Signal Hill Tramps

Distance Chingford from carpark: 20 km.
Follow Old Main North Road to Cleghorn Street which has the best view of the harbour. Walkway sign.
Walk starts starts at the gate on right, up McGregors Hill. Beyond stile Pine plantation on 3rd stile at summit.
Gravel road 10 minutes to end. Locked gate. Last stile. Signal Hill road.

15 Nov Signal Hill Harbour View With Hikers. Square Small Janette19. 15/11/2023. Hikers. Cleghorn Street to Signal Hill. Leaders Pam Clough and Jay Devlin

23 keen hikers gathered on a beautiful day at the Bottom of Cleghorn St where we made our way up the gravel road to the beginning of our walk which was firstly over farmland. On the way we were rewarded for our uphill slog with wonderful views over the Otago Peninsula, the harbour down as far as the Otago heads.

15 Nov Signal Hill Harbour View With Hikers. Janette
Photo Janette
15 Nov Signal Hill Harbour View Janette
Photo Janette
15 Nov Signal Hill View To Mt Cargill Bruce
View to Mt Cargill. Photo & caption Bruce
15 Nov Signal Hill Jenni Striding It Out. Bruce
Jenni striding it out. Photo & caption Bruce

We stopped here for morning tea.

15 Nov Signal Hill Morning Tea. Bruce
Morning Tea. Photo & caption Bruce

Then it was onwards and upwards over paddocks where we encountered cows and their calves chewing their cuds and being very curious at all these people on their patch.

15 Nov Signal Hill Resting Cattle Bruce
Resting cattle. Photo & caption Bruce

We then walked down a very steep gravel road called No Exit Road as we couldn’t see any other street sign. We then turned onto Signal Hill Road where we walked in single file to the Signal Hill Monument where we enjoyed our lunch break.

15 Nov Signal Hill Lunch At Signal Hill Bruce
Lunch at the Signal Hill monument. Photo & caption Bruce
15 Nov Signal Hill View Janette
City view. Photo Janette

From this vantage point we enjoyed views over most of Dunedin as far as Taieri Mouth. We returned to the cars the same way. Afternoon tea was at The Store at the bottom of Blacks Road. The leaders for the day were Pam C and Jay


18 17/3/2021. Hikers. Cleghorn Street to Signal Hill. Leader Pam Clough

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Weather better for trip this time. Photos by Noi.


17. 10/3/2021. Hikers. Signal Hill. Leader: Jay.

Today 4 hikers, Jan Y, Alex, Jay, Leader Pam and Chauffeur Ross began our walk up North East Valley where Ross dropped us off at the  top of Cleghorn Street. We started of in light drizzle for 20 minutes then the weather cleared and was very calm. Perfect walking conditions. We meandered up the track where we met cows and their calves resting and fortunately they took very little notice of us, much to our relief.  The first views were of Port Chalmers, Quarantine Island, Harbour Cone etc.

P.
(Pam pic.)

We made our way up  a steep hill where we noticed Ross flashing his headlights at us from the road. He was just letting us know that he was watching our progress.   Over the hill we were greeted with fantastic views of Dunedin, NEV, the ocean, Saddle Hill and as far down as Taieri Mouth. We followed the track up Signal Hill road up to the lookout where we stopped for lunch where Ross joined us. We enjoyed the awesome scenery.  After lunch we walked back down Signal Hill Road as far as Blacks Road where Ross picked us up.  We then had a coffee at the Ross Home Cafe. Our leader for the day was Pam. As there was only four of us we didn’t take much looking after. Arrived back in Mosgiel at 2.45pm. – Jay.


16. Signal Hill Tramp 22/08/2018. Leaders: Neil and Margreet

A large contingent of 21 trampers set out from the Otago Yacht Club in a ‘lazy’ southwest breeze and threatening rain. We walked to Ravensbourne on the cycle/walk way admiring the recently completed landscaping and fitness course. Crossing SH88 we climbed the steep zig zag track from the WW2 Memorial to Manuka St and the beginning of the Signal Hill track.

Morning tea was at the nearby playground

Morning tea with Harbour views. (Gordon pic and caption.)

and then, in light rain, we climbed steadily to break out of the bush at the ‘Plateau’. A sharp right turn onto the nuggety but sheltered Telecom track soon had us at the Monument.

Monument view. (Gordon pic and caption.)

Great views over Dunedin up there, and we checked out the Centennial Memorial with its bronze male and female figures representing ‘History’ and ‘The Thread of Life’. 

