| Leader | Mentor | Tail ender | |
| Standards | Tony | Warren | Shirls |
| Alternates | Ray | Ali | Nicky |
Distance 14 km Duration 4 ½ hours
After last week’s awful weather and the ensuing cancellation, 42 eager trampers were keen to enjoy the fine conditions and workout that lay ahead.
Jen welcomed our visitors, Stuart and Hailey, and our driver, Tony. Despite Stuart travelling by car and meeting us at Sumner, I’m sure he felt the good vibes. A different sort of treat was handed around the bus – a bag of One Square Meals. Graham was duly thanked and his warning that they were quite hard and might need a soften up before we risked dental failure on our first bite, was noted. One member was particularly delighted – taking the product name at face value and deciding that Wednesday night’s dinner was sorted!!
We soon arrived at Sumner where the 31 walking with the Standards alighted and headed off up Whitewash Head Road for the start of the Flowers track. The Alternate group remained on the bus to be deposited at Evans Pass.
The Standards were enjoying the stunning coastal views while negotiating the somewhat slippery conditions underfoot. An early morning tea was called so that we could watch a paraglider launch himself from the clifftop. Our leader seemed to be kept quite busy helping untangle and move gear for the would-be flier which begs the question, “How would he have managed if we weren’t there?” We were very pleased to see him safely launched and staying aloft, at least while we were watching. It seemed like a perfect day for this leisure activity also. We soon heard the two-minute warning, quickly followed by the one-minute and then the five-second, so no excuses for not being ready to move on.
We descended to Taylor’s Mistake via the switchbacks which reminded me that the year before, walking with the Alternates, they had to be conquered coming uphill at the end of the day. A bit of a challenge when the legs are tired. In response to one member’s query how the bay got its name, Google confirms the commonly held belief that it was named after a ship’s captain who mistook it for Lyttelton Harbour. Surely Captain Taylor was navigating in extremely challenging conditions, or had he exceeded the daily ration of rum? However, it has been known as such since at least 1853, so a mistake that has become part of our local lore.
Arriving at the turn off for the short descent to Boulder Bay quite a few of the Standards opted not to visit this quaint beach with the remnants of times past, but continued up to Scott’s Hut where we waited for the others to join us. “The Cabin” is one of four prefabricated huts sent to Antarctica on Robert Falcon Scott’s second polar expedition, 1910 – 1913. It was intended for meteorological observations but none of the party could be spared for these tasks, so was never erected. After its return to Lyttelton it was utilised as a garden shed on a Clifton property before being gifted and moved to its present location after the 2010/11 earthquakes. It must have the most sublime views in the region.
Just before we reached our lunch spot at Godley Head we encountered another group of hikers descending. “Oh, it’s the Alternates” we exclaimed, thinking what good time they had made. On reaching the rest area we found a group from the Kaiapoi Walking Club in residence but there was plenty of room for all.
After lunch the single lane track winds its way around the Lyttelton side of the Summit Road with gorgeous views of the water to Purau and Diamond Harbour. We appeared to be moving along at a good pace and sure enough we reached the bus at the top of Evans Pass shortly after 2.00pm. Arriving back in Sumner we were assured there was time for an ice cream or coffee and on the way to the beachfront shop we once again met our Alternates. They were quick to shed their packs, change footwear and join us for a quick refreshment. Keen to include news of their day, I approached several for comment but received very conflicting information. One said the 190+ steps were quite a challenge. Another said, “What steps?” Let’s leave it that they too had a fabulous day in a special place close to our city.
Text by Jan Bw
