2025-05-21 < Weekly activities > 2025-06-04
Activity summary: Wednesday 2025 May 28 to Tuesday 2025 June 03
Whareroa Farm/Brooklyn, Waiamapihi Reserve, Zealandia Fence/Gollans Stream – Top Forks and Twin Forks/Kingston Loop including the Quarry & the Radome/Aorangi Crossing/Hawkes Bay
Wednesday
E Trip ‘Whareroa Farm’ led by Lois Kluger, Wed 28/5 5M
Perfect cloudy, windless day for a walk around Whareroa Farm. Five members wandered around the tracks, it was good to have Bond (Hadley) with us as he was familiar with the many different tracks. The Kohekohe flowers were only in bud, and they were quite sparse, but we did see two sprays of flowers at knee level. And as one of our group told us and (Wikipedia has just told me)......the tree does not flower in the year while the fruit capsules are maturing, and therefore individual trees may flower in alternate years. So it wasn’t the display we hoped to see. Maybe next year!!!! We enjoyed a leisurely chatty lunch at a bush picnic table under a large Matai tree. The rain came as predicted at 2pm, we were five minutes away from our cars!!
EM Trip ‘Brooklyn, Waiamapihi Reserve, Zealandia fence’ led by Paul Bruce, Wed 28/5 5M
A predicted rain band spreading over Wellington in the afternoon led us to shorten the route a little. We meet at 9.30am outside the Salty Pidgin Café and then up to the War Memorial via Helen St. before accessing Waimapihi Reserve off Karepa St near to the corner of Ashton Fitchett St. We took the dual track to a new overbridge before climbing to the perimeter fence via the downhill mountain bike track.
We used the mountain bike track for the section past the wind turbine, and back to and along the perimeter fence with a deviation to the Wrights Hill look out, to end up for lunch at Zealandia. The onset of rain led to a faster return via the fence line and Highbury Fling to Ashton Fitchett Drive and back down to Brooklyn via Todman St.
We were disappointed not to catch many bird calls, but instead had wonderful conversations, so much so that a runner listened in for a while. Time five and a half hours. 16km Paul Bruce (leader), Iona McNaughton, Rob Handyside, Karen Commons and Justin Kerr until Zealandia.
M Trip ‘Gollans Stream-Top Forks and Twin Forks, led by Carolyn Jenkins, Wed 28/5 14M
This tramp started and ended at Lees Grove Wainuiomata Track entrance. We were on bush tracks and visited the Gollans Stream Headwaters. We then went up the Lees Grove Track Wainuiomata and the Punga Track to the Lowry Seat on Main Ridge, and then down to Top Forks for morning tea. Then westwards up to the Main Ridge, we headed north, and stopped for a photo at the Trig. Down to Twin Forks for lunch and following this we climbed up to and along the East Ridge and along the Rata Ridge Track. After what had been a nice day, it was raining as we went down the Lees Grove Track and returned to the cars. Total time was 6 hours. 14 members: Leader: Carolyn Jenkins Alan Benge, Alistair Beckett, Andy Leslie, Angela Vanderpoel, Ann McIlroy, Ann Walker, Cathy Wylie, Chris Ward, Helena Weller-Chew, Joanne Gapes, Linda Beckett, Marilyn Richards, Pip Newton
SF Trip ‘Kingston Loop including the Quarry & the Radome’ led by Tim Stone, Wed 28/5 5M
Five stalwart club members and a dog made their way up the tip track to the Radome on Hawkins Hill. The planned trip was done in reverse because of the oncoming Northerly front. We had perfect views and stillness from the trig and coming down the Radome track to Waipapa Gully. Negotiating some gorse along the stream we made it to the junction, and instead of taking the Sinclair Head route up to the right we shortened the walk by going up the Red Rocks Ridge track. We had lunch along the way and at the next junction descended down a track to the right taking us to the quarry near the Owhiro Bay car park.
Our timing couldn't have been better. No sooner were we inside the shelter the rain came bucketing down after 2 p.m. Needless to say we got soaked coming back along the road and the walkway to Quebec St in Kingston to complete a round trip in under 7 hours.
Weekend:
Multiday M Trip ‘Aorangi Crossing’ led by Lana Cleverley, Sat 31/5 – Mon 2/06 6M 1NM
E Cycling Trip ‘Hawkes Bay Cycling Trails’ led by Robyn & Frank Usmar, Mon 26/5 – Thurs 29/5 16M/6NM
22 participants drove to Napier and took part in four days cycling the Hawkes Bay trails. Rides included the Fernhill and Bridge Pa Ride, the Landscapes ride, and the Water Ride, a total of just over 200km. Various points of interest were visited, being the Centennial Gardens, Bluff Hill, Atea a Rangi Star Compass, Ahuriri Estuary bird observation, and Oak Avenue autumn scenes. The weather was fine except for half a day’s rain on the third day. Being the off season, accommodation at Kennedy Park was found to be of good value for money, compared to summer rates.
Total 51 members and 7 non-members