To add interest to the tramp we then walked down the road and turned off onto a vehicle track which climbed steeply

Steep pinch to summit Signal Hill. (Gordon pic and caption.)

to the communication complex on top of Signal Hill. There we stopped for lunch

Sheltered lunch break. (Gordon pic and caption.)

sheltering from the cold wind and taking in the sweeping views

View from lunch stop. (Gordon pic and caption.)

from Taiaroa Head to Mt. Cargill and Forrester Park.

The return hike was via a 4WD track that crossed all the formed downhill mountain bike trails.

Not far to cars now. (Gordon pic and caption.)

The track ended up at Logan Park High School and it was then an easy stroll past the Stadium back to our cars. Of note was the old Fever Hospital near Logan Park which finally closed its door in 1952 and was then bought by the University as accommodation for medical students.

After the 15km trek, we all enjoyed a coffee or ‘cuppa’ at Emerson’s Brewery.

Neil and Margreet Simpson.


15. 14/2/2018. Hikers. Cleghorn Street to Normanby Pub via Signal Hill and Centennial Memorial. M. Leaders: Pam and Ian.

Route map, courtesy Ian.
Clive pic.
Clive pic.

14. 14/8/2013. Hikers. Chingford Park, Cleghorn St, Signal Hill, round trip. M. Leaders: Lex and Graham.
We parked near Chingford Park and walked up the hill on the Mt Cargill Rd to the turn-off to Signal Hill.  Morning tea on the side of the road about halfway up.  It was blowing a gale and pretty cold but with everyone rugged up well there were no dramas.  Margaret and Les chose to turn back – it was hard going and I don’t blame them!

Elaine in bath. (Judy pic).
Elaine enjoying bath. (Judy pic).
 Lunch in the shelter of the trees near the top …
Lunch. (Judy pic)
Lunch break. (Judy pic)
… then across to the masts, and down to the road.  135 steps on the steep descent and a few stiff knees. – Judy

13. 29/6/2011. Trampers. Chingford Park, Cleghorn St, Signal Hill, round trip.

GPS of route, courtesy Ken
We enjoyed the harbour view as we walked along the rather wet and muddy 4WD track after leaving Cleghorn Street.
The view down the harbour was wonderful
With younger members among the trampers now, we are making a faster pace than formerly and reached the ‘signals’ on Signal Hill a bit half an hour earlier than lunch time, so decided to carry on. We found a sunny calm spot on the Signal Hill Road side to enjoy lunch.
Lunch on Signal Hill roadside
12. 8/7/2009 Trampers Chingford Park, North Road, Cleghorn Street, McGregors Hill, Signal Hill, Signal Hill Road round trip. Medium. Leaders: Pat & Bill
Start
First view of harbour and Peninsula. Bill, Pat, Wendy, Ken.

 

St Leonards
St Leonards below.
Charles Cone
Mount Charles and Harbour Cone on Peninsula
Heads
Roseneath, Port Chalmers and Heads
Lunch
Lunch at top of hill. Doug, Arthur, Wendy, Ian, Pat, Bill. (Ken pic)
Dunedin
Down from Signal Hill with Dunedin beyond. Wendy, Ken, Arthur, Pat.

11. 13/5/2009 Hikers. Signal Hill, Cleghorn St. Leaders: Bev H, Joyce


10. 20/7/2005. Trampers. Cleghorn St, Signal Hill.

Harbour view. "Hi Shirley". Bob, Pat, Who?
Harbour view. “Hi Shirley”. Bob, Pat, Dot.
Dunedin from Centennial Memorial
Dunedin from Centennial Memorial

9. 14/8/2002 Logan Park High School, Signal Hill, Cleghorn St, NEV Road. Leaders: Molly, Hazel, Barbara McC

8. 22/5/2002. Alt. Chingford Park, Signal Hill. Leaders: Betty, Colleen.
7. 24/1/2001. Normanby, Signal Hill, Opoho. Leaders: Lance and Lois, Shirley R.
6. 16/8/2000 Bethunes Gully, Opoho. Leaders: Jack & Rosemary, Shirley R.
5. 26/4/2000. Chingford Park, Signal Hill. Leaders: Daphne, Betty, Denise.
4. 24/1/2000 Chingford Park, Old Brown House, Signal Hill, Opoho, Leaders: Lance & Lois, Peter R
3. 22/4/1998. Chingford Park, Brown House, Signal Hill. Leaders: Shirley McN, Shirley R.
2. 16/6/1993. Bethunes Gully, Signal Hill, University Observatory, Bennetts, Bethunes Gully. Round Trip. Easy. Leaders: Shirley, Doreen, Diana, Nel.
1. 1/7/1992. Bethune’s Gully, Signal Hill, University Observatory, Bennetts, Bethunes Gully. Average. Leaders: Ria L, Marie, June, Ray.

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