Distance 9.5/8.8km, vertical ascent 338m, time 4hrs

The walk to Leith Hill Slump and on to the limestone rocks at Kura Tāwhiti (Castle Hill) is a favourite of mine and it must be a favourite of many in the club because our bus was full with 48 trampers on board.

The day was fine and sunny, and the temperature was good for walking – not too hot and certainly not cold.  A light northeast breeze refreshed us.

The leader of the standard group of 31 was Selwyn and in a break from tradition (!!) he began the day with a short briefing on what we could expect.  He asked how many hadn’t done the walk before and then assured them (and the rest of us) that they were in for a wonderful treat.  We were to expect beautiful native bush, plenty of birdsong from the resident korimako (bellbirds) and great views when we got above the bush line.  Selwyn explained the route to be taken noting that we’d begin by following the Hogsback Track then some logging tracks through beech forest before morning tea at the Thomas River.  Lunch would be at the Leith Hill Slump after which we’d sidle along the lower slopes of Leith Hill and out to the highway at the famous limestone rocks at Kura Tāwhiti.

And it all happened as Selwyn enthusiastically predicted!

The alternative group of 17 followed much the same route except that at the start of their walk they bypassed the meander through the logging tracks and the Thomas River in favour of a more direct attack on the steepish climb up to the lunch stop.

Something I looked for as we emerged from the bush just before lunch was any noticeable sign of the devastating fire that burnt just north of this area for five days in December last year, but we were too far away to see anything. The views closer at hand of the Castle Hill basin were great although not as spectacular as when doing this walk in winter surrounded by snow-capped peaks.

As the standard group arrived at the slump just before 12, the alternative group members were swallowing the last of their lunches and they soon headed off to get a head start on the second part of the walk. They kept up a brisk pace because we standards didn’t manage to catch up with them until right back at the bus.

Apart from Selwyn’s enthusiastic briefing at the start, there were no dramas to report – just a very pleasant ramble through the bush and farmland (with permission) of the Canterbury foothills.  The alternative group experienced something of high-country farming life at the end of their walk when they met a large flock of sheep being herded expertly by Castle Hill Station staff and their trained sheepdogs.

After a stop for refreshments in Darfield we arrived back at Bishopdale at about 4pm. A successful day out. Thanks to the many club members who planned, organised, and led the trip.

Text by Warren

Departing Castle Hill Village

Morning tea Thomas River

Stds on Leith Hill Track

Lunch at Leth Hill Slump

Views…

Rocks…

Stds muster at Kura Tawhiti Rocks

Kowai River – the alternate tale of a cancelled tramp

The club was booked for 39 members to walk to Kowai River. The weather was not co-operative for this week (again…) and thus at 0645hrs, this member looked at the cancellation message and went back to sleep.

It was thus with a great surprise that it was 0915hrs when the member again awoke. This is definitely an irregular occurrence, but can be handled with a degree of nonchalance. Followed by a leisurely breakfast and diligent reading of The Press.

So what to do, instead of walking along a 4WD track with the alternates along the true right of the Kowai River (true right being the right bank when facing downstream)? Of very great interest was the return of the astronauts from the International Space Station, two of whom had been stranded in space for nine months. It was breath taking to accompany from afar and watch the drogue parachute deploy and read that Donald and Elon had (apparently) been instrumental in this safe return (?!?). The AI display didn’t quite match the commentary, which was distracting as there was some simultaneous muffin making going on.

But there they were, there they had been, and now they’re back on Earth. I had a lingering curiosity as to what exercise had been done in space, and how they managed to retain a degree of sanity from having been confined for so long. My days out in the hills with a wide variety of companions and conversation are far preferable to being so restricted, though I’m a bit too old for space travel.

Anyway, I was going to be trip writer today and regale a tale or two of the walk to the John Hayward Hut. Instead, I shall leave you with an historic tale of this area, as allowed by the duties of trip writer.

In August 1976 a foursome set out along the Kowai River to do a winter climb of Mt Torlesse. There was a strong nor’west and from the city, the mountains looked inky black. As the weather began to close in, the two women in the party retreated. The menfolk carried on, as menfolk are wont to do, with no discussion or yielding to inclement conditions. The womenfolk waited at the little red roadman’s hut at the bottom of Porters Pass. They waited and they waited, and eventually notified Police that two of their party were overdue on Mt Torlesse.

