Trampers – Page 8 – Taieri Recreational Tramping Club

Nicols Creek Bridge, Morrisons Burn, Poleline Road, Swampy, Nicols or Pineapple.

Click Dunedin’s Hills’ History for background information.

Click Swampy ridge track for background information.

Click Pineapple Track for background information.

Click Pineapple and Flagstaff walk for background information.

Nicols Creek – Information and Trips Library

6. 23/3/2016. Morrisons/Poleline/Swampy/Moon circuit. Leader?

Morrisons Poleline track Swampy Moon track. (Caption/route map courtesy Ken)

After cancelling our trip to Leaning Lodge, 7 trampers turned up at the carpark to do the Morrisons/Poleline/Swampy/Moon circuit.
We parked on the Leith Valley Rd. by the entrance to the Glow worm track, then walked up the road to the bridge over the Morrison Burn.
The day started off cool, but fine, & the track condition was quite good. We climbed under the barrier at the locked gate on the bridge at the start, & made our way up to the weir,

then backtracked to where the track went uphill through the bush. After morning tea break,

we carried on until we came across a gravelled road, where we took the wrong way!! We soon discovered our mistake, & walked along the road to where the track started again up through the bush. This eventually led us onto the Poleline track that goes up to the top of Swampy. We had lunch sheltered from the wind by the building at the top of the Leith Saddle track, then retraced our steps back …

3 Fog over Mosgiel from Swampy (Ken pic and caption)

… to the junction of the Poleline track & the Swampy Ridge track, where we turned off, & made our way along to the top of Moon track. We had a short stop here before heading off down this very badly rutted [damaged by mountain bikes] & rough track into the bush again where there is a multitude of mountain biking tracks, winding back & forward making it hard to know which track to take. So we just kept looking for tracks that went downhill, & eventually we ended up on the Leith Valley Rd. about 150mtrs from the cars.

An interesting day, & a tramp that a few had not done before, & all agreed that it was a good walk.
Walked 12.8km
Ave speed 3.9km/h
Moving time 3h 18min.
Climbed 658mtrs. – Ken.

5. 19/8/2009. Medium. Morrisons Burn, Morrisons Track, Poleline Road, Swampy, Pineapple, Nicols Creek. Medium. Leaders: Keith and Glenice

Morrisons Burn waterfall

Looking down from weir. Keith, Hazel, Bruce, Ria

4. 23/1/2008 Morrisons Track, Swampy, Pineapple, Nicols Creek. Leaders: Lex

Greenery on Morrisons Track — Greenery on Morrisons Burn Track

Parking the cars at the Nicols Creek bridge, we walked up the Leith Valley Road to Morrisons at the foot of Stoney Ford slope. We scrambled past the large slip immediately across the footbridge and enjoyed the beautiful bush and moss-clad track up to reach the waterfall. Then the steep scramble up the bank to morning tea on the 4WD at the slope’s top. Along that a bit, and then it was further up, up, up through bush to join the Pole Track 4WD to enjoy lunch where it meets the Swampy Ridge track. Instead of turning down the Nicols Creek track junction when we reached it,

Junction of Swampy with Nicols Creek Tracks. Hazel, Ria, Pat, Ken, Doug M, Lex

by common consent Lex took the 10 of us on to the Pineapple Track

Junction Swampy, Pineapple Track. Lex, Ken, Pat, Doug M, Hazel, Wendy

descent to break away from it further down at a stone cairn to cut across the cocksfoot on the left to the bush edge. This provided heightened interest as it had not been reconnoitred but Lex cleverly located the track that led down through the bush and across back to Nicols Creek track. The day had begun overcast and actually rained a few drops after lunch, but got really hot during our concluding descent to the cars. A good way for it to happen. – Ian

3. 16/1/2008. Trampers. Nicols Creek, Swampy, Morrisons. Medium. Leaders: Lex, Tash.

2. 16/5/2007. Trampers. Morrison Falls. Return Nicols Creek. Moderate. Leaders: Lex, Tash.

1. 15/11/2006. Trampers. Morrison Track, Pole Track, Swampy. Medium. Leaders: George, Doug J.

Grainger Road Tramps

Grainger Road Tramps to Maungatua summit and Woodside.
Steep, Long. Take plenty of water.
Cars park at Graingers Road.

8. 11/11/2015. Trampers. Grainger Road.
A change of plan due to the weather. 7 of us went to Grainger Road and parked at end of road by the pylon. Steep track up the side of the Maungatuas. Steep was what Hamel’s book said and was steep. Morning tea Ken left and went back down. Rest of us continued up as far as the markers were. No more track to be found so after much looking around the decision was made to go back down. Early lunch with the paddock’s two resident horses and a shower of rain sent us on our way home. Still a good workout. – Helen.
7. 31/8/2005. Trampers. Grainger Road to Maungatua Tussock slopes only. Spaniard grass thick. Leaders: George, Doug J.
We climbed in the bush, and came down in tussock and farm. – Ian

Lunch on Maungatua slop. Hazel, Dorothy, George — Break in Bush. George, Ria, Who?

Lunch on Maungatua slop. Hazel, Dorothy, George

Descent round a large rock. Who? in rear rear. Doug M front.

