Category: Hikers

Heyward Point, Kaikai Beach, Whareakeake Road

No. 86 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Heyward Point – Melville’s Farm Farm”. 40 km from car park.

Part: Tramping Track, Managed by DOC. Rest: Not during lambing Sept-Nov. Seek Permission.
20. 7 February 2024. Combined hikers and trampers. Aramoana – Heyward Point.
Aramoana Rock SmallHikers: Leaders Heather and Val Cayford

‘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 “Heyward Point, Kaikai Beach, Whareakeake Road”

Tomahawk Lagoon and Nearby Tracks and Areas

Ocean Grove, also known as Tomahawk, is a suburb in the southeast of the New Zealand city of Dunedin. … The suburb was known as Tomahawk until the 1930s, the name not being a reference to the weapon, but rather possibly an anglicised form of the Māori words tomo haka, meaning “dance by a gravesite”.

No. 23 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Karetai Rd via Monument from Lagoon. Year round.”

Distance from car-park: Tomahawk: 19 km; Smaills Beach: 22 km;  Paradise Road: 26 km.’

DCC List: 41 Peg Track. Otago Peninsula
Accessed from Oregon St. 3.5 hrs ret. Tramping track – unbenched. Managed: DCC CAM, private land.
Description – This track provides a link between Ocean Grove and Highcliff Road. Access to the track in Ocean Grove is off Oregon Street. An attractive walk around Tomahawk Lagoon then climbs through gorse and native bush. Turn right towards Soldiers Memorial through paddocks with gorse sometimes obscuring the rock walls.

  • Classification – Hard
  • Time – Approximately 45 minutes.
  • Parking – Limited at Highcliff Road. No dogs.
  • Dogs – No

Karetai, Tomahawk, Soldiers Monument, Smaills Beach, Highcliff, Buskins Tracks – Information and Trips Library

St Clair, St Kilda, Kew, Corstorphine, Ocean Grove, Tomahawk – Information and Trips Library

Boulder Beach From Top Of Highcliff Track Pam (square) (100x100)43. 06/12/2023. Trampers. North of Tomahawk. Grade 3. $7. 22km. Leaders: Esther Willis and Julie McKenzie
As hoped, the weather was kind to us, as this tramp would be wasted without being able to savour the spectacular views.

Continue reading “Tomahawk Lagoon and Nearby Tracks and Areas”

Middlemarch Area Tramps

Information
Rock and Pillar via Six Mile Creek This climbs 1,005 m. (3300 feet) up the eastern face from Glencreag Station up a leading ridge south of Six Mile Creek. This is the most direct approach.
Rock and Pillar via spur south of Lug Creek. Information: Climbs 910 m. (3000 feet) up the eastern face of a well-graded vehicle track up a leading spur south of Lug Creek. Average time to Leaning Lodge is 3 hours on foot.
DoC access. 9.5km north of the Middlemarch store on SH87, just before Lug Creek, is a farm entrance (RAPID 7219 – no DoC sign). A short way up the driveway is a DoC car park. There is public access up the vehicle track to the conservation area boundary. The track is now a recreation reserve administered by DoC.
Easiest route to Big Hut from Leaning Lodge (foot only – unmarked – good visibility essential) is another 45+ minutes climbing gently southwards to cross a steep gully and then climb a gentle shelf to above the eastern basins. Sidle several hundred metres past the lower prominent rock tors before gently descending to Big Hut once it becomes visible. Route very wind and cloud-prone. Ice axe and crampons may be necessary to traverse steep snow slopes near Leaning Lodge.
64 km to Middlemarch. 66 km to Stonehurst Track.
Redan Crater- contact for access Ken Rennick.

Middlemarch Area – Information and Trips Library

Sutton Salt Lake Katrina Square16. 06/12/2023. Hikers. Sutton Salt Lake – Glencreag Track. Grade 2.5. $16. 60km. Leaders: Wendy Langley/Katrina McKenzie

17 of us headed to Sutton where we walked the Sutton Lake loop. Continue reading “Middlemarch Area Tramps”

Signal Hill Tramps

Distance Chingford from carpark: 20 km.
Follow Old Main North Road to Cleghorn Street which has the best view of the harbour. Walkway sign.
Walk starts starts at the gate on right, up McGregors Hill. Beyond stile Pine plantation on 3rd stile at summit.
Gravel road 10 minutes to end. Locked gate. Last stile. Signal Hill road.

15 Nov Signal Hill Harbour View With Hikers. Square Small Janette19. 15/11/2023. Hikers. Cleghorn Street to Signal Hill. Leaders Pam Clough and Jay Devlin

23 keen hikers gathered on a beautiful day at the Bottom of Cleghorn St where we made our way up the gravel road to the beginning of our walk which was firstly over farmland. Continue reading “Signal Hill Tramps”

Doctors Point area tramps

Distance from car-park to Waitati: 34 km.
15 Nov Orokonui Canoe Beach Race Against The Tide Square Resize Pam25. 15/11/2023. Orokonui Circuit. Grade 3. Leaders: Graeme Souter & Gail Williams
The day dawned fined and following some creative maths (11 doesn’t as it turns out does not fit nicely into 2) – 3 cars left Dunedin to meet up with the Mosgiel trampers at Waitati. After numerous toilet visits, we all finally continued to our starting point at Doctors Point Reserve.

