15/07/2026. Pyramids. Grade 2. Hikers. Leaders: Rhonda Wilson, Jenny Flack.
On an overcast but pleasant morning we arrived at the Papanui Inlet at low tide, enabling us to be able to start our hike crossing the saltmarsh area on the side of the lagoon, heading towards Victory Beach.
26 hikers turned up and we had three others join us for the walk, Peter and Susan’s grandson Brodie and his friend Harry, and Alan’s sister. (We hoped they enjoyed their time as they looked happy enough and the two boys certainly did more km’s than us!).
It was a bit soggy for a while and some did have wet feet early on but we got to dry ground for our morning tea stop once we reached the white sandy area.
Smoko time (Photo & Caption Sandra L)
We went up onto a formed track which took us further along the inlet until we came back down onto the sand spotting a few sea lions having their morning sleep.
Victory Beach is the longest beach on the Peninsula (3km’s) and named after the SS Victory was shipwrecked there in 1861. Beached on a trip from Port Chalmers to Melbourne when an intoxicated sailor was in charge. We saw the top of the fly wheel, the only remaining part of the wreck, poking out of the surf.
Along the beach to the start of the track, where we were to head back across the Okia Reserve to the Pyramids, we stopped and had lunch.
Once at the small pyramid some went into have a look at the cave and also thought the walk to the top was a good idea.
The two pyramids are volcanic cones of basalt columns formed when lava cools and contracts. We only had to walk back to the entrance of the Okia Reserve gate, once we had explored the area, as we had done some car shifting when we first arrived and so off to the Duck at Portobello for drinks and the after hike chat. We walked approx. 8 kms.
Rhonda and Jenny
Link to background information and earlier tramps and hikes in the same area.