6. 16/9/1998 Grainger Road, Woodside. Leaders: Bill H, Graham

5. 29/4/1998. Maungatua via Graingers Road, return – round trip. Leaders: Bill H, Graham, Ian.

4. 14/8/1996. Grainger Road to Woodside Glen. (Car Shuttle) Medium+. Leaders: Wendy, Bev H, Bill H.

3. 7/12/1994 Grainger Road, Maungatua, Woodside. Steep and long. You may go part way on this one and a leader will bring you back. Leaders: Nancy, Rob Q, Joyce S, Colleen

1/10/1994 Leaders: Joyce S, Nancy, Colleen

2. 11/5/1994. Grainger Road, Woodside, Maungatua. Med+. Long. Leaders: Nancy, Colleen, Rob Q, Joyce S

1. 11/3/1992 Leaders: Bob & Audrey, Denise, Doug M

Brighton Beach south

Location: 15 km.

5. 16/9/2015. Trampers. Brighton to Kuri Bush.

Seven trampers started out from Brighton to walk the beach to Kuri Bush. The weather was overcast, but fine all day, & no wind, which made pleasant beach walking.
As lunch was taken before we reached Kuri bush,

we never quite made it all the way there before turning back. As the tide was starting to come in,

we walked some of the way back on the road, until we could get back

onto the beach. – Heb.

4. 7/11/2013. Both. Brighton to Bruce Rocks. Leader: G Haggie.

3. 10/11/2010. Trampers. Brighton Beach walk south. Medium. Leaders: All.

Brighton-Sth. Beach walk. GPS of route, courtesy Ken

This was the first tramp without a recce or leader. Overworked leaders had begun complaining as low tramper numbers had meant frequent leadership duties. Ironically 10 of us turned up on the day. We had morning tea at the same spot as last time – at the point where the unbroken beach gives way to rocky outcrops and small bays. As you can see, the tide was well out.

The two small waterfalls pictured in the last tramp were almost indiscernible trickles, so dry had the season become. So far out was the tide, that we were well beyond the point we had reached on the previous occasion. Fortunately Ken drew our attention to the fact that we had gone over 8 km, only about 2 km short of Kuri Bush. Far enough. So we lunched. On the way back some striated rock face drew our attention.

We got well strung out on the walk back with one or two getting well ahead and a tail-end group dropping well back. But we all got there, with several taking the opportunity to enjoy going bare-foot in the surf.

However we all made good time covering 17 km all up, getting back to the cars about 2.30 p.m.

A lovely sunny day. Tide well out. Good hard sand. It was great. – Ian

2. 20/8/2008 Trampers. Brighton Beach walk south. Medium. Leaders: Ian, Sabina

Tea stop. Lex, Ken, Pat, George, Sabina, Who?. — Tea stop

This beach tramp from Brighton south was merely a replacement for a soggy winter Spiers Road circuit but proved to be a gem. After the first unbroken beach walk from Brighton, the small sandy bays at its south end were a welcome delight and of endless interest.

The rocky points between them proved not too difficult to negotiate, provided one carefully stepped between slippery seaweed. Again there was constant interesting variety of shapes and rocky pools.

(Of course a welcome sunny day interrupting a dreary wet August was quite a help too.) And to top off the specialness of the day, George observed that this was the first time the club had attempted the walk, although the Trixies had it on their calendar.
This is a walk to be planned only when low tide occurs between 12.00 and 1.00 p.m. as at high tide the sea comes right up to the steep banks. As it chanced it was a 12.00 p.m. low tide day. 1.00 p.m. would have been even better as we had to plan our return early enough to get back beyond the last rocky point and onto the unbroken beach again before the returning sea had encroached too much.

And at this point was a further point of interest. George had told leaders Sabina and Ian when they were still at the planning stage that horse riders used a parallel track through the sandhills when the tide was full, so here was a landscape of its own to vary the return trip and avoid the soft sand of the upper beach that the returning tide would have forced us onto. Mainly marram grass and lupin, the dips and rises, gullies and ridges led on and on in a world seemingly quite divorced from road on one side and beach on the other, interrupted only by a web of road-to-beach tracks constantly crossing our walk.
At last, the return to the cars with nine of us having enjoyed a day of welcome break in the weather and a rewarding treat of beautiful hidden bays of which we had hitherto been completely ignorant. – Ian

1. 10/10/2007. Hikers. Beach Walk. Brighton. Easy. Leaders: Jean, Dot B.

Neehoff Farm, Hindon.

23 km from car park.

1/4/2015. Both. Neehoff Farm, Hindon. M. Leaders: Ian F and Arthur H.

A goodly number of thirty Trampers and Hikers, as you can see from the GPS map, set off back alongside the road we had arrived in, the Leaders searching for one of several elusive ridges, each separated by bushed gullies and leading down to a main gully at their foot. However, due to their number (six in total!) and too tentatively choosing one ridge too soon but finding it too stunted to be the one, we ended up turning back (about 0.7 kms on GPS map) instead of going on, and descending the ridge futher back only to be forced to have to climb out of the gully beyond its foot (red spot about 1.4 kms on GPS map) and up onto the one originally planned on. By now it was time for morning tea. (Sorry about the lack of photos – we didn’t have John and his camera with us this time.)

