Orbells Cave – Three O’clock Stream Sunday 14 June 2015
Back up Orbells Creek
Looking down Three O’Clock Stream Cave
Looking up Three O’Clock Stream
Lunch near the Cave
Orbells Cave
Orbells Cave
Orbells Creek
The Party
The day dawned fine with a reasonable forecast as eleven trampers in three vehicles left Oamaru at 8am and headed south, picking up another at Maheno and the thirteenth at Waikouaiti. There, they turned inland for the 24km drive over Buckland’s Crossing, and along the winding, narrow, gravel, ridge-top Blucher and Lamb Hill roads to the Bendoran Huts. The weather looked increasingly threatening as we headed south, and we were met by a cold southerly wind and light drizzle as we kitted up. We parked opposite a gateway about 200m north of Bendoran Huts and, just before 10am, set forth through the gate on a little used 4wd track, up over a hilltop and down a ridge to meet up with Orbells Creek. From here on the route was sheltered from the weather and the walking pleasant. After a short snack stop, we continued down the track which followed the creek all the rest of the way down, mostly on the true left but with a short stretch on the opposite side before recrossing by some yards a few minutes before spotting the cave in the schist rock face above the true left of the stream just on 12.30pm. After exploring the caves, we found a sheltered spot for lunch nearby. About 1.15, three trampers headed downstream for the 15 min walk to the broad valley of the Three O’clock Stream into which Orbells Creek flows and which, in turn, joins the Taieri River near Hindon. Meantime, the remaining ten, with a wary eye on the increasingly threatening weather, headed back up the valley. The three caught up with the ten near the top, to be greeted by a biting southerly gale and needle-like sleet across the exposed hilltop at around 4pm. Fortunately, the squall was short lived, particularly as one vehicle had a flat tyre which required changing in difficult conditions. That achieved, the party headed home, back to sunny North Otago. Enjoyment and exercise were had by Vanessa, Marcel, Phyllis, Maurice, Noel, Linda, Jac, Roz, Neville, Jane, Bill, Sam and John.