Continue reading “Doctors Point area tramps”

Outram – Allanton Flood Bank

Outram 10 km /  Henley 21 km – from car park.

Outram, Allanton, Floodbanks, Lee Stream, Traquair, Whare Creek – Information and Trips Library

4. 25/10/2023. Hikers. Outram Loop. Grade 1.5, 11km, Leaders: Sue Nichol, Kathryn Fagg.

image (1) Square RES150x150Outram 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 “Outram – Allanton Flood Bank”

St Clair Beach Walks

17. 11/10/2023. Hikers. St Clair, St Kilda, Ocean Grove. Grade 2, $5, 17km, Leaders: Bruce Spittle/Alex Griffin
IMG20231011111808 RES100x100Nineteen hikers left Marlow Park in sunny conditions at about 0930 after singing happy birthday to Liz Griffin and walked over the Kettle Park Sports field and up a track to the Barnes Lookout.

Continue reading “St Clair Beach Walks”

Caversham – Street Walk.

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.

Rocks and propagating Caption and photo Helen
Rocks and propagating Caption and photo Helen
Photo Helen
Photo Helen
Photo Helen 1
Photo Helen

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.

Top of steps gathering up Caption and photo Helen
Top of steps gathering up Caption and photo Helen

Down through a steep set of steps (Killikrankie Pass – a cool name) and we ended up in a park at Forbury Corner for lunch.

Lunch. We were all scattered. Caption and photo Helen
Lunch. We were all scattered. Caption and photo Helen

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.

On the overbridge Caption and photo Helen
On the overbridge Caption and photo Helen

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.

Continue reading “Caversham – Street Walk.”

Gardens – Pinehill Return

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.

30 hikers turned up on a warm slightly windy day for our Pine Hill trek.
The start of the day - Helen
The start of the day – Photo & Caption Helen
We met up with a couple of town folk at Malvern Street & walked through Woodhaugh gardens where we stopped for morning tea to fortify us for the trip up the hill.
Morning tea at Woodhaugh Gardens – Photo & Caption Helen
Beautiful clematis
Beautiful clematis – Photo & Caption Helen
Jenni
Unusual piece in Pine Hill neighbourhood – Photo & Caption Jenni
We did it a little differently from last time & walked up the motorway for a bit before turning right onto Fea Street and on upwards to meet with Pine Hill Road.
A field of daffodils
A field of daffodils – Photo & Caption Helen
At the end of this road we turned right onto Campbell Road and walked to the end of the housing.  This then becomes a wide dirt track which we followed to the end.  It was about noon so everyone was happy to find a comfy spot on the embankment and enjoy the vista before them.
Lunch out of the wind Helen
Lunch out of the wind – Photo & Caption Helen
A lot of people told me they had never been up Pine Hill let alone this track with its best kept secret.  And unbelievably there was no wind to speak of so we enjoyed the next half hour eating and talking about the view and trying to spot places of interest on the opposite side of the hill & beyond.
Reluctantly we had to “shift our bottoms” and start the walk back down the hill, this time turning at Pine Hill School and down onto Buccleugh Street which wound its way down and down to meet up with the 219 Duddingstone steps.  We decided to head on over to the Botanic Gardens for a well earned treat.  I had prewarned the cafe that there could be 30 takers for afternoon tea.  He sounded a little shocked but managed us all no bother.
Amazing service at Crocodile Cafe. Jenni
Amazing service at Crocodile Cafe – Photo & Caption Jenni
Some of the drivers were kind enough to go back to their cars and bring them to the carpark for their passengers. Thank you Pam. After refreshments some of us  picked up some bargains at the plant shop adjacent to the cafe. We then walked back to the cars, admiring the beautiful camellias etc along the way.  A good 10k walk on a nice day.
Jenny F and Jan B

Continue reading “Gardens – Pinehill Return”

Mosgiel-Wingatui Area

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.

Leter's Pride -Helen
Lester’s Pride (Photo & Caption Helen)

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.

Spring has sprung early - Helen
Spring has sprung early (Photo & Caption Helen
Morning tea - Helen
Morning tea (Photo & Caption Helen)

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.

On Kinmont - Helen
On Kinmont (Photo & Caption Helen)

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.

Map - Helen
Map (Photo Helen)

The Harwood hike will be rescheduled into the summer programme.

Helen & Raewyn

Continue reading “Mosgiel-Wingatui Area”

Mornington Ramble

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.

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Morning tea (photo and caption Phil)

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…

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Pond by Southern Motorway (photo and caption Helen)
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Walking the overbridge (photo and caption Phil)
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A scotsman’s fence, near the ‘auld’ scotsmans terrace (photo and caption Phil)

…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.

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A bit of up (photo and caption Phil)

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…

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And up 152 more steps (photo and caption Phil)

…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.

