#46 of 100 trips for 100 years - Racemans - Coal Creek - Steve Amies Track 9 April 2023

There was some initial hesitation from the six people when faced with the prospect of getting wet feet within the first five minutes of starting the day trip but not wanting to be left behind, all skipped across the watery ford in varying degrees of gracefulness. We took the turn off  on the right that brought us to a swing bridge over the Silver Stream before following the stream. After the first kilometre or so, we climbed a rise to reach the water race and the Racemans track.  The Racemans track follows the Silver Stream Water Race which was built around 1877 and consisted of nearly 30 kilometres  of open water races, sluices, tunnels, and weirs which bought water to the growing city of Dunedin.  The water race was in use for nearly 100 years when it was abandoned in the 1960's as it became too hard to maintain. The Racemans track follows the easy gradient of the water race, weaving in and out around the side of the steep sided Silver Stream catchment.  After an hour and half of easy walking, a mutual decision saw us stopping in a sunny spot on the track for a snack break.

Feeling replenished we continued on for another kilometre to the top weir where we paused to watch the water flowing over the weir and marvel at the clearness of the water in the stream below the weir.  The weir is the start of the water race and it's quite sobering to think about the amount of work that had gone into creating the weir and the water race as well as the maintenance of it. Today there is still plenty to see of the now overgrown water race and although there are trees and tree ferns growing in water race as well as parts of it that have subsided it is worth a visit.

From the weir we retraced our steps for 10 minutes to the North Coal Creek track which steeply climbs 400m up the eastern side of the Silver Stream catchment.  The track is easy to follow with orange markers at regular intervals and plenty of handily placed trees to aid with the rapid gain in height. The track passes through native podocarp forest with plenty of clambering up and over tree roots before a rocky section with the terrain changing to large moss covered boulders to clamber up.  Taking our time to rest often we were amazed at the variety of greens in the forest, particularly when the sun shines through the forest canopy highlighting the greens from lime to almost black. 

As we gained the ridge, we became aware of the wind in the trees overhead and the drop in temperature. There were glimpses of  dark forbidding clouds looming over the Silver Peaks making us pleased to be in the relative safety of the bush.  As we neared the top of the hill, there are a couple of good places to stop giving good views of the Silver Peaks and the Silver Stream catchment however the gale force winds kept us moving upwards.

At the highest part of the track is Trig Q nestled in a sheltered part of the bush and it seemed the perfect place to stop.  We each found a comfortable spot out of the wind and settled down to lunch and sharing of  chocolate Easter eggs. Once we had our fill of food, there was just enough time for a team photo before beginning to head down the Steve Aimies track.

The Steve Aimes track is well defined and with very little undergrowth is easy to follow.  If we had thought the climb up North Coal Creek track was steep, the descent down the Steve Aimes track was just as sheer.  The track follows a distinct ridge and descends steadily dropping 200m over 2km before the gradient abruptly changes, dropping the final 200m in less than 1km.  We were grateful that the ground underfoot was dry as it could have been treacherous if a little muddy.

Eventually we all reached the relative flat of the Racemans track in one piece.  After regrouping and a quick drink we started on the final 1.5km back along the Racemans track.  By now we noticed that the sky was clearing and wind had dropped.  The crossing of the ford at the start of the track was straightforward and we were back at the cars 5 hours and 14.2km after starting.

 

#45 of 100 trips for 100 years - Tomahawk Lagoon-Peg 41track 8 April 2023 (by Jade Pettinger)

 

Ten of us gathered at the clubrooms on Saturday afternoon for what was to be the first OTMC day trip during Easter weekend in at least 50 years. Heartened by the good numbers for a long weekend, we set out for Tomahawk Lagoon ready to conquer the Peg 41 track.

On arrival at Tomahawk Lagoon, we took a few minutes to admire the bird life before setting off. The beginning of the track winds its way through the bush on the edge of the lagoon before a sudden, steep climb out of the bush and into farm paddocks. As soon as we clambered over the rickety stile and emerged onto the expansive grassy paddocks, the views began to open up in front of us. The white sands and glistening blue ocean of Tomahawk and Smails Beach spread out in front of us.

Despite the cool wind, layers were soon being shed as the climb up the Peg 41 track was steady. We fell into a single file line as we skirted the edge of a paddock. This piece required some concentration as the paddock had an electric fence running up the side of it and all it would have taken was a slight misstep to end up electrocuted! Thankfully we were all careful and made it to the top unharmed.

Climbing over another stile, we had now joined onto the Soldiers Monument track that comes up from Highcliff Road. As we got closer to our destination, the wind seemed to increase. Once we arrived at the base of the monument, we soon found it was difficult to stand as the wind buffeted us. Some brave souls ventured up onto the monument, while the other more sensible ones found a perch out of the wind to have a snack.

Those of us who went up onto the monument had our breath taken away by the wind, and had to hang onto any loose clothing (even our glasses) as the wind threatened to take them away. It was a bit of a comedy show watching people try to walk around the monument as they struggled against the wind. The handrail was crushed in a death grip as it felt as if all it would take was one extra-strong gust and we would have been airborne. The view down the Otago Harbour was incredible, with not a cloud in the sky. Standing up there with the wind barrelling through your hair is certainly one way to feel alive.

It’s safe to say we didn’t hang around the top for too long - just long enough to devour some chocolate eggs (well it was Easter!) and take a quick team photo. Our intrepid leader decided that instead of walking back the same way, we would make the trip and loop and head down Centre Road. We headed down the steep track towards Highcliff Road, pleased to be leaving the wind behind as we dropped down below the summit.

It was single file again once we were on Highcliff Road to avoid becoming roadkill as we made the 500m or so journey to Centre Road. The road stretched out in a seemingly endless line in front of us, but as we chit chatted our way downhill we were surprised at how quickly the time went. We lamented that the best views were hidden behind trees or farm paddocks and were unable to be seen from the road.

