| Leader | Mentor | Tail Ender | |
| Standards & Alternates | Alan | Selwyn | Judy R |
Distance 8km, elevation gain 485m, time 4hrs 20min
24 trampers braved the morning’s cold, windy and damp weather spilling over from Easter’s deluge. After an initial “false start” resulting in 20 minutes’ delay, the bus delivered us to the Sign of the Bellbird car-park around 10:00am. The decision was then taken to combine the standards and alternates into one group for the day’s hike.
We commenced walking on the western loop, taking Orongomai track, descending 200 metres in muddy and slippery conditions on the track – some care with footing was needed. On the way we experienced some birdsong from the odd bellbird, sightings of a fantail and significant waterflow in the two adjacent gully creeks.
We arrived back at the Bellbird at around 11:30am for our 20 minute morning tea.
After our break, in improving weather, we crossed the Summit Road to the harbour side, heading south towards Cass Peak on the Cass Ridge Track, encountering a half dozen or so walkers ascending from Governor’s Bay.
At the bush gully sign we turned north, descending 280 metres or so, then sidling along the lower slopes for about 1km on O’Farrells track.
At the junction of the Bush Road track we began to climb again. After ascending for about 100 metres we were able to stop for lunch at 1:30pm in the sun, at a point with views over the harbour from Governor’s Bay and Allandale.
At about 2pm we were climbing again towards the Bellbird on the Bush Road track. At the Summit Road the standards took Ella’s track, and the alternates, the Crater Rim Walkway, both groups arriving back at the Bellbird about 2:30pm having completed the eastern loop.
Text by Stuart C
