The first mention of the ‘Fairy Grotto’ was by Miss L. Tweedy in her tramping diaries on October 14, 1923 - just a couple of months after the formation of the OTC.
October 14, 1923: Macandrew Bay - Seal Point - High Road - Andersons Bay
Meet: Dunedin Ferry Wharf, 10am
Leader: Mr Hayward
“Took 10am ferry to Macandrew Bay and climbed to High Road, very steep and very
hot. Along a mile or so then down to Seal Point (1pm). Boiled billy and had lunch.
Left again at 2pm and visited Fairy Grotto then back along High Road. Our party
went up to Monument (5pm) and finished our sandwiches then left again (5.30pm) for
car at Andersons Bay (6.25pm)
Glorious day and splendid view from High Road
Leader: Mr Heyward
43 members”
Despite being frequently visited in the early years, the OTMC has not been to the Fairy Grotto in 61 years, making the last visit in 1962 well before most of the current members were born. The name Fairy Grotto doesn’t appear on any maps as it was just a colloquial name given to the area by the OTC, so over the years it was slowly forgotten and until recently no one knew exactly where it was. Two members with a keen interest in the club’s history pored over maps and read old trip reports until they narrowed down the location of the Fairy Grotto to be in the vicinity of Seal Point on the Otago Peninsula. This was all we needed - we were off!
Knowing the club’s history with the Fairy Grotto, it comes as no surprise that this was a really special trip on the 100 Trips programme. The looming threat of forecast rain didn’t discourage the seven hardy trampers from gathering at the clubrooms at 9am for what was sure to be a memorable day.
The trip started with a gentle stroll down the Highcliff Track, accessed off Braidwood Road, before veering off to the left onto a paper road. Although Seal Point was in a straight line as the crow flies from where we parked the cars, we had to walk a big semi-circle around the coastline to ensure we stayed on paper roads and conservation reserve land. We certainly didn’t mind taking the scenic route though - the coastal views were stunning and a different perspective from other walks on the Peninsula. The towering cliffs between Boulder Beach and Smaills Beach were particularly impressive from this angle, and very reminiscent of the cliffs seen around Tunnel Beach. To the south we could see all the way to Taieri Mouth, with Sandymount and Sandfly Bay to the north.
After 45 minutes or so of wandering through the Yellow Eyed Penguin reserve, we encountered our first obstacle of the day. A large gully stood between us and Seal Point, filled with thick head-height scrub and guarded by a steep drop on both sides. We carefully picked our way down the side, clinging to flax and other bushes to prevent tumbling to the bottom. Once at the bottom, we were faced with thick scrub that seemed impenetrable. After a couple of false starts, we eventually found a thinner area of bush that we could push our way through. Although it was only about 20m or so, it was hard work and by the time we had dragged ourselves up the hill on the other side we decided we had earned a morning tea break.
The views were stunning and some of us just couldn’t sit still, so biscuits in hand we made our way down the hill another 20m or so to a penguin hide. While we didn’t see any penguins, we did see some seals playing in a wee pool up on the rocks which certainly made it worth the detour.
Setting off from morning tea, we followed the edge of a fence along the cliff top, making sure to stay on the reserve land. Shortly after we arrived at a big gulch, which Antony excitedly informed us was THE Fairy Grotto. Unfortunately, we were unable to descend down into the Fairy Grotto as it was very slippery and no guarantee we’d be able to climb out again. Another club member did in fact go inside the Grotto on a recce last year by way of climbing down a tree, but said it has been claimed by the seals.
We wandered around the top of the gulch, wondering how the OTC discovered the Fairy Grotto in the first place - it is not a well-known or travelled part of the Peninsula but perhaps that is what made it so attractive for those early members. It is a beautiful spot and it is easy to see how it came to be known as the Fairy Grotto as it does have an ethereal feeling to it.
Having marvelled at the Grotto, we continued on downwards towards Seal Point. As we were approaching the edge of the cliff, a furry face of a seal popped out startling us. After observing us for a few minutes the seal (thankfully) decided we were not prey so turned around and waddled down onto the rocks. It was only then did we begin to realise how many seals were on the rocks.
At first glance, the rocks in front of us looked just like rocks. Maybe the wind carried our scent down or our eyes adjusted to what we were looking at but suddenly the rocks seemed to be crawling with seals! From baby seals frolicking and playing in small pools to adult seals lazing in the sun, there were seals everywhere! Many excited delights and exclaims were heard as we spotted seal after seal, accompanied by the sound of cameras clicking as we all tried to capture the winning shot. It was incredible to see so many seals in the wild, totally unbothered by our presence, it’s not hard to see how Seal Point got its name.
All too soon we had to drag ourselves away for the return journey. Unfortunately, because of the private land, this was not a loop track so we had to retrace our steps back to the cars. An early lunch was had on the cliff top just past the Fairy Grotto, giving us more time to take in the stunning views from this rarely visited area on the Peninsula.
The return journey seemed to be much quicker than on the way there, and finding our way through the gully was certainly easier after we had trod a path through earlier that morning. While we had the threat of rain looming over us, it thankfully never eventuated which helped contribute to the perfect day we had. Seal Point is truly a hidden gem in Dunedin, but well worth the visit.
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