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(photo by Helen)
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A+ menacing ‘front row’? (photo by Helen, caption by Phil)

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 “Mornington Ramble”

Scroggs Hill Road, Seaview Road, McIntosh Road

Distance from Bush Road  carpark: 15 km.

12. 19/07/2023. Hikers. Taieri View . Grade 2.5, Leaders: Jill Dodd, Jenni Wright.

On a beautifully calm day and prospects for continuing conditions, we met the Dunedin and Brighton-ites at the Brighton Surf Club around 9.50 a.m. Welcome to Wendy, we hope you enjoy your day with us. Twenty-four chatty hikers set off up McIntosh Road and admired the huge amount of plantings in the wetlands. We have a greater sense of appreciation now for the work after our Halo Project six weeks or so ago.
We were to have morning tea at Starfish Gallery, around 2 km from the Surf Club but the owner had an appointment and couldn’t now host us. However, this didn’t stop us choosing a suitable spot just north of the studio.
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Brighton- morning tea (photo and caption Jenni)
It felt great to be surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, lush fields, and stunning views out to sea and the various islands, White, Green and Moturata.
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Mail boxes ( one with succulents on the top) above Brighton estuary (photo and caption Jill D)

We continued up McIntosh Road, the only oncoming traffic being around 20 e-bikers, who were going like the clappers. We made good time and arrived at the intersection of McIntosh /Scroggs Hill Roads where we enjoyed lunch. It never ceases to amaze me the conversations that are had whilst out, they’re simply hilarious.

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Great view over the Taieri (photo and caption Jenni)
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Heading off after lunch (photo and caption Jenni)

We now got our view over the Taieri, and then proceeded down Scroggs Hill Road mostly single file which had a few more vehicles but all were very responsive to our hikers and reduced their speed considerably. One member was concerned about walking single file as this may impede (his) conversation! There were many examples of retired tractors and cars exposed to the elements and the consequent erosion.

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Example of interesting buildings (photo and caption Jenni)

It was fascinating to see the variety of homes in Brighton …. some beautifully restored, other new builds taking advantage of stunning views, and some steeped in history of family times. Liz and Alex, being long-time residents, provided great commentary along the way.
We got back to the cars and enjoyed the walkway along to Brighton Beach Café, for ice creams, coffee and more chatter and laughs.

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Brighton Cafe – great service (photo and caption Jenni)
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Brighton Cafe (photo and caption Jenni)
We covered 10 kms today and loved the warm Spring-like weather. Thanks to everyone for making this another enjoyable outing.
Jill and Jenni.

Continue reading “Scroggs Hill Road, Seaview Road, McIntosh Road”

McNally Walkway

No. 83 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “McNally Track, Milton. Year Round”
Potential for Combined trip.

McNally’s Walkway, Milton – Information and Trips Library

20. 28/06/2023. Trampers. McNally’s Walkway. Grade 2.5. Leaders: Graeme Souter, Yan Campbell

Hopefully, Constable Tom McNally would have appreciated that 17 hardy trampers weren’t deterred from following the walkway named for him. A night of heavy rain and inconclusive forecasts for the day had caused Graeme a restless night, trying to decide whether to cancel or change the tramp. Much of the trail is quite exposed passing through paddocks and would have been pretty miserable in a downpour. It wasn’t actually raining at Peter Johnstone Park at 9:15 and the sky seemed to be lightening to the south. We split into four cars and headed for the cemetery at Milton and the beginning of McNally’s Walkway.

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Getting ready to leave the cars (photo and caption John)

We set off in a very light rain along a fence line of the first paddock. The ground and grass were certainly wet and it was a steady climb to our stop for morning tea in a sheltered spot with a bench. There was a great view of the Taieri Plain but the hilltops were still shrouded in cloud and would remain so.

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Morning tea on McNally Track (photo and caption Barbara)
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Morning tea (photo Helen)

By the time we set off again the rain had stopped and the only drips were from the overhanging trees.
We took a slightly different route from other years, turning onto the Kowhai trail for the rest of the climb. It passed through a mix of native and introduced trees before opening up into paddocks of newly planted pines. By this time, we could see the summit and the haybarn where we’d have lunch. There was just one more climb before we made ourselves comfortable and ate.

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Lunch among the bay bales (photo and caption Pam)
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McNally’s Track Summit (photo and caption Pam)

After lunch we headed downhill through quite long grass which soon became a clear path at least for those of us at the back. At this point the sun broke through and this clearer light made a remarkable pattern, contrasting the long fading grass with the small green pines.

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All the new planting of the pine trees (photo and caption Helen)

Once we were through this, there was only one more steep pitch up through some trees. From then on the walk was steadily downhill coming out onto Cemetery Road and just a short distance from the cars.

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On the last stretch of the tramp (photo and caption Helen)

After changing out of our muddy boots and gaiters we made our way to The Black Swan in Waihola. By this time the weather was fine enough to sit outside.

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Camaraderie at Black Swan Cafe (photo and caption Pam)

The day had really turned out well. Thanks Graeme.
Yan
Continue reading “McNally Walkway”