Trip Reports
Trotter’s Gorge Working Bee
Friday, July 16th, 2021
23 May 2021
Seven keen trampers, armed with loppers and clippers, set off from the Trotters Gorge car park and up the track past the Otago University hut to the junction where the tracks diverge, with one branch heading west up Trotters Creek and the other going north up an unnamed creek to Dave’s Track. There the party split, with four going west and three north; it was agreed to regather at the junction at 2 o’clock.
The Trotters Creek team succeeded in clearing the track right through to the boundary of the Reserve, providing good access for anyone heading in that direction. The Dave’s Track crew found the track to be much more overgrown than expected and progress accordingly much slower, getting around half-way along the track.
Thanks to Phyllis, Maurice, Ross, Julian, Neville and Robbie for a good day’s work. John.
Mt Cargill
Friday, July 16th, 2021
Sunday 4 July 2021
Five trampers set off at 9.45 am from the Bethunes Gully car park in north Dunedin, having driven the 114 kms from Oamaru. The day was fine – not a cloud in the sky – and brisk, with a heavy frost in the secluded valley. The track is dual purpose in its lower reaches, although no mountain bikes were seen, and it winds steadily at a reasonable gradient up from Lindsay Creek. It initially passes through stands of towering conifers with native undergrowth, but this soon changes to lowland native forest, becoming more stunted as it climbs and transiting to subalpine associations dominated by Dracophylla near the top. At about the half-way point, a short loop track goes off to the east, where we stopped for smoko. We then re-joined the main track via the apparently unused return leg of the loop and carried on to reach the top ridge shortly before midday. There we turned left for the final 20 minutes up to the summit, dominated by the 105 metre television mast.
We loitered on the summit to take in the 360o panorama, from the snow-clad Lammerlaws and Rock and Pillars in the west, past the Silverpeaks and Horse Range to the deeply sculpted coastline to the north, the spectacular Otago Harbour in the east and Dunedin City to the south. We then returned down the track to settle in a sunny, sheltered nook overlooking Blueskin Bay for lunch.
Lunch over, we set off at 1 o’clock back down to the track junction where we took the east branch. This headed gently down into a saddle, past Buttars Peak and reaching the famous Organ Pipes after about half an hour’s walking. As we sat admiring the standing basalt columns of the ‘pipes’ high above us, we speculated about what had brought down the many pipes in the jumble where we sat and the chances of more falling on us.
The return journey, retracing our steps, took 1 ½ hours to reach the carpark at 3.15. All agreed it had been a great day with interesting bush, spectacular views and perfect tramping weather. The numerous walkers of all ages, many with dogs, and runners we had met seemed to share that view. Those enjoying it were Sylvia, Uwe, Bev, Margaret and John.
Otago Round the Harbour Bike ride
Monday, May 17th, 2021
Sunday 16 May 2021
Dunedin Cycling day around Otago harbour 16th May
After an anxious week watching the weather, it turned on a good day for us for our cycle trip.
We met at Port Chalmers to group up and enjoy a coffee etc before heading around to Back Beach. The ‘Port to Port’ ferry was booked for us to sail at 11.00. Rachel was amazing at loading the 10 ebikes and 5 real bikes into what appeared an impossible space. It all went like clockwork, and we enjoyed a thorough commentary as we crossed the water.
As we landed at Broad Bay, we had a warm up peddle of 3.5km back to Portobello. This involved a small section that is the final part of the cycle-way construction. Meeting Marion there, we had our total of 16, to head into a bit of a wind as we wandered along the almost flat trail to a Macendrew Bay Cafe for lunch.
Once well nourished, it was totally flat but interesting riding on the water’s edge to head into Dunedin for another meet up at the ‘Teeth’. The next section through the industrial and port areas has a specific bike track, a little harder to follow, but I knew all the turns to get us onto the W Harbour Trail out to it’s finish at St Leonards.
From there we headed onto conveniently placed back-roads, that would eventually lead us back into Port Chalmers. There were a few hilly parts on this section, but we all eventually made it back to the vehicles, without loosing anyone or any accidents or brake-downs.
Thanks to Lyn, Barbara, John, John, Graham, Chris, Les, Ross, Judith, Karyl, Georgie, Noel, Linley, Kim and Marion for a good day! Jane
Herbert Forest Tracks Working Bee
Monday, March 15th, 2021
A beautiful day for it and 10 of us turned up at the Swallows Carpark. The Hoods Creek Track was the recipient of most of our attention, it was in great need of good tidy up and it got it. The human chainsaws swung into action and most of the tree falls were cleaned up leaving just some of the bigger trees for a Port Blakely crew to do. A thorough haircut all around and some step filling and a minor track realignment took us past lunchtime. Some of the crew went down and up the Swallows while one went down the Podocarp to put 3m of new chicken netting on the first decent bridge near the Glenburnie Track junction.
So bar some minor cutting jobs on the remainder of the Podocarp and Loop and Glenburnie the tracks are very good.
At the conclusion while waiting at the Swallows Carpark there were 10 cars parked there and more still arriving, very popular place on such a great day. Some folk cottoned onto us scruffy trampers and thanked us for the work we do on the tracks, it was nice to be appreciated.
So, a very big thanks to those who made it, a great effort with lots achieved. Hope your ankle is behaving Karyl, Cheers Robbie
Arthur St School Guided Walk
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021
With one group of students in the morning and a group in the afternoon, we talked about tramping safety, gear, weather, and looking after the environment. Following our talk at Camp Iona, we went for a bush walk for about 50 minutes up the road and then down through the bush to the river. Once at the river, we demonstrated a river crossing technique. Then each group of four students plus one adult practiced that technique. Probably most of all, they enjoyed the cairn building exercise.
Thanks to Guides Jane, Margaret and John. Bess