On down the right gully now this time and into the main one across its foot, left skirting its side and crossing at a bridge and struggling up the slope directly ahead. (Red spots about 1.6 kms on GPS map.) Then it was on, up to our left, climbing gradually for the most part, through a number of paddocks and gates, until by various turns we reached what appeared a paper road. (About 3.7 kms on GPS map.) This formed a long ascending route to the point where we turned into a paddock again. (About 5.8 kms on the GPS map.) En route, we met up with the Neeehoff farm’s neighbouring owner. He reassured us he had been consulted, but it now became apparent that we had spent more time on his farm than the other! Ah well, another permission to prudently seek next time. It was in the new paddock that the mushroom pickers got really busy. There had been some mushrooms in the first paddocks, but here their number appeared endless. This led to a prolonged hunt by the aficionados while most went on to stop for lunch not too distant from one particular loiterer who shall remain unnamed. (6.1 kms on the GPS map.) Some great mushroom fry-ups would be on the menu that evening!

Around the head of the gully facing the luncheon eaters, we descended to the big gully again, but here bridgeless, with its water-way just a step (or more in some places) too wide. Many just plunged through, but the tail on the GPS map indicates a walk upstream for the few patient enough to wait to be led to the only dry one-step crossing. (About 6.7 kms on the GPS map.) From there we had to walk back along to our left and the corner of a paddock ahead, and wait for leader Arthur to switch off the hot wire of what we now knew to be the Neehoff boundary fence. (About 6.9 kms on the GPS map.) Once through the fence, ahead lay the long steep slog up the longest and principle of all those six ridges leading back up again, – also the nearest to the homestead. (Kms 7 and 8 on the GPS map.) Now we were back up onto the original paddock and soon back to the cars.

Well, this was one of the now controversial “both” walks, set down for Trampers to join with Hikers the first Wednesdays of the months. It was moderately hard only in respect to the steep climbs out of the gullies. But not particularly long or challenging. There were happily more Trampers than there had been recently, generously tolerating the slower pace of the Hikers for the sake of “Recreational” togetherness and getting to know fellow-club members better. Perhaps the emerging arrangement of this along with a track-clearing option on the same day, is becoming a way through of providing a flexibility of choice for Trampers to exercise in accordance with their own preference. – Ian

20/2/2013. Trampers. Neehoff Farm, Hindon.

22/2/1995. Neehoff Farm, Hindon. Medium. Leaders: Molly, Jack and Rosemary, Eleanor.

Berwick Waipori River walk

25/2/2015 Hikers. Heenan Road to Waipori River. Leaders: Peter and Elaine.

Thirteen Hikers parked their cars by a Lavender Farm in Heenan Road. The day turned out to be largely a road walk. We walked the length of Heenan Road into the face of a ferocious westerly that didn’t let up all day, and had forced us into our parkas for warmth. We passed the former Wesleydale Methodist Camp site on our right, sighted the paddock corner where the track to Three Kings went into the bush, looked up at Three Kings standing out at the top, and passed the stock shed a little further on, some of us noting that it marked the top end of the paper road that links with the Waipori Road at its foot. But the plan was to continue further to where the Road met up with Munro Road. Turning right into it we shortly stopped in the shelter of a plantation for a brief morning cuppa, the plantation providing a measure of shelter for the wind blast. We continued to the road’s end by a built-up and fenced-off reservoir with its gate wide open. Courious, we climbed up and came across two DCC workmen, one of whom was vainly paddling an inflatable dingy against the wind, eventually managing to get to the point where it could be pulled out of the water. Quite a sight. Forgot to take a photo. Ouch.

Past the dam,the road changed to a FWD track which in turn ended a paddock, down across which we went to a gate at its other end that led down to Waipori Road.

A short distance down we turned into Twelve Tree Road which led us to a paddock, across which was the metal stock bridge across the Waipori River. Peter went ahead on the pretense of having something to attend to, but when we got to the bridge there he was holding up a sign proclaiming “Bev’s Bridge”, due to her being one of the few who could walk across upright without having to bend her head to avoid hitting the low iron cross rods above. (See later pic taken on return trip.)

Instead of turning down stream, Peter led us up, through various gates and paddocks to a patch of bush which provided shelter from the wind as we sat in the sun and lunched.

Returning,…

Bev Bridge — The Bev Harvey Bridge. Caution – Height Limit. (to replace yet another forgotten photo-take on the way in)

…we came out at a different spot on the Waipori Road near the Mill Creek bridge and went along to return up the paddock we had come down earlier. Now with the wind behind us, returning was easier, and an obvious road allowed us to walk at our own rates.

Stone house in excellent condition (another after-thought photo)

Thanks to Peter and Elaine whose excellent leadership was helped by a compliant group, smaller than usual. – Ian.

3/4/2002 Combined. Berwick – Waipori River walk. Medium. Leaders: Bill H, Lesley S, Evelyn C

7/3/2001. Berwick. Waipori River Walk. Leaders: Bill H, Lesley S, Evelyn C.