As written, the weather was not good. In fact, the weather was so appallingly bad on Mt Torlesse that the menfolk reached the top in a blizzard. After several attempts to descend in whiteout conditions, and knowing that there were broad ridges which ended in bluffs, they decided that the best thing would be to wait out the storm. Both were experienced trampers/climbers so utilising their ice axes and a billy, they dug an ice slot near the lee of the summit and lined this with packs and some plastic, topping it with a carry mat which was covered with snow.

The piece de resistance was anchoring an ice axe in the snow at the summit with the billy a’top, and running a climbing rope down to the shelter. The duo then squeezed into a sleeping bag that had been stowed in one pack, and enjoyed a couple of peanut bars, limited rations indeed – after all this was a training trip for a proposed walk in the Himalayas. Carrying a billy and a sleeping bag on a day climb of Mt Torlesse was probably excessive but fortuitous.

Of course, Search and Rescue was deployed, and after a very anxious night for the womenfolk, several groups were out from daylight searching the surrounding areas, with a base at the roadman’s hut. The Face Rescue team was flown as high as possible up the peak. Members of this team climbed to the summit and found the billy, ice axe and snow encrusted rope leading down to the ice slot. The two men were essentially OK though cold, but pleased to be escorted to the waiting helicopter, and soon safely delivered to the women still waiting at the red hut.

One of the men didn’t go on the trip to Himalayas, reconsidered the idea, and instead ended up getting married a few months later to the trip writer who had been waiting at home through the drama. The incident was a watershed moment (for the couple), but was never followed by an attempt by me on Mt Torlesse, nor a walk along the true right of the Kowai River. Forty-nine years later and the weather again didn’t work out. I did however manage a nine km walk to visit a friend.

Text by Marie-Therese

A few weeks ago, Chris S issued a call to arms (well, saws and loppers actually) to mount another attack on wilding pines (Pinus Contorta) in the Waimakariri Basin and 5 carloads of trampers headed west, keen to lay waste to the pesky blighters. They are extremely invasive and ECan has been working to eradicate them for many years using aerial spraying, commercial firms and volunteers like us. The Bishopdale Tramping Club is one of many organisations helping in an area where we do about 8 tramps each year.

The area was on the south end of Flock Hill where it borders Castle Hill, some distance back from the road and in a different area to previous missions. On the side of the track was a Battlefield sign which, your scribe assumes, was an area used in the Lord of the Rings movies. The limestone was truly spectacular with one long high ridge looking like the battlements of a large castle.

But we were not there to gawk at the scenery – there was work to do. And what work it was! It soon became apparent that the pines would not be a pushover as in the past. They would require a lot of effort and steely resolve to remove them. Even the small ones could not be pulled out with brute force. Many were around 2 metres tall and finding the base was just the first issue. They had to be sawn off at ground level and all traces of green pine needles removed. Jan M and Chris S surmised that they had been grazed by deer so the pines had toughened up.

The calls for morning tea and lunch were eagerly received but when the final whistle went at around 3pm there was a collective sigh of relief. It had been slow, hard progress but we could see where we had removed quite a few trees. On the positive side, we left enough trees for another group of volunteers. We just hope that happens before the next call to arms.

Text by Peter M

17 Volunteers coordinated, 4 high-clearance vehicles provided, a day suited to everyone, fine weather, a location teed up – ducks in a row, good to go.

Having met up at Yaldhurst for a final check-in we were on the road to Castle Hill Village to meet up with Ray Goldring, Deputy Chair of WELRA (Waimakariri Ecological and Landscape Restoration Alliance), to collect loppers, saws and hi-vis vests.  He was going to guide us to our pine patch on Flock Hill Station.

It is interesting to note that the main wilding pine is Pinus Contorta but basically any pine tree growing wild can be a pest; but contorta is the worst as it establishes very quickly from wind-blown seed and is able to soak up moisture like a sponge – ready to bear cones and potentially seed again rapidly after about four years.

Having negotiated a winding rutted shingle farm road which eventually petered out into a rough grassy track, we arrived at our very scenic spot for the day.  We gathered round for Ray’s instructions, gathered up our gear and got to work.  The first of the noticeably vibrant green trees were easy enough to deal with but as the day progressed, they became much gnarlier and harder to fell, even with the big loppers or a saw.  It was hard going but after a lot of b, s and t – all persevered.  Morning tea and lunch breaks were certainly a welcome respite.  About 2.30 we called it quits and headed back to report progress and explain the nature of the trees that maybe would need some heavier hitters to eradicate.

