#42 of 100 trips for 100 years - Heyward Point 26 March 2023

The day dawned slightly overcast and with no hint of rain 11 of us set out to Heyward Point from Aramoana.  Starting at sea level, it was barely 50m of flat before a steep 200m climb with impressive views of the harbour and Aramoana opening out behind us with each step we took.  We stopped often to look back at the Mole, Aramoana and across to Taiaroa Head.

As we got higher, the upper part of the hill is not as steep and the climbing became easier.  One of our group who lived in the area, Gordon, was full of interesting bits of information and history about the area and he kept us amused with his stories as we continued to climb up the hill . We rested near the top of the hill and were able to watch as a pilot boat went out to meet a large container ship and then see the container ship make it's way through the harbour mouth and down towards Port Chalmers. Upon reaching the top of the hill  we were able to take in the grandeur of the sheer walled cliffs that we were heading towards. 

We walked along the top of these cliffs towards the headland that is Heywards Point.  The track skirts along the edge of the cliffs and through a stand of pine trees before crossing into a paddock where again, we rested with more fantastic views looking out towards the sea with the golden glow of the Autumn sun reflecting on the water.  The day was warming up and we were enjoying the calm day as often this area is battered by strong winds as evidenced by the nearby twisted, gnarly trees.

After a short traverse across the farm paddock we entered a reserve with a wide track taking us down through native bush.  This downhill part of the walk was peaceful and relaxing after all the climbing we had done.  A couple of piwakawaka (fantail) followed us along the trail making a grab for any small bugs that we stirred up as we passed.  All too soon we came to the end of the native bush section and emerged on a headland where we were able to look back at the steep cliffs that we had walked along the edge of.

It was here that we enjoyed a short morning tea break and again Gordon entertained us with stories of how there used to be a rope up the cliff that gave access to and from the beach below.  It's hard to believe that particular story when looking down the 100m precipice to the beach below where there is very little to hang onto when climbing up or down the cliff.  The next part of our journey took us through long grass down to the light beacon

The cliffs here are also impressive with some lovely rocky beaches where we were able to sit at the top and watch the seals lazing on the rocks below.  One particular rocky beach with a watery pool was surrounded by a large number of baby seals with a couple of large seals keeping guard.  Eventually we dragged ourselves away from the cliff edge to enjoy a long lunch in the sun.

After lunch we retraced our steps, almost 200m back up the hill and through the regenerating bush to the farm paddocks where Gordon pointed out some anomalies in the surrounding countryside.  We diverted from our route in by crossing the paddock (with permission) where we came across some large, soccer ball sized puffpalls. We couldn't believe the size of them and wondered what the weight of them would be.

The final part of our journey took us through a gate and down another farm paddock (with permission) where we followed an old 4x4 track on a circuitous route down the hill, chasing the sheep along in front of us. The best part of this route is that we had stunning views all the way down the hill and we came out near an old quarry. Our vantage point gave us a good view into the quarry and we were able to see how each level of the quarry had been created. Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, the only thing left was a short road walk back to the cars.  

All up it was a very enjoyable day's walk with warm, calm weather and spectacular coastal views.  Although it is a reasonably short 8.5km walk, there is a quite a lot of up and down as we started at sea level and climbed 200m before descending to the light beacon almost at sea level and our return journey saw us climbing almost 200m again before descending back to sea level.

#41 of 100 trips for 100 years - Fairy Grotto & Seal Point 25 March 2023 (by Jade Pettinger)

 

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.