11/09/2024. Big Stone Road. Grade 3. Hikers. Leaders: Bill Cubitt & Adrienne Ensor.
On a beautiful spring morning 20 keen walkers started out from the lay-bay opposite the entrance to Daphne Road to commence their adventure through, what is known as the Allanton Block of Wenita Forest.
Spring flowers greeted us at the start of Daphne Road with the first part of our track skirting farmland and we were just in time to see newly born twin lambs attempting their first steps.
Following morning tea we left the farm behind and began the climb up Daphne Road, where all the trees have been felled so the views were everchanging from panoramas of the southern coast over the top of Moturata Island and to the north towards Green Island and White Island.
The terrain then changed from newly harvested Pinus Radiata Forest to large acreages of 4/5 year old young trees. The road surface was well maintained gravel which made for comfortable walking. Some members were able to visit the remains of Welch’s sod Croft which is described in archaeological terms as a uniquely preserved example of an early European farm house.
We reassembled at a delightful lunch spot in an area where logging machinery had been based during harvesting operations. The sun was shining with the temperature up towards 14 degrees.
Following lunch, we continued on to Big Stone Road with stunning views to the South and West and even sighting Lake Waihola. The landscape continued to feature endless hillsides of young pines and a few steep inclines, but everyone handled the terrain well. We walked past the Smooth Hill area where the DCC plan to place the new landfill when they close the Green Island landfill.
Unfortunately, we missed where we needed to head down Kathleen Road and continued along Big Stone Road, past the intersection with McLaren Gully Road, where the trucks will come up from State Highway 1 to take the rubbish to the landfill. Back-tracking to Kathleen Road added another 5 kms to our journey, luckily it was a lovely day for the hike!!
Some good learnings to be had around always ensuring that as leaders we must wherever possible carry out a thorough recce pre hike!
Our eventual walk down Kathleen Road to reconnect with the start of Daphne Road was through mainly mature pine forest with great underfoot conditions and relief for our group of weary travellers with it being mostly all downhill!
The cars were a welcome sight after our near 16-kilometre walk and at Brighton the ice creams at the Brighton Store were unbelievably good and much needed!
Thanks for your understanding and good humour fellow hikers.
Bill and Adrienne
Distance 17 kms, elevation gain 356m, moving time 3hrs 55mins.
Link to background information and earlier tramps and hikes in the same area.