Everyone enjoyed the day including one of BTC’s longest-serving trampers 92 yr old David Eddy (one of 5 Davids on the day!) who first started his wilding pine volunteering back in 1989 and who had not been back long from a cruise in Antarctica.  Remarkable.

Our effort to get rid of these pesky pines is always appreciated is as the $830 payment to the club received from WELRA.  Join up next time for the next pinus contorta adventure in a place that may be off the beaten track like this one.

Text by Old Boots (Chris S)

Volunteers rally before work begins…

Surveying work ahead

In progress…

At it

Job done

Distance 11.5/7.6km, ascent 519m, time 4hrs.

Other than the usual boots, pack, lunch and water, what else might be required for our Boundary Hill adventure today? Long sleeves and long pants for the prickly matagouri and Spaniard plants – tick. Beanie and gloves in case it’s cold – tick. Sun hat just in case it’s hot – tick. A good jacket for possible rain – tick. A pole for the very rough terrain – tick. And for one of us, a bunch of festive-looking orange ribbons – more on them later.

None of these items looked like they would actually be required as the weather soon deteriorated from a bit dodgy to bad as we travelled away from our second pick-up stop, Yaldhurst. Would this be one of those incredibly rare days when our little bus with 30 hopeful trampers trundling over Porters Pass might have to turn back without having walked a step? The day had already started badly when Some Problem To Do With An Engine had delayed our bus’s departure by 15 minutes. The fresh snow on the mountains was mildly concerning – but those dark rain clouds ahead were even more of a worry.

But of course, it takes more than a few looming clouds and a nip in the air to deter our well-equipped, enthusiastic bunch of trampers, so soon after arriving at our drop-off point on the Lyndon Road the two groups set off towards Boundary Hill.

The swampy parts weren’t as boggy as they could have been and the matagouri didn’t deter us, though it did try. The terrain where the Standards stopped for a (late) morning tea was like a giant rock garden planted out by an unimaginative landscape gardener. Words of wisdom of a botanical nature given to an almost-kiwi tramper: if it’s a little plant, it might be a hebe. If it’s taller, let’s call it a pittosporum. And if its tall like a tree …  well, it’s a tree.

The going became tougher and every footstep had to be a considered one. Ali must have momentarily forgotten this as the other 12 Alternates had a ‘Where’s Ali?’ moment when all they could see of her was a glimpse of a wrist and hand before she emerged, unharmed, out of the hole she had fallen into.

Someone who impressed the Alternates with her initiative and abilities was visitor Lynne H, helping others getting across the ‘crevasse’ along the way. We hope we have the pleasure of her company again soon. It was also great to have David back with us again after returning from the States.

Boundary Hill is a different sort of tramp from many others that we do because there is no clear track to follow, and there are no marker poles or signs. Which clump of matagouri should we head to next? Ah, that’s where those pretty orange ribbons came into it – leader Alan was following the faded ribbons kindly tied onto clumps of matagouri by Bishopdale trampers in the past, while frequently tying on plenty of bright new ones for the rest of us to follow. Ever helpful Snipper Brent did some of his magic too with his handy-dandy secateurs.

Lunch for the more energetic half of the Alternates and all the Standards was on top of Boundary Hill. I Googled it, and found Mindat referred to the hill as ‘An elevation standing high above the surrounding area with a small summit area with steep sides.’ It didn’t mention the panoramic toward the peaks of the Main Divide up the Rakaia Valley and out over the Archeron and the Rakaia Gorge area to the south, and that startling blue of Lake Coleridge. Most of our beanies, gloves and even jackets had long since been discarded and it was very pleasant on top of that small summit.

However, before long all the Alternates headed back the way they had come, following those pretty orange ribbons, and the Standards continued on. A surprising highlight on the way down had to be Alan’s discovery of Ron. Ron had a terrible head injury. Ron was dead. Ron was a weasel – well, Ron Weasel sounds a lot better than Ron Stoat so we’ll assume that’s what he was. Regardless, Little Ron’s fur was beautifully soft.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying our Boundary Hill walk, despite the rough terrain. Where else can you traverse an alpine fault (the Porters Pass fault), gingerly edge your way down from the top of a lunar-looking landslip, and see beech trees flourishing on a scree across from a Red Lake? (I didn’t Google how the latter got its name, but my guess is that the names Blue Lake, Green Lake and Emerald Lake had already been taken).

