2. 7 Mar 2918. Both. Clarksbrae, Clarks Junction. Leaders: Jay and Jan.
Route Map, courtesy Ian. Station House to Deep Stream.
On Wednesday 7th March 40 trampers and hikers completed a walk on “Clarksbrae” farm, Clarks Junction. After a 30 minute car ride we arrived on a lovely summer’s day at “Clarksbrae” Farm and parked close to the woolshed. I must say the tidiest and cleanest woolshed I have ever seen.
From there we had to take 6 cars to the end of the walk to shuttle people on completion of the walk.
It was 10.30 when we started
Some cars were hidden in a valley about 10k from Clarksbrae and we set out to find them. We set out across well tended farmland … (Clive pic and caption.)
and the walk was on a designated stock laneway. It was a steady but gentle climb through beautiful farmland
… and live stock. (Clive pic and caption.)
and wonderful views of the Maungatua, The Lammermoor Range, the Rock and Pillar Range through to Middlemarch. At the end of the laneway we turned left and walked up to the trig station where we had our lunch at 12.30.
With a late start we missed morning tea but made the most of lunch at the trig point. (Clive pic and caption.)
After lunch we followed a track that in places was marked out with painted arrows and warratahs with plastic bags on put in place by the farmer so as we knew which direction to take to get back to the cars. This part of the walk was generally down hill.
Downhill to search for the cars. (Clive pic and caption.)Hurray, we found them. (Clive pic and caption.)
Many of our walkers filled plastic bags with beautiful fresh mushrooms.
The distance travelled was 11.5ks. Coffee was at the ” Wobbly Goat” in Outram. – Jay and Jan B
30 August, 2017. Hikers. Clarksbrae, Clarks Junction. Leaders: Jay and Jan.
Tramp Report from the hikers group. Our walk today comprising of 21 enthusiastic folk started at “Clarksbrae” Farm, Clarks Junction. Farm owner, Richard Nichol gave permission to us to walk along the stock lane way which was very comfortable under foot. The walk was a gentle climb with three steep short gullies to get the heart rate up a bit. Very doable for all concerned. The scenery encompassed The Maungatua, the Lammermoors, the Rock and Pillar Range and the Kakanui Range. We had lunch at the trig station which gave us 360 degrees views. The walk back was all down hill. All up we walked 10.3ks. – Jay and Jan.
1. 1/7/2015. All. Midwinter Dinner. Concord Tavern. E. Leaders: Elaine and Eric.
GPS Route Map
Well! Records set. At least for the tramp. 40! Yes, 40. And 50 for the meal. Much due, this reporter suspects, to the way Elaine crafted the walk’s publicity. Easy? Well, not altogether with a bit of a climb into Abbotsford maybe a bit hard for some.
First problem was to number the carpark’s milling crowd off, but Fred got it right by standing at the corner by the road. Elaine set off at a brisk pace down …
Down from Inn (John pic)
… the “Main South Road” (surely it’s time to name it the Old Main South Road), around the corner at the bottom and then level walking towards Green Island. Then a stop. Question time.
Q1 (John pic)
Date of motorway completion? Wow. Peter had the exact answer. 1974. Take a prize! Then on. Stop again, outside an imposing gateway. What do the initials IRMO stand for?
IRMO. (John pic)
More knew the answer this time. A prize again. Onward. Stop – outside Harraways Office. Now a generous distribution …
Harraways (John pic)
… of complimentary Oats Singles packets. Take more than one. Onward again. Across rise where most recalled the railway line that once crossed the road. To collect coal from Saddle Hill once, someone said. Last stop, at the curly beginning of the impressive overhead footbridge, spanning Kaikorai Stream, the motorway, …
Bridge (John pic)
… bush, and finally the railway before turning right into Neill Street and left into Matthew Street, and second entrance on our left into a property with a wonderful back covered porch.
Porch (John pic)
A further surprise. We were regaled with mulled wine or soup served in pottles with generous refills. (A recent email from Elaine says a further whole thermos of mulled wine got overlooked. – Damn, as she so feelingly put it.) Next, in through a door leading under the house to view …
Train set. (John pic)
.. a model train set.( This reporter can testify it was even more elaborate than any he saw at the recent display put on at Wobblies.) It was N gauge (9mm). Unfortunately, the owner didn’t have it going, lest he exposed himself to an embarrassing derailment. Too bad. It was capable of running two trains at once. There’s a wealth of ancillary detail also, all to scale. A close study will prove most rewarding! To this reporter, this is the engineering equivalent of close needlework.
After this wonderful surprise break, it was back down Matthew Street and away along Neill Street to our left to reach a hidden pedestrian underpass at the foot of Armstrong Lane …
Underpass
… and to emerge onto a little path that skirted round to the foot of Harraway Road, across a Kaikorai Stream bridge, out onto the “Main South Road” and back to the Concord Tavern for the Dinner. Here we met with the non-walkers and filled an almost overcrowded dining room. Some of us neglected to pick our table first as we found we were supposed to (including this reporter) before we lined up at the servery to place our meal order, but waiters found us eventually and all was well.
Again, due to Elaine’s homework with her sponsors, there were little prezzies on the tables and under-the-seat tickets for rewards. What a girl she is!
So, thanks to Elaine and Eric for such an imaginative midwinter dinner function effort. Well done, to put it mildly. – Ian.
16/8/2000. Concord – Blackhead. Leaders: Les W, Diana and Ray.
26/5/1999 Concord from Tavern to Blackhead. Leaders: Jean, Ngaire, Bev McI.
19/5/1993 Concord Corner, Blackhead, Beach, Brighton Road, Allan Road, Green Island Bush Road. Round Trip. Leaders: Jack, Rosemary, Joyce I, Joyce S
23/9/1989 Concord Hills from Wine and Spirits carpark. Easy+ Leaders: George, Ria L, Pam, Ria H