Outram Glen and Traquair/Whare Creek. Cartwright Track

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

6. 15/9/2014.
Just been reading some of your website on this short track. You may like to know that when we were talking to the gentleman at the museum last week, he told us that the track was put in to take supplies of piping etc up the burn for the Outram water supply. Also, if you go to the end of that track, & then cross the burn, there is a track up the other side, & up there is a valve, & some old piping. So it seems that the track has nothing to do with the old mill that was there, as it got it’s water from the race that you & I found in the paddocks above the road.
He has some old photos of the area as well, but they are not very good ones. There is also a water wheel [working] at the museum, which I think he said was the old mill wheel. – Ken

5. 10/9/2014. Trampers. Outram Glen & Traquair/Whare Creek.

After a cool start to the day, the weather warmed up, & we had a good walk along the Outram Glen track to Lee stream, [where we discussed the possibilities of crossing the stream without getting very wet] & back. We had a couple of stops along the way, one was with the owner of one of the houses up the Chalkies track road. He tells us that the grumpy one has now gone, & the new owners are quite ok with groups like ours going down [or up] the track through their properties, then down [or up] their driveway. I think permission should still be sought first though, especially for the first time at least.We arrived back at the car for lunch, & then proceeded along to the short track that runs in from the one way bridge at the start of the George King Memorial Drive. this was a new walk for some in the group, & started up a discussion on the old mill that used to be there.
On the way back out, we decided to go up into the museum grounds, as this was also new for some in the party. We struck up a good conversation with one of the gentlemen working on the site, & he was most helpful with info on the old mill, it’s whereabouts, & where to find some old relics.
We arrived back at the carpark, just before the hikers returned.We walked approx 12.5km [didn’t take the GPS on the short track.]
ave. 4.2km/hr. – Ken.

4. 5/5/2012. Whare Creek Outram Council weir. Ken and Ian.

On a fine Monday afternoon and with permission and advice from the landowners, we explored down the bush track below the power lines to arrive at the water race that supplied the water that drove the old Outram Glen Flour Mill back in the early 20th Century.

Following the pink markers brought us to the point leading steeply down below the race to the creek and a weir. From Jim Sime’s later information, this was the Outram Council’s weir and pipe line to supply water for the Outram Water Supply tank, located above the Taieri Museum, now no longer in use. The weir was designed so that flood debris would wash right over it.

Old Outram Council Weir and piping, no longer in use.

Mr Sime said that the Flour Mill water race, higher up the bank, which he explored on an earlier occasion, leads on for a considerable distance to disappear at the face of a rock bluff, with no indication evident of how the fluming would have had to have been attached to the sheer rock. Mr Sime thinks that a pool yet further upstream at a streams’ confluence may well have been where the race might have begun.

Ken pic. Upstream from the weir, the creek winds round to the left.

3. 18/4/2012. Trampers. Outram Glen & Traquair/Whare Creek.

Seven of us took to the Outram Glen – Lee Stream track on an overcast & cool morning. We decided to have morning tea at Lee Stream, so we set off at a good pace, & we soon warmed up. The sun was out at Lee Stream, so a leisurely break was in order. We made our way back to the glen where we had lunch, & then we moved the cars down to the Traquair Burn bridge.

We made the short walk to the start of the Traquair Burn track & along this to the end, where we did a bit of exploring up the small tributary stream on the left. This quickly ran out of easily negotiated terrain, so we went back to the track end, & Ken went exploring up the Burn a bit further to see if it was possible to go upstream.

We returned to the cars via the Outram machinery museum grounds, where we had a good look around. – Ken

2. 23/4/2008. Trampers. Outram Glen & Traquair/Whare Creek.

Six trampers turned up at the car-park following a very stormy night to learn that the leaders, Ria and Hazel had, happily as it turned out, decided on Outram Glen instead of Whare Flat. They had carried out three Whare Flat recces only to find on each occasion tracks too overgrown to clear. We were delighted to find the reported upgrade of the initial flat (mostly) part of the Outram Glen track had been widened and metalled making for two-abreast walking. The remaining steeper bit however was literally, according to a DoC notice, “maintained to only route standard”. It was! But we made good progress arriving at the Lee Stream terminus at 11. It was there that Doug and Hazel discovered wild potatoes

Gathering potatoes near Lee Stream outlet.

of a very good size which Doug lugged back down the track for his meal table.
We lunched below the Taieri Historical Museum area prior to exploring a newly-cleared track up alongside the Traquair (or Whare) Stream – a new discovery for most of the group. Ian recounted how his Grandfather and family had owned the Flour Mill in a small area across the stream from 1911-1913 (the original Outram Glen), now buried under the present road corner alignment: a place once renowned for its gardens and picnic area for locals. Two houses, a mill, a fountain and an electric generator (which had earlier powered Outram’s street lights) as well as gardens had occupied the area. The buildings were destroyed by fire in 1918.

Fallen coloured deciduous leaves on an open area of the track would have kindled a painter’s imagination. We returned from where the track finally petered out, left wondering where it might have continued to in the past. Another satisfying day. – Ian

1. 23/4/2008 Leaders: Ria L, Hazel

Christie Gully, Big Stone Road, Otokia, McLaren Gully Rds

No. 50 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “McLaren Rd – Christies Gully Year Round”

Trampers Park Henley Road, to left of entrance from north end of flood free highway. 17 km from car-park.

Hikers Park Henley Road, to right of entrance from north end of flood free highway. 18 km from car-park.