Before we knew it we were rounding the corner back to Tomahawk Lagoon. We had made good time with a total trip time of around 2 hours, which no doubt would have been longer had the wind not been so strong. Although on the shorter side, it was a perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon.

by Jade Pettinger

#43 of 100 trips for 100 years - Gardens-Cleghorn Street-Signal Hill 2 April 2023

 

The sun was shining and with warm temperatures 11 people enthusiastically gathered at the Gardens corner for a walk that would take us to the top of Signal Hill/Te Pahuri o te Rangipohika.  The first part of our walk took us along  the relative flat of North East Valley and past Baldwin Street where we dodged a number of tourists intent on getting their photo's of the steepest street in the world.  Once we reached Normanby the gradient increased and the scenery started to change as we left the footpath and began the climb up North Road towards Upper Junction.  The higher we climbed the narrower the road and the more rural the views became. Soon we were passing grassy paddocks with sheep and cows who lazily watched us pass. 

After about 5km of walking we reached a seat with a wonderful view looking back towards the city and it was here that we stopped to regroup before turning onto Cleghorn Street.  It was about this time that the first spots of rain started to fall and with surprise we realised that what had initially looked like a lovely sunny day was turning into something not quite as promising as we'd thought with the top of Signal Hill/Te Pahuri o te Rangipohika now being covered in cloud .  We found a sheltered spot under some large trees where we stopped for a snack and on went our jackets.  The next part of our walk took us through a gate and into a farm paddock where we continued climbing upwards while dodging a few cow pats.  Thankfully the cows kept their distance and didn't show any interest in our antics.

 

The rain really made it's presence felt as we were buffeted by the wind and rain in the open.  We were thankful once we got into the lee of the hill and it was quite pleasant to be able to stop out of the wind and look around.  Unfortunately there wasn't a lot to see other than the inside of a cloud and so we continued climbing up, over a style and past a stand of pine trees to the 393m summit of Signal Hill/Te Pahuri o te Rangipohika.  Quite a good height gain as we had started at just 20m above sea level. 

Sadly being in the fog, we had no view at the top so we didn't linger for long and immediately headed down the more sheltered side of Signal Hill/Te Pahuri o te Rangipohika. The downhill was much easier going and the rain seemed to ease making for more pleasant walking.  We stopped at the Signal Hill Lookout for lunch and were surprised at the how many people drove to the lookout to take photos of  . . . .the inside of a cloud.  After lunch we wandered down the cycle trails that lead down to Logan Park and as we descended we dropped below the cloud giving us the chance to see a little further ahead. 

Stopping to regroup at each intersection we took some of the steeper bike trails to make our progress down much quicker. Once at the bottom of the hill, the rain decided to make it's presence felt again and we sheltered under some trees while the worst of it past. Emerging from the trees, it was a fast walk along the road and through the Gardens back to the Gardens corner 12.2km after we had started - and on one of the wettest day trips so far in the 100 trips.  

#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.

#40 of 100 trips for 100 years - Harbour Cone 19 March 2023

 

It couldn't have been a nicer day to climb Hereweka/Harbour Cone with blue skies and a calm, mirror like harbour we started our walk at sea level, parking by the harbour at Broad Bay and following Camp Road, firstly as a steep sealed road then onto a steeper gravel road before finally onto a narrow track with long grass.  The steady climb gave us outstanding views of the harbour including Quarantine and Goat Island nestled in the middle of the harbour. 

 

As we climbed higher, we passed into more rural land with paddocks of curious horses and timid sheep on either side before emerging on Camp Road 200m higher than when we had started.  There are a couple of handily placed seats on the way up the hill giving the opportunity to sit and take in the views while catching your breath. 

Once onto the upper section of Camp Road we followed the gravel road for a short distance before going through a gate and into the paddocks that were once part of  William Larnoch's farm which he purchased in the 1870's.  In 2008 the Dunedin City Council bought the land and the Hereweka Harbour Cone Trust have developed a series of walking tracks through the land to allow public access to heritage sites on the property.  We entered the paddocks through a gate near one of these historic sites which is the cow byre which was built in 1880's and is the only remaining farm building left on Larnachs farm (as seen in the photo below)

After dropping 100m down through the paddock and scaring the sheep to the other end, we climbed over a style and crossed Highcliff Road before approaching Hereweka/Harbour Cone which at 315m is the second highest point on the peninsula, with Mt Charles trip #35 being higher.  The walk up Hereweka/Harbour Cone is straightforward with a constant gradient to the top taking around 30 minutes after crossing the road. 

The top of Hereweka/Harbour Cone has columnar basalt rocks scattered amongst the grass, making the last 5 minutes of climbing a scramble to reach the trig at the top.  From the top we were rewarded with fantastic 360 degree views in all directions. 

The wonderful views, warm temperatures and no wind made the top of Hereweka/Harbour Cone an ideal place for lunch with most of us finding it difficult to decide which direction we wanted to sit for the views.  In the end, there were a number of us that would get up every few minutes and turn slightly to get a different view.  The views are truly spectacular from Hereweka/Harbour Cone.

Being such a prominent peak that is open to the public on the Peninsula, Hereweka/Harbour Cone is a popular destination and we met a number of families making the climb to the top.  Of course the top is also the perfect place for a team photo and we had a hard time deciding which direction to take the photo.

Eventually it was time to head down and we took a slight detour, taking a different route down, following a trapping line down through the scrub before scouting around the side and back down the Highcliff Road and then down the Bacon Street track onto Bacon Street which lead us back to the harbour.  The round trip of 8.4km taking us four and a half hours with a lot of that time spent looking at the great views.