Mar 15 2024
Chain Hills-Friends Hill Tramps
No. 102 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Friends Hill Chain Hills Year Round”
Saddle Hill Hotel
Mar 15 2024
No. 102 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Friends Hill Chain Hills Year Round”
Saddle Hill Hotel
Mar 06 2024
Feb 24 2024
10 km from car park.
14. 14 February 2024. Hikers. Waldronville Wander. Grade 2. $5. 10km. Leaders: Phil Keene, Helen Morris.
After leaving PJ park right on time and catching up with the locals at the Estuary, 24 Hikers set out in orderly fashion back down the road towards Waldronville and crossed over into Island Park through the new gate, noting the sign ‘ no dogs allowed’. Must be to keep all the professional dog walkers out? Continue Reading »
Feb 10 2024
No. 86 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Heyward Point – Melville’s Farm Farm”
40 km from car park.
‘Pathway to the Sea” – 7th February 2024 at 8.45am on a grey overcast morning with slight drizzle 15 hikers left Peter Johnstone Park and arrived at the small coastal settlement of Aramoana at approx. 9.45am – a peaceful place with 260 permanent residences as of 27th January 2024. Continue Reading »
Dec 02 2023
2. 29/11/2023. Hikers Waters of the Leith. Grade 2. Leaders: Jan/ Pam
Having led this trip several times over the last 10 years or so, without much variation to it, this report will be reasonably brief.
Nov 17 2023
Distance from car-park to Doctors Point: 38 km.
Oct 28 2023
Outram 10 km / Henley 21 km – from car park.
4. 25/10/2023. Hikers. Outram Loop. Grade 1.5, 11km, Leaders: Sue Nichol, Kathryn Fagg.
Outram turned on another scorcher for 16 hikers. We started at the West Taieri Rugby Club and walked around Kings Court and Anzac Court subdivisions where the gardens were in full bloom. Continue Reading »
Oct 21 2023
1. 18/10/2023. Maia to Port Chalmers. Hikers. Leaders Mike and Max
Once again Max and Mike showed their dedication to the TRTC by leaving a delicately poised England v Italy football match on TV to catch a bus to Maia to meet up with the hiking team who were assembling by the parking area at the Maia bus stop on SH88. Continue Reading »
Oct 17 2023
17 km from car park.
Sep 30 2023
14 kms PJP to cnr South Rd and Eastbourne St.
5. 27/09/2023 Hikers. Grade 2 Leaders: Jan and Jan
20 hikers set off from the old Carisbrook Hotel through the very run-down Caversham shopping area. We had a couple of stops to look at a bit of the history of the area. There were other points of interest, but with so much chatter going on, decided to give it a miss! We headed up South Road for a morning tea stop at a house belonging to Jan Y’s brother. It is a large property extending right down to just above the main trunk railway line. He has a stall at the Farmers Market every Saturday and has grown and propagated an extensive number of plants. Also has numerous tunnel houses, a couple of fruiting tamarillo trees and an avocado tree. He is a rockhound and there was a very large collection of rocks, crystals etc. on display.
Because there was so much to look at, the morning tea break was a bit longer than normal. We carried on up South Road to the Carlton Hill area, then cut across a couple of streets and back down to Sidey Street where you got a good view of Corstorphine House. From there we headed up a track which took us into the Kew area, with great views of Dunedin.
Down through a steep set of steps (Killikrankie Pass – a cool name) and we ended up in a park at Forbury Corner for lunch.
Returned to the cars by crossing over the motorway on an overhead bridge, then walked down a path on the north side back to the cars.
It was a pleasant day with no wind, and we covered approx 8 kms, at quite a leisurely pace. Several members of the group had lived in the vicinity of area covered so it was a bit of a trip down memory lane for them. Thanks to Jan and Pam who did a very enjoyable recce with me. The Two Jans.
Sep 24 2023
21 kms PJP to Pine Hill School (via 3 Mile Hill Rd).
2. 20/09/2023. Hikers. Pine Hill. Grade 2. $5. 21km. Leaders: Jan Butcher/Jenny Finnerty.
Sep 17 2023
Distance from car-park: 24 km.
11. 13/09/2023. Hikers. Delights of Macandrew Bay. Grade 2, $6, 24km, Leaders: Jenny Flack, Avis Williamson.
It was a reasonably pleasant September Spring Morning when 25 keen hikers gathered at Ralph Ham Park (The Muddy ) ready to tackle the ups & downs of the hidden pathways of Macandrew Bay.
We headed up Marine Parade to the first shortcut which took us rather steeply up to Marion St.
We stopped to breathe & admire the harbour views, daffodils, magnolias, kowhai trees & tuis which only got better as we walked along Howard St & Barling St . The descent to the harbourside was quite steep but in no time we were at Glenfalloch enjoying morning tea.
No long rest allowed tho & we were soon returning along Marine Parade, admiring more gardens , taking a hidden path between the school & Portobello road. We snuck down the Pharmacy’s driveway & took the side entrance to the Macandrew Bay cemetery where we were soon checking out James Macandrew’s headstone in a hidden corner.