The Standards made good time downhill and had a pleasant, leisurely wait for our bus driver David to arrive with the Alternates already on board before heading back to town.

Text by Shirls

Alts morning tea stop

Stds muster on track

Alts in matagouri

Panoramic views

Alts on track

Down ridgeline

Stds continue descent

Distance: 18km

After last week’s low numbers, it was a pleasure to have a great turn out of trampers, with the number steadily increasing to a total of 39 by the time we set off on Wednesday. Unfortunately, we caused a minor headache for our ever reliable and oh-so-obliging bus company. Heather had to scramble to find us another bus – theirs being fully booked for the day. When Lawrence appeared in the carpark driving a Harkerss vehicle we didn’t quite know what to make of it. It most definitely was a hybrid – not a clean green electric vehicle but the other sort of hybrid – a truck cab and chassis with a bus on top!! Despite it being a little “ugly” it served our purposes well, being clean and comfortable and up to the task of depositing the Standards at the Sign of the Bellbird before making a second stop at the Sign of the Kiwi for the 17 Alternates to alight.

As the numbers reflect, this is a popular walk for our club members. Steady rain as we started off meant jackets were donned but the cool, calm conditions were otherwise perfect for what we knew was going to be a long trek. The rain soon stopped necessitating another brief halt for a further change of clothing (at this point one can easily distinguish the optimists from the pessimists). With harbour views to our right and the city and plains on our left, there is much to distract walkers, but no untoward incidents were reported. We were all delighted that during the day we met plenty of other people out enjoying walking in the hills.

Our day was largely uneventful but morning tea at the Sign of the Kiwi proved too much of a temptation for three of our number who disappeared briefly to emerge from the café with the largest date scones in Christchurch. Mindful of the “loaves and fishes” story, I’m sure these could have been shared with their 19 mates but all such hints fell on deaf ears.

Wise heads decided that there was no need for us to ascend Mt Vernon and we skirted around it as we moved steadily towards our destination. The walk for the Standards is 18km with no challenging ascents but rather a quietly undulating trek which nevertheless provides a good workout. Viewing a cruise ship in Lyttelton Harbour, I was reminded of the time I Inquired at the tourist centre in the township whether or not they suggested to visitors that a worthwhile activity would be to take one of the many tracks to the top of the Port Hills to enjoy the views that are free. The response I got suggested that I needed a reality check!

Before we knew it, the bus was in view at Evans Pass and very shortly thereafter we met up with our other group. The Alternates reported that their walk was uneventful which at our age we all agree is a good thing. The graffiti on the gun emplacements and signage on Mt Pleasant has prompted one member to make a complaint to the CCC where she was quickly redirected to DoC. I don’t think there is much hope of a prompt or pleasing outcome from the call.

Our leaders and mentor did a fine job, with Ali being commended for yet again setting a pace which enabled everyone to enjoy the day’s walk including no shortage of conversation. For the Standards, Brent says he continues to enjoy the mentoring role – especially when leaders know the route and require no input from him!! Well done, everyone.

Text by Jan BW

Stds all smiles line-up

Alts morning tea stop

Stds cross Summit Road

Morning tea at Sign of the Kiwi

Alts follow track through pine trees

Alts at Linda Woods Reserve

Stds view of upper Lyttelton Harbour

Leading Stds await remainder of group

Alt line up with view of Lyttelton.

