| Group | Leader | Mentor | Understudy | Tail Ender |
| Standards | Dave R | Alan H | Gary | Sally |
| Alternates | Norma | Jan Bbr | Margaret S | Pauline |
Stats: distance 14.8km, ascent 720m, time 4hrs 30mins
With Viktor driving there were 48 trampers and 5 visitors: Steve Gray, Hetty Syme, Jaki Horn, Daphne Hazelgrove and Pip Lynn. It was a mizzly sort of morning as we boarded the bus – brightened by masks of various hues and sorts worn as required in Covid’s current red light setting. The day brightened a little on our way to a new tramp on Banks Peninsula’s volcanic hills.
The first people to settle in this area around 1300AD were descendants of explorer Rākaihautū, founding ancestor of the Waitaha. The story is told that following his arrival in Whakatū, Nelson with his kō or digging stick, Rākaihautū travelled south, digging out the lakes and rivers of Te Waipounamu. Among these are the lakes we drove by: Te Waihora, Lake Ellesmere and Wairewa, Lake Forsyth. Each lake has a story which is part of a larger narrative. Te Waihora is called Te Keteika-a-Rākaihautū (Rākaihautū’s fishing basket).
We had a comfort stop at Little River’s railway station (the terminus of a branch railway from 1886 until 1962). Apparently Little River was also a coaching stop on the way to Akaroa, and developed as a sawmilling settlement, supplying timber to Christchurch.
On the Okuti Valley Road, past the Little River Campground our walk started with a gentle climb through the Okuti Valley Scenic Reserve. This is a remnant of lowland forest with kahikatea, tōtara, māhoe and kānuka. And we spotted a box for ruru.
Most of the walk was through farmland. Invigorating walking. Outwards to French Peak and returning the same way. While the cloud looked as though it might lift, it didn’t and so the Standard group didn’t reach French Peak, instead stopping and lunching below with pine trees and cows for company. The conversation was as ever an enjoyable part of the walk. In light of recent Omicron related media stories and the suggestion that people over 6o stay home and lock down what might be the response if we got lost in the mist? And quite unrelated, a hot tip for an unexpectedly good tipple from Charteris Bay – Whistling Buoy 2016 Pinot Noir.
The return walk was mostly downhill, and we were back at the bus early enough for there to be a chunk of the afternoon remaining when we got home. It was a good refreshing day out despite the clouds and missing out on the French Peak views. Thank you to all for making it so.
