28/05/2025. Henley Loop. Grade 2.5. Hikers. Leaders: Rhonda Wilson and Jill Dodd.
On the last week of autumn 15 happy hikers arrived at Henley Road to walk the Henley, Christies Gully, Otokia-Kuri Bush West Roads Loop on a rather cold morning with low cloud covering parts of the Taieri Plain.
We parked at the intersection of Henley and Cemetery Roads and walked up the hill to visit the lovely little Otokia Cemetery before we started our main route.
There are graves marked from the 1870’s to present day of those that settled in this area.
We then walked back down and drove a little further along Henley Road to have our morning tea stop and park the cars up for our return.
The Taieri River runs adjacent to Henley Road so we followed this until the intersection with Christies Gully Road and here we turned towards the east and started heading to the top.
We had many interested observers on the way making sure we kept to the gravel road and not entering their lush green paddocks.
It was quite a climb but once at the top we found a nice spot to sit, have our lunch and yes, some chatting.
Now it was all downhill via Otokia Kuri-Bush Road West. It is a pleasant walk past a few farmhouses and plantings of exotic trees which most had now lost all their leaves so looking quite stark against their backgrounds.
However, one little patch, we think were oaks, were still showing some autumn colour and looking very pretty.
A short walk along Henley Road back to the cars and off to Walls for a drink and more talk.
Link to background information and earlier tramps and hikes in the same area.