Stds descend towards Evan’s Pass

Distance: Standards 17 km; Alternates 14 km.  Time: 4hr 30 min

After picking up those waiting at Yaldhurst, 31 trampers and driver Alan set off for Castle Hill village.
Although there was a clear blue sky when the bus left Christchurch, there was some apprehension when low lying grey cloud appeared after crossing over Porters Pass. Fortunately by the time we were dropped off just a few fluffy white clouds were scattered across the sky.
With the 16 standards in front, both groups set off up the Hogsback track to the usual morning tea stop at the lightning tree. There was time for both groups to catch up, before the standards, having arrived first, set off down the stony track heading to the stream crossing.
The alternates followed shortly after and the sound of rushing water signalled the stream was nearby. However with less rain in the area it was more of a gentle flow than the raging torrent it sounded like, and it was possible to cross without getting wet feet.
After the stony exposed track, the blackened beech forest made a pleasant change although the buzzing sound indicated bees/wasps were close by. Fortunately they were more interested in the trees than the group walking by, however a couple of people reported stings by ‘flying creatures’ further on.
The spongy black coating on the beech trees is caused by small scale insects that live in the bark. They ingest the sugary sap from the tree, which provides them with more than they need, and the excess is secreted as small drops of honeydew. The sooty mould fungi grows on the waste honeydew. Various birds and insects, including bees and wasps feed on the honeydew.
Lunch for a small group of alternates was in the shade of the trees, while the rest carried on up the barren zig zag track to the Picnic Rock lookout with great views of the area. At that stage the standards could be seen in the distance lunching on the top of Hogsback ridge.
Chocolate biscuits seemed to be the theme at lunch, with a timtam altercation, and the disadvantages of having chocolate biscuits on a sunny day.
Observing the standards moving downhill, the alternates decided it was time to depart to keep ahead. Preparations got more hurried when bobbing heads appeared close by.  Both groups then backtracked, deviating slightly after the lightning tree to take the marginally longer, but less steep track back to the bus.
There were reports of other slight unplanned deviations from the track along the way, but all made it safely back to the bus with the sun still shining.

Text by Sally

Alts line-up

Alts morning tea by lightning tree

Stds on track

Stds at stream crossing

Stds line-up

Ascending Hogsback

Stds take a break

Alts enjoy lunch break

Stds enter beech forest

Distance 13.18 km; total duration 4 hrs 57 min (walking time inc breaks); 626 m elevation gain

In the Chinese zodiac it is the first week of the Year of the Snake and on the local calendar it is the eve of our national Waitangi Day holiday. The day promises to be a hot one when 21 of us set out from Bishopdale. We’re delighted to have Mark from the UK – holidaying with family here – tramp with us again for the next few weeks. Our driver is Alan and he drops us at Barnett Park where we connect with Chris S and Pip who shares chocolates which we eat before they melt. Thank you Pip and congratulations on your mid-birthday.

We split into two groups and largely walking the same route, spend the next few hours parting and re-meeting. There are 12 in the Standard group, 6 women and 6 men – which produces some entertaining communication; and a solitary male among the 11 Alternates – there must be an apposite David Attenborough observation?

We stop for morning tea at the pine trees on Summit Road. Talk turns to flossing – the dental sort – and a recently published study in the American Heart Association Journals. The study asked 6,258 adults how they flossed and followed them for 25 years. The study suggests that flossing your teeth once a week reduces your risk of stroke by a fifth. Floss more often and you reduce the risk further. Want to know more? Go to https://doi.org/10.1161/str.56.suppl_1.19 . The Standards leave the shade of the pine trees to the arriving Alternates.

The Standards climb Mt Pleasant / Tauhinukorokio – site of a Ngāti Māmoe settlement in the late 1500s. Soon both groups meet again while encountering a bright orange hi viz clad group clambering out of vans. They’re fourth year UC geology students studying volcanic deposits – flossing and strokes far from their thoughts.

We stop for lunch at Te Ana Marina and enjoy the rare comfort of sitting on sleek bespoke seats with backs rather than on the ground. We eat and read distant boat names. Someone says It’s like going to the optometrists.  The Alternates arrive and it’s time to move on again.

It’s hot now and the water looks inviting. We walk around the bays. The school year has begun and there aren’t many people in the water.  On the Cass Bay shoreline the much-admired copper house is weathering well. We’ve one last small incline to climb through a stand of eucalypts. There’s the song of a bellbird to distract from the grind of the hill in the heat and we’ve arrived at Pony Point. The Alternates follow the coastal path with 51 trees planted by the families of the victims of the 2019 mosque attacks – the trees symbolizing their continued presence.

When we last did this tramp the sculpture on the Point had been vandalized.  Happily today at the tramps’s end there is a fabulous new sculpture high on a plinth and Alan with our stowed water bottles to rehydrate and the luxury of an air conditioned bus to drive us all home.

Text by Jen

Ascending towards the Summit Road

Morning tea stop under the pines

Mt Pleasant views

Crater rim trail from Mt Pleasant

Major Hornbrook Track

Alts enjoy a relaxing lunch

Lyttelton Marina carving

Lunch at the Marina

Alts group photo at Cass Bay

Restored Pony Point sculpture

Stats: distance 9km, vertical ascent 730m, time 4hrs 45mins.