9/7/2014. Hikers. Otokia, Big Stone, Christie Gully and Henley Roads. Leaders: Les and Margaret.

About to begin tramp — About to set off. (John panorama pic)

Morning Tea on a hump of Otokia Road. (John pic)

Road dip — The dip in the Otokia Road beyond the Morning Tea stop. (John pic)

Otokia sign — The road sign marking boundary between Big Stone and Otokia-Kuri Bush Roads. (John pic)

Christies Sign — The road sign by Margaret’s g/parents’ place where we turned off to steeply descend Christie Gully Road. (John pic)

13/6/2012. Hikers. Otokia, Big Stone, Christie Gully and Henley Roads. Leaders: Les and Margaret.

24/8/2011. Hikers. Otokia, Big Stone, Christie Gully and Henley Roads. Leaders: Les and Margaret.

27/7/2011. Trampers. Henley Road, Christie Gully Road, Big Stone Road, McLaren Gully Road SE along SH1 back in to cars on Henley Road extension. 3.5 to 4 hours. 15 km walk. Continue reading

Fort Hill, Barnes and Circle Hill Roads, Milburn.

No. 90 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Round Hill – Milburn (George) Farm”

42 km from car park.

2/6/2014 Both. Fort Hill, Barnes and Circle Hill Roads, Milburn. Moderate. Leaders: Ian, Ken

iPhone GPS of route. Shows shorter than actual because I forgot to turn it on until after the first half km! See also Ken’s GPS for his 2010 route map.

Twenty-six turned out for a sunny first tramp for the winter, on back country roads amongst lovely rolling hill farms to the west of Milburn.

Morning Tea at the Finch Road turnoff from Circle Hill Road. (Heb pic)

We lunched where Fort Hill Road ended at a T-junction with Barnes Road, which stretched left to meet Circle Hill Road, and right to form to form a larger route to also turn down Circle Hill Road at its end where both these roads joined to form Douglas Road.

Lunch. Panorama pic. — Panorama pic. (The black bit at pic bottom results from my inexpert handing of my panoramic app.) Lunch. Here, Barnes Road goes ahead (in the pic) for the shortcut route and to the right for the longer route.

Ken supplied this report regarding this spot. Thanks Ken. : “The people that did the longer walk, covered 15.2km; Moving time 3hrs 9min; We climbed 374mtrs. I guess the ones that took the shortcut walked about 11km.
I base this on the time taken for us to walk around the longer loop, & the ave speed was 4.8km/hr, & it took us nearly an hour to walk around the loop.”

As said before, the day was sunny and calm, and each ample time to make the climbing bits at bits own pace.

Just a personal thought for road walks. With the growing practice of wearing, and of availability of high-viz vests, a good idea would be for more than just the leaders to be wearing them.

And lastly. What is becoming the customary coffee stop was enjoyed this time at Waihola’s Black Swan. – Ian.

1/9/2010 Both. Fort Hill, Barnes and Circle Hill Roads, Milburn. Moderate. Leaders: Ian, Ken

GPS of route. The short-cut can be readily picked out. (Courtesy, Ken).

Continue reading “Fort Hill, Barnes and Circle Hill Roads, Milburn.”

Salisbury, Mill Stream Road, Silver Stream Road

21/5/2014.Trampers: Nth Taieri Church, logging site, Mill Stream Rd, Silver Stream Rd. Car Shuttle. M

Trampers GPS — GPS of route, courtesy Ken. We walked 12.6km; 4.1 km/hr; Climbed 595mtrs; Max elev 447mtrs.

4 intrepid trampers turned up to do a walk that had never been done before by the club. The weather was not looking good, but we set off to leave one car at the Silverstream end, then came back to the Nth. Taieri Church, and walked up the muddy paddock to the restored cottage, where we had an early morning tea break. After this we walked up the track along the valley, which we found to be quite difficult due to fallen bushes across the track. Once into the pine forest the going was a lot clearer, but much steeper, & we worked up a bit of sweat climbing through here, so it was off with some clothing. When the top was reached at the farm paddocks, the wind was very brisk [& cold] so wind break clothing was quickly donned again. The walk along the farm road was uneventful, but when we reached the logging road we had to watch out for the trucks using it.
We walked past the log processing site, & into City forests, [which I forgot to get permission for], and then onto a little used road which lead us to the top of Mill Stream Rd. There was a lot of deer sign down here, but we didn’t see any deer. After crossing Mill Stream, it was a climb up the other side of the valley, where we stopped in the shelter of the trees for lunch, …

Packing up after lunch. (Heb pic, Ken caption)

… then up again through the back of Strauss’s property to the end of Mill Stream Rd. & onto the track leading down into Silverstream valley, back to the car which we had parked in the farmer’s yard earlier in the day.

The weather was good all day except for a short shower as we came down the track into Silverstream valley, although the wind was quite cold all day.
Everybody agreed it was a good walk, and that they would do it again. – Ken

THE DREADED DEMON TRAIL – a private trip.

THE DREADED DEMON TRAIL

On Tuesday March 25th Judy Knox and two friends of long-standing, Jan and Brian, set off for the Hollyford Valley. After a night at Te Anau we were at the road-end by midday on Wednesday, and had a leisurely three-hour walk to Hidden Falls Hut. Next morning Brian discovered he had left his heart pills in the car, so did a quick return for them, and we proceeded to Alabaster Hut, extending the day’s tramping, for him , to almost nine hours.

