walk along the St Clair promenade we went onto Second Beach walkway admiring the basalt pillars and crashing surf.
Photo Michael
Second Beach Photo and caption Clive
It had been a morning of low cloud that now turned to drizzle. We retraced our footsteps to Kettle Park where we stopped for lunch at the playground.
Lunch at the playground Photo and caption Clive
To cap off the afternoon part of our walk it was up John Wilson Ocean Drive to Lawyers Head before returning to the cars at Tomahawk Lagoon.
Above St Kilda Beach Photo and caption Clive
Afternoon tea was enjoyed at The Good Oil Cafe at Nicol’s garden centre.
Clive & Mike
15. 14/8/2019. Hikers. Corstorphine and St Clair Park. Leaders: Judy D. and Barbara.
With a forecast of Southerly winds and showers, 21 intrepid hikers met at Corstorphine Park area.
We turned into Hillhead from Isadore Road, and settled for the shelter of the Pavilion at the park , for our morning tea.
morning tea at Corstorphine Reserve. (Clive pic and caption.)
We were looking into brilliant sunshine -the warmest part of the day! We headed along Hillhead, doing a couple of loops through the new subdivisions, and further along saw a number of alpacas on the hillside. The view at the end was hazy, due to the strong winds, and we were pleased to turn round and have our backs to the wind.
Back to Isadore Road, where we walked alongside St. Clair Golf Course, and photos were taken when Cargill Castle came into view. We stopped at 2 reserves at Highgrove to enjoy sea views, but by now rain was threatening. We had a quick close look at the Castle.
Cargills Castle. (Clive pic and caption.)Cargills Castle. (Clive pic and caption.)
Thanks to Alec for showing us the way in. On to the entrance of the narrow track which goes towards the nesting sites of the Fairy Prion gulls. Barbara talked about these, but we didn’t go further, due to the cold wind and rain.
We retraced our steps to find a reasonably shelters place for lunch, the time which we shortened.
Some hikers chose to walk down the hill to the Zoo Cafe, and the others went back to get the cars.
The early coffee was welcome, and we even had a Reserved notice on the tables!
Elaine shared her hot chips with us. Yum! – Judy D.
14. 23/5/2014. Hikers. St Clair street walk. E-M. Leaders: Jay and Jan.
A small group of around 14 hikers left the carpark in the rain bound for St Clair. It was raining hard on the motorway and it looked like it was going to be a trip into St Clair for a coffee only. However, the rain stopped when we arrived at St Clair beach where we parked our cars!
We then walked around a couple of streets to admire some lovely old homes along the way. We walked back onto Forbury Road for a couple of blocks before ascending the steps beside Frances Hodgkins Village where we stopped for morning tea on a small reserve – some sitting on the steps (in the sunshine I might add) and Bev was able to point out her new abode.
We continued up the steps after the morning tea break onto Easter Crescent and upwards to Middleton Road, turning left past the golf course and onto the reserve at the end of the new subdivision to view the cliffs
Noi pic.
on one side of the ocean and could only catch a glimpse of Cargills Castle
Jan pic.
to our left as a new house was being erected. We did a small circuit around the subdivision and then on down the hill back to St Clair beach where we ate our lunch on the steps and bench seats watching the waves crashing in. As it was a cold day we decided to finish our walk and headed back out to Mosgiel for a coffee etc at Blend to warm ourselves up. Our walk being 9ks approx.
Jan, Jay & Jenny
13. 30/4/2014. Hikers. St Clair – St Kilda. Easy. Leaders: Liz and Dawn.
GPS of route
This reporter was new to this particular hike and was most impressed with the clever planning of a satisfying route. 35 of us set out from our cars parked in Albert St, St Clair. We walked up it to turn right into Beach St, left into Sandringham St and right into Norfolk St to reach the foot of Jacobs Ladder. How many steps? 250? Well, MANY! And relentlessly steep as well (a red spot on the map, at abt 500 mtrs indicates our slower progress. We all eventually made it up to Ravenswood Rd where we had to negotiate a multi-holed footpath being prepared for broadband fibreglass cable. The views of suburb, beach and sea were rewarding. We carried on down, (1 km mark) crossed to briefly climb Cliffs Rd alongside its steep roadside banks and interesting variety of houses to finally emerge at its end by the beachfront and to turn (2 km) via Second Beach Rd (where did that name come from??) to morning-tea at its track’s end, in lovely sunshine.
Morning tea at Second Beach (John pic)
Back to St Clair (3 km) beach, or rather the sandhills track above it, before descending to walk along St Kilda beach (4, 5 & 6 kms) to its terminus at Lawyers Head, where we lunched.
Lunch at end of St Kilda Beach.
After lunch, we struggled up a soft sandhill track nearby to reach the road above.
Panorama of view from John Wilson Drive immediately above lunch stop (John – from 4 [slightly obvious!] pics)We returned along the drive. (7 & 8 [hidden behind ‘5] kms) …
Panorama of Forbury Race Course from John Wilson Drive. (John pic)
… to re-group at the St Kilda children’s playground. From there we climbed up to Kettle Park Road to descend again to cross Kettle Park behind the impressively large rear of the indoor Ice Rink. We turned down Moana Rua Rd, crossed Victoria Road to go down Moreau St (was it?) (9 km) to turn left into Richardson St (was it?) (10 km) and make our way back to cross Forbury Road and reach Albert St again. 10.5 km all told. Not too bad.
Then, under Elaine’s bad growing influence, a large number of us resorted to the Salt Cafe for the customary leisurely and companionable coffee or what have you before returning to the cars. Thanks, Liz and Dawn. You done good. – Ian.
12. 9/5/2012. Hikers. St Clair beach walk. Easy. Leaders: Betty and Jim.
11. 27/7/2011. Hikers. St Clair. John Wilson Drive Lawyers Head and Beach Walk. Easy. Leaders: Lance and Lois.
10. 24/3/2010. Hikers. St Clair. Beach Walk. Lawyers Head. Easy. Leaders: Elaine and Jean.
9. 29/7/2009. Hikers. St Clair. Beach Walk. Lawyers Head. Easy. Leaders: Les and Margaret
8. 28/1/2009. St Clair Beach Walk. Leaders: Lance and Lois
7. 11/10/2006. St Clair – Lawyers Head beach walk. Easy. Leaders: Jim and Thelma
6. 31/8/2005. Hikers. St Clair: beach walk to Tomahawk/Lawyers Head Leaders: Chris, Jean.
5. 23/8/2000. St Clair – Tomahawk – Smaills Beach. Leaders: Betty B, Eleanor B, Evelyn M
4. 5/4/2000 St Clair – Kew. Street walk Leaders: Colleen, Bev H
3. 12/5/1999. St Clair: beach walk to Tomahawk/Lawyers Head Leaders: Daphne, Margaret, Betty
2. 12/3/1997. St. Clair to Tomahawk Beach. Leaders: Denise, Margaret D, Jean.
1. 15/11/1995. Beach Walk – St Clair to Tomahawk. Leaders: Peg A, Peggy M.
Nineteen hikers left Marlow Park in sunny conditions at about 0930 after singing happy birthday to Liz Griffin and walked over the Kettle Park Sports field and up a track to the Barnes Lookout.