Driver Peter and a smaller bus greeted us at Bishopdale as the larger bus had a faulty window frame needing repair. The early start had caught a couple of trampers out with one almost sleeping in and the other requiring a prompt from a timely phone call.

There were 31 including Jack from the Christchurch Star and 3 other community papers. Thank you, Graham, for arranging this initiative.  President Jen had cancelled with a sick green turtle Zorro at home needing some TLC. Not sure how you know when a turtle is sick but perhaps they turn even greener.

With no microphone DP Graham advised us of the roles for the day and welcomed Jack before we left Yaldhurst. For some it was their first New Year outing so the noise level in the smaller bus sounded like a student pub on a Friday night. The raging nor’west wind battered the bus as we headed towards the DOC car park for Mt Alford under threatening skies with an obvious nor’west arch and storm clouds of various shades of grey hanging over the mountains. I don’t think many were feeling optimistic for pleasant tramping conditions after encountering the wind force at the Rakaia toilet stop.

At 10am, 21 Standards followed closely by 10 Alternates set off up the farm track to enter the beech forest in what was now to our surprise just a gentle breeze. Magnificent beech, lush ferns, the always present muddy sections, an attractive stream and across a 4-wheel drive track before re- entering the bush which now headed more sharply uphill. At 10.45am morning tea now in bright sunshine in a clearing with grand views to the plains.

Now the tussock basin, up the steep fence line, through large deer gates but no sign of any deer underneath the observatory buildings at 900m. The day getting noticeably warmer and little wind to cool us. The poled track continues steadily uphill through sub alpine scrub with lots of daisies and spaniard grass in flower to be very wary of. We reach the ridge line at 12.15pm where we decide it is lunch time and make the decision we won’t go all the way to the summit at 1171m as time will not allow.  Disappointing as I know the faster ones could have made it but with drink stops and the odd wait, the right decision. Couldn’t complain about the view of plains, river and mountains with no snow in sight despite a fresh fall reported on Mt Hutt on Monday morning. Two chose to lunch a little further down the track and sort out all the world’s problems and rejoin us on the return journey.

Our return was uneventful until the final section in the bush when the men especially were beginning to notice masses of black seeds clinging tenaciously to the hairs on their legs. This is hook grass, or some trampers call it, bastard grass, where tiny barbed fish hook extensions on the seeds attach themselves to hair, wool and the feathers on birds that feed on the ground. When they scratch all the seeds off, the plant has done its purpose of redistribution. We may need a leg inspection next week! Back at the bus at 2.45pm where the others had been waiting since 2pm.

The Alternates enjoyed lunch at the now rickety picnic table at the start of the tussock basin. Their highlight appeared to be a strip show provided by a member who is not normally noted for stripping. This was a complex striptease involving multiple layers and re-organising of garments. Three had walked up the fence line returning the zig zag route, unlike the others lounging in the tussocks being entertained by the free strip show.

Jack had interacted well with many finding out how BTC operates and learning something of trampers’ personal stories and the part the club plays in enhancing their lifestyle. He freely shared his story through broadcasting and journalism school to his role today doing something he loves.

Congratulations to Marie-Therese featuring under Bright Lines in the Listener with her modern proverb on home gardens: “Absence makes the lawns grow longer”.

Text by Kate

On the Beech forest trail

Stds take a morning tea break

Stds negotiating the steep trail

Alts ascending to lunch spot

Alts enjoying lunch in the sun

Journalist Jack lunching with the Stds

Panoramic views of the Canterbury Plains

Stds on the afternoon descent

Distance 13.6 km; duration 5 hrs  20 min (walking time with breaks); 788 m elevation gain

A glorious sunny day greeted us at Bishopdale for our tramp from Hoon Hay Reserve to the Sign of the Bellbird. Our driver Callum got us to Princess Margaret Hospital in record time where we picked up a few more members and proceeded up to Dyers Pass and then right on Summit Road to be dropped off at Hoon Hay Reserve at around 9:30.

The trip reports do not show this as a tramp the Club has done before. While it starts the same as the Hoon Hay Reserve to Omahu Bush tramp (which we last did 27 May 2022), the Alternates return after lunch at Coopers Knob to the Sign of the Bellbird; the Standards do not explore the Omahu Bush but rather ascend Gibraltar Rock and then return to the Summit Road/Crater Rim Walkway to the Bellbird.