Still feeling fit, we covered the next, longer, leg, from Alabaster to Demon Falls Hut, in eight hours – a bit over the suggested time, but we always take regular (hourly) rests, and our pace is steady but not fast, considering heavyish packs. The track from the road-end to Alabaster is great – wide and well-formed, with gentle gradients. However, from here on it becomes seriously rough, and very up and down, making pretty hard going.

Now the fun begins. It’s Friday morning. We get an early start (first light) and set off in good heart. But Jan rapidly develops a pain in her right knee and gets slower and slower. We take numerous rests, lighten her pack, and watch anxiously. The ups and downs are endless, the three-wire bridges a real problem for her, and the map gives no indication of how far it is to the next hut – Hokuri, supposedly about eight hours from Demon Trail Hut.

Daylight fades. We scramble on, now having to haul Jan over numerous obstacles. We have a look at her leg. The knee is badly swollen and barely takes her weight. Darkness falls. After thirteen hours tramping we call it a day, scramble off the waterfall of a track to a dry spot in the bush, and set up a fly camp. Lots of things to be thankful for. It’s fine and warm, and I am carrying my new poncho, which is large enough to open out into a fly, which we rig over a log and attach to our walking poles with bootlaces.

And we are carrying a locator beacon. Hot soup, and we settle for the night. Surprisingly we all sleep relatively well, in spite of the odd buzz of a mosquito and some light rain just before daylight. Hopefully the rest will help Jan’s knee and we can get to the hut in the morning.

No such luck. When she rolls out of her sleeping bag she can barely stand. We debate the options. Nothing for it but to set off the beacon, albeit reluctantly. We eat muesli and drink milo, then pack up and wait. Two hours later we hear the chopper approaching. It spirals down, and Brian and I frantically wave yellow pack liners until visual contact is made.

Looking up at the chopper (Judy pic and caption)

There is just a small window of sky visible, but the medic is winched safely down and makes a quick assessment.

Jan is strapped into a harness, her face rather ghostly white, and I don’t envy her as she spins wildly up …

Jan up — Jan spirals upward (Judy pic and caption)

… through the trees and into the chopper. The medic follows with her pack,

and suddenly we are alone again.

It’s only 45 minutes to Hokuri, but we agree Jan could never have made it. We spend a quiet afternoon at the hut recovering, before setting off next morning (Sunday) for Martins Bay, reached uneventfully in six reasonable hours.

It’s a beautiful place. Please, no roads around here! Next day we catch the jet boat up the lake, as previously arranged, and anxious to be reunited with Jan, walk the six hours from Alabaster Landing to the road end and the car, a welcome sight. We find her comfortably ensconced at the camping ground, using crutches to get around. It seems a ligament ‘blew up’, causing all the trouble.

In retrospect, we feel we handled the situation well. Maybe ‘oldies’ like us should not have tackled such a tough track in the first place, but by finishing the trip, Brian and I felt exonerated. We were lucky with the weather – rain would have made things a lot more difficult – but we were well-equipped and never felt in any serious danger.

High praise for the helicopter crew, and the fast efficient way in which they responded and carried out the rescue. – Judy

Motatapu

Away back about the middle of last year, while casting around for an adventure for the trampers, I came up with the idea of walking the Motatapu Track. After discussing this with a couple of others, it was decided to do the first 1/2 of the track only, as the logistics of getting cars to the other end was rather difficult. This track goes from the Glendu Bay end of Lake Wanaka, through to Macetown/Arrowtown via a walking track put in place by Soho Properties. It has 3 huts along it’s length which are very comfortable 12 bunk units.
We originally had 9 interested trampers, but this dwindled to 6 as time went on. We only had two informal meetings [one at the Waitati coffee shop, the other at Neil & Carole’s place] to sort out who was going to do what in the way of food, hut tickets, cars, etc.
4 of us left Mosgiel at 6am on the 4th March, to meet up with Neil & Carole in Wanaka, at Neil’s daughter’s place, where we quickly loaded up everybody’s packs with a share of the food supplies, had a cuppa, & then drove around to the start of the track …

Six intrepid trampers (Ken pic and caption) — Sign at the start. (Ken pic and caption)

… where 6 intrepid trampers set off on what we had been told many times was a rather hard slog.
It’s only 7 km to the first hut [Fern Burn], but when you are carrying 20+kg for the men & 15+kg for the women, & not used to it, it is quite a distance, & the track, apart from the first few kms, is narrow, & has some quite steep climbs, & drops along it’s length. One of the group [who shall remain nameless] pulled a muscle in a leg about 2 km from the hut, at a part of the most difficult/steepest section of the track & was unable to carry his pack, so Neil & I did a back & forward shuffle. We would carry our pack along the track a bit, then go back & pick up his, carry it forward some more, then go back for our own pack, & repeat the process, until we eventually got everybody, & everything to Fern Burn hut. As we sat around recovering, it was decided that the next day the injured party would stay at Fern Burn hut until the rest of us arrived back again. This meant that we could leave behind a small amount of our gear that we would not need for the next two days, so our packs would be marginally lighter.
The next morning 5 set off on the 2nd leg to go to Highland Creek Hut, which is about 6 km away, but a much more arduous section of the track, & climbs to about 1280 mtrs ASL. After what seemed like hours, & many rest stops, we finally reached…

