Scope:
This page of club tramps and hikes in the area West SH87 groups together trips to the Middlemarch area including Shannon and Sutton. (map)
Background Information:
Road distances from Mosgiel carpark.
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.
How to Get There:
Stonehurst Track – take SH87 to Sutton / Middlemarch. Just over the rail line at Sutton turn left onto McHardy Road then right onto Gladbrook Road. Start of track is about 1 km on left on Gladbrook Road – see DOC sign post.
Sutton Salt Lake – take SH87 to Suttom / Middlemarch. Turn left onto Kidds Road (before rail crossing). Sutton Salt Lake Reserve is approx 2.5km from turn off on the left.
Links to tramps and hikes in this area:
26/02/2025 Stonehurst Track. Grade 4. Trampers. Leaders: Jill Reid, Sylvie Watt.
Middlemarch Area Tramps. 2023 – 1988 (16 trips with 13 reports, 1 with photos only, 2 no reports)
Jones Property, Matarae. 2022 (1 trip with 1 report)
Shannons Farm Walk. 2023 – 2020 (3 trips with 3 reports)