23/09/2026. Cloud Forest / Sullivans Dam. Grade 3. Trampers. Leaders: John Gardiner and Gwenda Farquharson.
When 22 optimistic trampers converged on Sullivans Dam in 6 cars, their optimism was tempered, not only by the weather forecast,
but also the heavy drizzle encountered at the beginning of the tramp,
when we did an initial circuit of the dam. Fortunately this was as wet as it got all day. Earlier 3 cars from Mosgiel having rendezvoused with 3 from Dunedin, at Malvern St, Woodhaugh at about 9.10am, then travelling up Leith Valley, beginning our tramp at 9.25am.
The underfoot tramping surface of the initial “Cloud Forests of the Leith,” Stage 1 track is an interesting, and at times, challenging one. A mixture of wooden boxes filled with stones, board-walk style blocks, (now only partially covered with hen wire), sections of mud, plus entwined tree roots.
Paradoxically a lasting impression being that this track has obviously, at some stage in the past, had a lot of time, thought, effort and money lavished on it.
Morning tea was enjoyed at 10.35am, in a small clearing on the track,
and by 11.30am we were at “transmission Line Road”.
At this stage Gwenda and I swapped leader, tail end Charlie roles, Gwenda having done a brilliant job of pacing the uphill climb, so that our group stayed close together. At 12.05pm our lunch break was taken in a sheltered, sunny spot, (yes the sun did shine at times during the tramp)!
By 12.40pm we were on our way again, soon heading downhill, back to the cars. The downhill walk through the Pine Forest, being a highlight of the day for many.
Arriving back at the cars by 1.25pm, this Grade 3 tramp (because of it’s – “Tracks with some uneven ground,”classification), was complete. Shorter than most, but with most weather forecasts predicting showers from 1.00pm, a growing feeling was that we had already pushed our luck. Most attending an early afternoon tea at the Aster Café, Botanic Garden.
In closing, a special thanks to Gwenda, for her assistance on our 2 recces.
The Statistics, courtesy of Jane’s phone:-
8.24 km covered.
287 metres , total ascent.
3 hours 42 minutes total time.
2 hours 45 minutes moving time.
Link to background information and earlier tramps and hikes in the same area.