We made it (Ken pic and caption) — We made it!! The top of Jack Hall’s Saddle. (Ken pic and caption)

… the top of Jacks Pass [1280 mtrs] to a majestic view of the surrounding valleys & snow topped mountains, where we had a well deserved rest & lunch. On looking down the imposing other side, …

Looking down (Ken pic and caption) — Looking down towards Highland Creek Hut (Ken pic and caption)

… [very narrow track along the top of a very steep, narrow ridge, with drops on either side] the ladies decided that they were not going any further, & that they would go back to Fern Burn hut. So it was left for me & Neil to decide what we would do. After discussing the prospect of having to climb back up the imposing track the next morning, we decided that, as we wouldn’t see much more than what we could from where we were, we would also go back to Fern Burn hut. I guess there was a sense of disappointment for us, that we wouldn’t fulfill our original idea of going to Highland Creek hut & back, but our tired bodies from yesterday’s efforts, told us that enough was enough. So we packed up after lunch, & headed back the way we had come. At least this time, it was mostly all downhill, …

Looking back (Ken pic and caption) — Looking back to Fern Burn Hut (Ken pic and caption)

… & we made good time back to Fern Burn hut, where our injured member was reasonably surprised to see all of us coming back. We had only one incident on the way back, when another party member [who shall also remain nameless] had a leg collapse under them & toppled over the track edge. This was done without any damage to body or equipment, so all ended well.
After another good evening meal, a night’s sleep, & some breakfast, we packed up in preparation for the walk back to the cars. This time we shared out most of the contents of the injured person’s pack between the other members of the party, & sent the injured member off on his own to see how he would manage, the rest of us following about 1/4 – 1/2 an hour later. I finally caught up with him when he took a rest stop, about 2/3rds of the way out, so there was no real problem getting everybody back to the car park.
We had brilliant weather all the time, not too hot, & just about right for tramping. All agreed it had been a hard 3 days, but was enjoyable. A good bunch to go away with, & we had a good few laughs along the way. – Ken.

Davies Track, Ben Rudd

Click Ben Rudd Article for background information.

Ross Creek, Lower Leith Valley, Wakari Rd Bike Park, McGouns, Pineapple and Davies Tracks – Information and Trips Library

5. 19/2/2014. Trampers. Pineapple, Ben Rudd, Davies.

GPS of route., courtesy Ken. (Anti-clockwise from Booth Road) 9.2 km; 3 km/hr; 3 hr 6 min moving time; 2 hrs stopped!!; Climbed 589 mtrs.

The group at the new seat. (Heb pic and caption)

Afternoon tea break at the bottom of Davies track. (Ken pic and caption)

Hazel in deep thought over her phone. (Ken pic and caption)

4. 23/3/2005. Both. Davies Track, Booth Road. Leaders: Annie G, Irene, Dot B, Bruce.

3. 10/11/1999. Warburnton Track from Booth Road – Ben Rudd. Leaders: Joyce, Nancy, Ria.

2. 8/11/1995. Warburton Track from Booth Road to Ben Rudd. Medium. Leaders: Doug and Ngaire, Chris, Joan H.

1. 5/7/1995. Warburton Track. Ben Rudd. Medium. Shorter trip available. leaders: Ria L, Doug & Ngaire, Denise.

Old Lee Stream Hotel and Valley

Abt 30 km from car park.

5. 30/10/2013. Trampers. Old Lee Stream Hotel and Valley.

GPS of route, courtesy Ken and Ian H. Distance 11.5 km; walking time 2 hr 52 mins; Ave 4 km/hr; Total ascent 376 mtrs.

A small group of keen trampers set off to Lee Stream Bridge on a fine day. The planned farm track turned out to be a formed, gravel road which we followed through lush, green paddocks across James Reid’s property. Half-an-hour of steady climbing led us to a morning tea stop by the patch of pines and then onwards and upwards to the top. The map route we were following stopped, but there was a timely meetup with the farmer-owner of the farm who showed us where to go to traverse the section not indicated on the map.

From the highest point on the farm (which was not very high) we looked across to Silver Peaks, Saddle Hill and over to Lea Stream School in the south-west. Due to snow, this school has the most non-school days in the country.

Further on, we looked down on the old Lee Stream Hotel nestled amongst the trees and from here we headed for our starting point reached by an easy downhill tramp across more paddocks and scattering ewes and lambs.

It was a very pleasant tramp of easy to moderate grade. – Neil.

4. 31/5/2000. Old Lee Stream Hotel and Valley. Lee Stream Ramble. Scorgies Farm. Leaders: Ria L, Catherine, Molly.

3. 27/7/1994. Old Lee Stream Hotel and Valley. Scorgies Farm. Medium. Leaders: Ted C, Jack R, Jack M, Bob H.

Great farmland round trip. Park cars up from Old Pub. Follow up the stream.