Up Wharfdale St thro the shortcut to Mclelland St, a quick look at the windblown harbour then up Porterfield & the very steep Kellas St until everyone happily collapsed on the Flacks deck & enjoyed their lunch. After lunch we all safely descended the Track of Terror and then were treated to a garden tour at Judy & Greg Hawkers complete with chocolate chippie biscuits served by lovely 4 year old Georgie Hawker.
The day was disappearing & afternoon tea at Glenfalloch was calling so while some paused at the Company Bay bus shelter the rest of us did a quick walk around the back of Company Bay & then all returned along the cycleway/ walkway to the cars.
This was my first trip as leader & I’d really like to thank my co-leader Avis for her help , also Jenni W & all the other walkers for their support & positive comments & my husband Trevor for woodchipping the paths to improve their safety .
Total distance covered 8km.
P.S. We all enjoyed a debrief at Glenfalloch. I did notice that it wasn’t only coffee & tea being consumed & somehow Alex managed to enjoy a free dessert !!
Jenny
Aug 25 2023
37 km from car park to Mopanui Road end, and 40 km to
foot of McKessar Road.
The private land owners for the Pigeon Flat Walk are.
Michael Lee 0224312212 Pigeon Flat end.
Ross Illingworth 021143304 Waitati Valley end.
The stone-walled ruins on Mckessar Track
15. 23/08/2023. Hikers. Mopanui, McKessars Track. Grade 3. Leaders: Margreet and Neil Simpson
On a perfect hiking day, 18 adventurers in 5 cars grouped up at Borlases Rd on the Southern outskirts of Pt.Chalmers. From there we convoyed towards Long Beach turning off to Osborne, before crossing the “under repair” causeway. The next left turn put us on a steep gravel road past the iconic Mopanui homestead before parking at the Purakanui/Osborne railway siding.
The team set off up the hill with great gusto. Smoko was had on a sun-drenched glade at the intersection of the Mopanui/McKessar tracks.
We zig-zagged to the top of the track where we turned off to enter the well ribboned bush track towards the summit. The track got steeper, and the rocks got rockier, but did the chatter get quieter? Not one decibel!
After a catch-up rest just before the summit; we broke clear to take in the fantastic vista from the trig station. There being no wind. A long lunch was enjoyed, before we tackled the short steep descent to Mopanui Rd.
It was a pleasant jaunt back to the cars via McKessar track looking in at the old farm homestead enroute.
Emersons was an excellent venue to cap the day off with refreshments.
Vertical distance climbed was 407 metres and walking distance was about 8km.
Aug 16 2023
10. 16/08/2023. Hikers. Mosgiel Street Walk. Grade 1, $0, 9km, Leaders: Raewyn Keene, Helen Morris
It was a little frosty as 14 hikers set out from Peter Johnson Park for a street walk till lunchtime. Along Reid Street to Factory Road, Church Street to Gordon Road, the pace was steady. As we approached the railway crossing (and unknown to some of us), was the plaque about our own Lester and his beautification efforts.
As we continued on to the old Mosgiel Railway Station for morning tea, it was great to see the daffodils & blossoms beginning to bloom, indicating Spring is not far away.
Refreshed and with the sun trying to shine, we headed off to Cemetery Road, ventured into the new Grange Lifestyle village as far as we could go, and back out to the underpass into Kinmont.
Some hill climbing was considered necessary to get our hearts pumping, so up Leith, Clyde & Braeside Streets we went. Back down to Quarry Road and left at Nellies, we looped back to our cars via Argyle Street & Bush Road.
Ross C joined us today and was apparently looking forward to a ‘flat’ walk (as advised by his lovely wife) – oops! Hopefully the friendly chatter along the way helped.
All in all, a pleasant morning’s walk, good company and 9kms achieved.
The Harwood hike will be rescheduled into the summer programme.
Helen & Raewyn
Aug 13 2023
7. 9/08/2023. Hikers. Mornington. Grade 2, $5, 18km, Leaders: Ady Whitson, Pam Clough.
Meeting at PJ Park we decided to go ahead with our hike. We decided to park further up Mornington Road which turned out not to be far enough up. Down Elgin Road we went, all 13 of us, and down the steps ending up at the steps at Caversham Valley Road. Morning tea we had on the steps that looked along Main South Road.
It was here two departed to return home as somebody had forgotten their pack and it was very cold.
We started off along Barnes Drive at a reasonable pace as I thought the weather might turn on us…
…up Glen Road and turned up steps to end up in Carson Road. From there we travelled up Cooper St with a few stops here and there for a breather.
Turning right into Glenpark Avenue I put a fast clip on as the weather was probably going to turn at about 11am. Another set of steps up to Mornington…
…and just at the top the weather did change completely. After a quick conflab, it was off to the Mornington Tavern for a warm up and a coffee.
We left about 12.15pm to head back to the cars and this was where I decided we had parked the cars far too far down Mornington Road as the weather really turned to custard. Home by 1.15pm.
We did have lots of laughs and Lynley was the only one from Trampers to show up (I don’t think she read the email in the morning and I didn’t let on I hadn’t either).
Like I’ve said before, don’t put me in charge as it is always wet when I’m at the front. Thank you Pam for all the help as I have no idea round some of those streets.
Cheers Ady. Continue Reading »