Dunedin Hills
25-26 February 2017
Guess we all go to Dunedin often enough, but don’t usually have time to explore it’s hills. Having members from Dunedin – Helen and Rodney, it seemed a good opportunity to use their local knowledge. With some venturing down on Fri night [for a nice pizza meal] others chose the option of an early start on Sat.
Eventually 13 of us congregated at Outram to head up into Horsehoof Station to make an ascent of Maungatuas via their Woolshed Road (from the north) and with a key key to their locked gate. With a party doing a longer route and one a shorter – we met by the aerials. Then the harder work began though thick scrub to a solitary rocky outcrop, then onto the Trig point at 895 m taking almost 3 hours. Views from the Kakanuis, Hawkduns, Strath Taieri, and south into Southland’s Blue Mountains.
After locating a pretty tarn, we ventured back down, having plenty of time to ready ourselves for a pleasant Thai meal in town.
Next morning the day dawned bright and sunny for us to venture out onto The Peninsula. A couple of differing routes took us up the summit of Harbour Cone, with a 3rd route taken by some to descend. What amazing 360 views!!
Travelling on NE-wards we had quite a trek to the Pyramids, onto Victory Beach and Okia Reserve,
being fortunate enough to have low tide so that we could see 156 year-old steamer wheel in the surf of the SS Victory ship that sunk off the shores on the pristine beach in 1861 .
Great to meet up with and be guided by the very informative Rodney and Helen, plus to have Tim and Betty and Ann from the Taieri, and N.O-iItes Roz, Chris, Mike, Ross, John, Karyl, and Jenni. We will so more exploring of Dunedin’s gems. Jane G