2. 15/5/1991. Old Lee Stream Hotel and Valley. A bit of history and nice rolling countryside. Easy. Leaders: Ted, Jack. Ivan, Shirley

1. 19/7/1989. Old Lee Stream Hotel. (Average). History pub. Follow up the stream. Leaders: Betty, Bob, Jean

Swampy from Access/Rollinsons Road

17/7/2013. Trampers. Rollinsons Rd, Rollinsons Track, Swampy Ridge track along to Hightop, & return.

4 trampers set out from the locked gate On Rollinsons Rd. which was a little icy in places & there was still some snow showing in parts as well. We were all amazed at the amount of destruction that the snow had caused, with 15cm Manuka splintered like matchwood, & everything sort of flattened.

We had morning tea in the shelter by the picnic area, & then climbed up to the elbow, where we went straight ahead on Rollinsons Track, which was running with water in parts, & covered with snow in other areas.

After reaching the Swampy Ridge track we set off towards Hightop, but soon found our way impeded by fallen Manuka. We negotiated this for a kilometer or two before arriving at a very large & difficult blockage, so as it was almost mid-day, we decided to have lunch, & then return to the cars. – Ken.

31/3/2010. Trampers. Rollinsons, Swampy Ridge, Hightop. Leaders: Ria, Ian

The tramp differed from intentions. For one thing, the leaders had done no recce due to a failure to find a date suitable to both. For another, it had been four years since we had last tackled the track, and memories were a little hazy. Going in from the elbow of Rollinson Road, we were first surprised to find the Rollinson Track sign missing, replaced by one announcing “Tarns”. We wondered at this, but were pleased to find the track fairly well marked by fluorescent pink tape.

Continue reading “Swampy from Access/Rollinsons Road”

Trig Q, Steve Amies track tramps

No. 57 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Trig Q from Whare Flat. N Strang. Key from WEA. Year Round”

15 km from car-park.

Racemans, Steve Amies Loop,Coal Creek – Information and Trips Library

9. 1/5/2013 Both. Steve Amies. Leaders: Ian and George.

This time we left from the schoolhouse, making it more of a road walk. We had morning tea on the lower Rollinson Rd and lunch in the track clearers’ picnic area, after inspecting the helicopter landing pad a little beyond.

As we returned down the road, we were surprised to see the helicopter, and shortly after the tank truck making their way towards where we had been. Apparently this was the day to carry out the weed spraying we had been notified about – and we were now making a timely exit. A tramp for 25 of us and of 10.5 km according to Peter’s pedometer and 25. – Ian.

8. 1/2/2012 Both. Steve Amies from Access Road. Leaders: Arthur and Barbara.

Sixteen of us left our cars at the locked gate on Rollinson access Rd and made our way up to the Track Clearers’ Picnic area. The leaders took us round many of the little nooks and crannies (they just seem to multiply of their own accord), stopping to inspect the labels fronting each bush planting. Of poignant note in front of one bush was a label printed with the name of Les Murcott, whose funeral a number of us had attended only a fortnight earlier.

We stopped off for our tea break.

Arthur led us down and across to Trig Q, and then on down Little Coal Creek until we got to the look-out. We careful negotiated some quite steep parts of the track and avoided any casualties. Then came the more arduous climb back up to the trig and across to the Steve Amies.

This latter track had a much more moderate decline (we stuck to only its upper reaches!), past another look-out, before making another turn around further down, to wander back up to the trig and on to the picnic area for lunch.

On the way across the wee saddle, we stopped to investigate the meaning of a sign indicating a sheltered area, whose side track opened out to a large open area in the bush, marked with a large white wooden equal-armed cross, laid flat on the grass. After some discussion, we decided the area was also to serve as a helicopter emergency landing spot. (There was even a ‘waiting room’ bench for passengers.)

Back up at the picnic area, our leaders discovered for us yet another alcove with ample tables and seats for a comfortable lunch.

A smaller one. (Admire Bruce’s head attire.)

Our leaders took us out to the road by a route different from the one we had entered by, and lo and behold, a salubrious shelter, doubtless erected by the track clearers for their comfort. Bravo.

Then we had only a stroll back down Rollinson Road to the cars. A leisurely 5.5 km walk, (as measured by two with their measuring devices.) Thank you, Barbara and Arthur for your careful leadership. – Ian.

7. 18/3/2009. Hikers. Steve Amies from Access Rd Hikers E+ Bev H, Joyce S

6. 25/7/2007. Hikers. Access Road, Steve Amies. Leaders: Bob H, Graham.

click to enlarge

Picnic Area nr Trig Q Fred, Marjorie, Joyce, Angela, Mollie, Wendy, Bev, Peter, Margaret, Elaine, Lesley

5. 19/5/2007 Trig Q from Silverstream via Steve Amies track. Steve Amies Track Circuit Leaders: Ria L, Hazel

4. 27/7/2005. Hikers. Steve Amies, Trig Q. Bob H, Les W, Mary M.

3. 2/2/2000. Trig Q from Silverstream via Steve Amies track. Steve Amies Track Circuit Leaders: Peter B, Lex

2. 23/10/1996. Trig Q. Average. Leaders: Margaret and Les, Doug J.

1. 7/6/1995 Trig Q from Whare Flat School. Medium+. Shorter trip available. Leaders: Bob H, George, Jack R, Nancy