Orbells Cave
Sunday 8 September 2024
It was a good day for tramping: clear blue sky, warm sun, but with a strong westerly gale and some rain forecast for late afternoon. As it happened, the wind dropped as the cloud came in mid-afternoon and the rain held off until we were on the way home. The drive in was long – 98 km, 24 km of which was on gravel roads in behind Waikouaiti. Blucher Road wound tortuously along a ridge south-east from Bucklands Crossing, then turned south to become Lamb Hill Road which wound its way some more to the Bendoran Huts where it became a farm track. It was a spectacular drive with tussock clad peaks, deep valleys, hairpin bends, switchbacks and steep drop-offs.
Ten trampers had left Oamaru in three vehicles, picking up another at Maheno and the twelfth at Waianakarua. We parked by the Bendoran Huts and, just on 10 o’clock, started walking a couple of hundred metres down the road to turn left through a gate up a short hill before turning downhill and south-west, walking into the teeth of the fierce westerly. The 4wd track we were following wound around the hill before turning down a side stream to meet Orbells Creek at the bottom by some stock yards. Across the creek was a prominent rock which offered some shelter and, as it was now after 10.30, we settled down for morning tea on a sunny bank beside some stock yards.
After smoko, we took a track which climbed up the hill behind us and down the other side to meet the creek again. (On the return journey, we spied a track which followed Orbells Creek on the true left and would have avoided this hill.) We crossed the creek and followed it for a short distance before leaving it to climb 200 metres over a saddle and drop down to a side stream. Rather than follow the track which climbed again, we decided to sidle down the valley to the left. Some went down the true left, others on the right. Some on the left crossed to the right; those on the right crossed to the left and back to the right on meeting the main creek which had followed a big loop to the south. Routes were available down both sides until the valley opened out where the destination caves could be seen in a prominent schist rock face above the true left. A short walk down the creek, through some yards, across the creek and up a short climb took us to the caves: two large openings in the rock offering airy shelter. One had a small spring which watered a small patch of lush grass. Both had clearly provided bedding for livestock, so care was needed in selecting luncheon seating.
We had reached the caves shortly before 1 o’clock and enjoyed lunch on the sunny hillside below the caves. From there we could look down the valley to the Three O’clock Stream which Orbells Creek flows into and which, in turn, joins the Taieri River near Hindon. At 1.30 we set off on the return journey, climbing four hills to reach the cars at around 4.30. A fairly strenuous day in interesting country new to many was enjoyed by Rex, Lorena, Bess, Julian, Lynette, Neville, David, Keith, Jenny, Jane, Robbie and John.