Hoon Hay Reserve did not have quite the glorious weather we experienced at Bishopdale – clouds hung over Lyttelton Harbour and the breeze was a little cooler than many had expected. The 24 Standards immediately took off while the 6 remaining Alternates proceeded at a somewhat more sedate pace.

It took the Alternates about an hour to get to the Sign of the Bellbird for morning tea. Our leader offered us the option of having tea in the bush as you start up Cass Peak/Ōrongomai or inside the shelter across the road. Shelter from the wind won out quite quickly.

After tea, the Alternates continued on the Crater Rim Walkway, through bush and brush and flax, over hill over dale, and up and down the rocky passages, all in typical BTC tramp fashion. The sun finally broke through about 30 minutes before lunch. The breeze had by this time turned into a steady wind from the East/Northeast making a lunch priority “where can we get out of the wind”.

As we began our return trip to the Bellbird, we could see the Standards across on Gibraltar Rock just below the ridgeline. I am told the group took a circuitous route to get to Gibraltar Rock and that our President had to plead with the Standards’ leader to stop for lunch. And while stop he did, he was the only Standard willing to brave the wind to have lunch at the top of Gibraltar, managing to lose the cheese out of his sandwich to the wind.

Both groups arrived at the Bellbird windblown but in good time, having walked the road part of the way. We were back on the bus to Bishopdale arriving around 3:30. Another good tramp with good friends.

Text by Michele

Stds negotiate Omahu Bush Track

Up Gibraltar Rock

Alts lunch spot Coopers Knob

Gibralatar Rock

Distance 10.65 km; duration 3hrs 27min (walking time) 4 hrs 10min (with breaks); ascent 529 m (total of each ascent phase) lowest point 275 m, highest 450 m. Source: Graham W’s watch

A forecast high of 14deg for Rakaia Gorge turned out to be pretty much on target. 30 trampers set off from the starting point in two groups, 23 Standards were off and away including visitor Rebecca S, plus 7 Alternates who moved more slowly. Bus driver Peter remained with the bus at the drop off point, always good to have our transport and driver awaiting us.

There were many questions (and a bit of philosophy) along the way. Would the obstacle of the fallen tree that had been reported to ECan twelve months earlier be removed? It must have been, as today there was no crawling beneath branches when advancing along the well-trodden track. Agility counts for much when there are big steps up and down, and muddy patches to be avoided. Both situations occurred with some frequency along the way.

Stripping off clothing and stopping to take photos are good things, but they are not to be combined, definitely a no-no. What was the noticeable foul smell that accompanied us for much of the way? This was instantly recognisable to me as being hemlock (Conium maculatum). I recalled how my older siblings made blow darts using the hollow stem of the hemlock plant – until discovered by a parent (this was in the fifties). Lucky nobody died, although Socrates didn’t come off so well (died a tad earlier in 399 BCE). Apparently crushed hemlock smells like mouse urine. There were also potato plants growing trackside, these would be more palatable than the stinky and deadly hemlock.

Is a “drop off” a drop off when nobody actually drops off? There were many view points of the Rakaia River with big drops, fortunately no tumbles. Eventually the cloud lifted, but the spectacular vistas which we have enjoyed on previous tramps were mostly not visible.

Why did a large tree stump at the side of the track have “Sober” painted on it? Several of us had been breathalysed earlier in the morning, noting to the officers that we were en route to catch a bus. Sober at the start of a tramp is a good thing. Nodding off in the bus on the way home after a good day out isn’t a bad thing either. Unfortunately today there was lack of time for a drink stop, straight home for us.

Both groups arrived at the boat harbour lunch stop about mid-day, Standards having done a longer loop to a vantage point. Listening to the murmur of voices and river while munching food is a most satisfying way to while away the time. The “five minutes!” call from leaders, and the cooler easterly breeze was, however, sufficient to stir us into action, with Standards leaving marginally ahead of Alternates. Both groups had arrived back at the bus by 1400hrs having encountered and encouraged many family groups on their outward walk.

There was slight envy as the knees of one nimble runner were observed. The young woman was outpacing everyone. It was not the knees per se, but their ability. And we actually all did OK.

Text by Marie-Therese

The walk underway…

Morning tea stop

Awesome river views

Short stop

Stds make headway along track

Lunch stop by river

Follow the leader…