#97 of 100 trips - Opoho Creek - Signal Hill - Ravensbourne (loop) 7 October 2023

 

The day was warm and despite the trip starting a little later at 1pm, 10 people arrived keen to explore the area behind Logan Park.  Starting on the Big Easy mountain bike track, we followed Opoho Creek for about a kilometre, past the historic pools of the trout hatchery dating from 1868 were we stopped to learn that this was the birthplace of brown trout being introduced into New Zealand using eggs transported from Tasmania.  The hatchery is no longer in use but the rock lined pools are still clearly visible.  We continued along the Big Easy which is the uphill mountain bike track zig zagging it's way through the native bush at a gradual gradient that belies the height gain.  We took every opportunity to stop and check out the views of the city at every clearing in the bush. 

A steady pace was set and we were able to walk along chatting to others quite happily, stepping aside occasionally for the odd cyclist making their way up the hill.  About an hour of this enjoyable walking saw us reached the Plateau with around 200m of gentle climbing.  The Plateau is a lookout just over half way up hill with seating, drinking fountain and bike repair station at a junction of a number of bike tracks on the flat shoulder of the ridge.  This proved to be the perfect place to stop for a snack and drink with a wonderful backdrop of the city while we were entertained by the mountain bikers heading very fast down hill, some going straight over the jumps while others took the twists and turns at great speed. 

Keeping well clear of the mountain bikers we packed up and quickly crossed the bike paths and were onto a track that we had walked in the other direction nearly a year ago on trip #4  .  We had good views of the harbour all along the track as it dropped in height down to Ravensbourne.  Once we left the track and came out on the streets at the top of Ravensbourne, it was just a matter of following the streets down to the harbour and down it certainly was!  The streets on this side of the hill are a complete contrast to the Big Easy bike track's gentle climb, instead it is a knee jarring, drop down to the Otago harbour. 

Once down the hill, we crossed the road and were onto the cycle/walking trail around the harbour.  From here it was an easy flat walk along the cycle/walk way for a couple of kilometres.  We had walked along here for trip #19 and like that time, there were a number of other walkers and cyclists also using the joint path.  The walking on this section was easy and we made a fast time, turning off the walk/cycle way at the stadium and following the Water of Leith as it wound it's way beside Butts Road and back to the cars.  A fun shorter trip of 9 km over 2 hours and climbing 200m in height.