Blackcap & Scout Hill
Sunday 1 December 2024
This tramp took in a circuit of tussock run country between the Hectors Creek and the South Branch
of the Kakanui River. It started at the end of Turnbulls Road which turns off Dunrobin Road which, in
turn, turns off Kakanui Valley Road north of Five Forks.
The route started south across gently rolling country to and then along Black Cap Road with a short
diversion to climb the eponymously named Black Cap (769 metres), with its cap of dark basalt rocks
and the remains of a trig. Back on the road, the route wound down to cross a low saddle between
Hectors and Mole Hill Creeks before tackling the 200 metre climb to the top of Scout Hill (892
metres). It then dropped down, past some organ-pipe like volcanic outcrops and a mob of Hereford
cows and calves to Scout Hut, where the group stopped for lunch.
Lunch was followed by a 2 ½ Km northerly walk up Mole Hill Road to a gate on the right which led
out over a flattish area before a grassy track showed the way. It wound down a ridge, then
descended steeply in a zig-zag to the Mole Hill Creek, some 300 metres below the road. A bulldozed
track then followed a narrow gully up the other side before coming out on to a flattish top, 200
metres above the creek. It then wound through a densely tussocked flat and back out on to the track
leading to the cars. The 21 km walk had taken 7 hours and had been enjoyed by Mary and Geoff,
Helen and Rodney, Linda and Neill, Lynette and Julian, Lorena, and John.
