2025-09-24 < Weekly activities > 2025-10-08
Activity summary: Wednesday 2025 Oct 01 to Tuesday 2025 Oct 07
Wednesday 1st October
Lunch: Crofton Downs Café led by Barbara Ogilvie. 12m and 1NM
Despite the wet, chilly Wednesday 12 TTC members plus 1 non-member much enjoyed lunch and a chat at the Chillax Café in Crofton Downs. Who and how many turned up is evidence of many happy memories of past tramps and friends made.
Easy: Raumati Escarpment led by Lois Kluger. 4M
We walked up a pleasant bush track unaware of the wind ahead!! Great views of the Kapiti Coast from along the top as we fought our way against the wind!! On the way down there was a short burst of heavy windy rain. I asked the group if I said in my report that it was extreeeeeeemly windy, they said, “no, that would be an understatement!” But it was an invigorating just under 3 hour trip.
Easy Medium: Melling-Jubilee Park Minoh house-Normandale-Riverbank circuit led by Carolyn Jenkins. 19M 1NM
This tramp began and ended at Melling Railway Station. It started out quite fine, but the forecast was for cold southerlies from midday.
We went along bush tracks through Jubilee Park, looking at the billboards on the sites of prominent houses built in the 1890s - since demolished for motorway construction. Had morning tea then walked through the grounds of Minoh house. It is a heritage NZ category 1 building built in 1904, now used to promote Japanese culture. We continued up through the bush and waterfall., and road to Poto Reserve in Normandale. Then it rained quite heavily as we walked through the bush to Tirohanga. We were a bit wet and cold. Seven chose to keep going down to the cars at Melling. The 13 others sheltered in the bush by the Rudolf Steiner school, and had a quick lunch. The rain had almost stopped as we went down Wairere Road and we walked straight back beside SH2 to Melling in the southerly- instead of going to Belmont and walking back along the Hutt River Trail. About 10km. Total time was approx 4 hours.
Medium: Waiohine campsite - Pt 545 and Pt 632 led by Rob Handyside.
Nine club members had registered for this trip. The medium tramp from Waiohine campsite was postponed due to the anticipated rain band which came through in the middle of the day. We hope to reschedule it before the end of the year.
Medium Fit: Rae Ridge – Dennan led by Franz Hubmann.
Unfortunately, I cancelled the Rae Ridge trip today due to the southerly forecast to arrive at lunchtime. Franz Hubmann.
Saturday 4th
Medium: Wainuiomata to Eastbourne via "Kiwi Corridor" trapline led by Mike Voets. 6M 2NM
We set off on an early, wet Saturday morning at 8 am to find a way from the southernmost bus stop in Wainuiomata to the southernmost bus stop in Eastbourne through and over the hills in East Harbour Regional Park. The first obstacle at the very start: the Wainuiomata river. Slightly intimidated by the heavy downpour, and the slightly swollen river though still deemed crossable, we crossed it successfully by going in pairs and triples.
Soaking from bottom to waist we soon after found the Kiwi Corridor pest control trapline leading us up to the “East ridge” between Gollans stream and Wainuiomata. After a quick morning tea in very rainy conditions, the weather eased and we were rewarded with a pleasant walk down a spur and the beautiful Gollans stream’s surroundings.
The sun finally presented itself during lunch. Only a few kilometres of stream crossings later we made it to the Butterfly creek picnic area and had a quick break before going up and down the last hill to conclude at Bus terminus in Eastbourne. We decided to call this route the Kiwi Corridor Crossing. Total 6h 40m, 12 kilometres.
Grandparent Trip: Matiu/Somes with grandchildren led by Janette Roberts and Karen Baker. 2M, 3NM and 5 children
The 0-6 grandparent group enjoyed our inaugural trip to Matiu/Somes island, staying overnight at the Caretakers Cottage on 2-3 October. Ages ranged from 5 months to 6 years. It was very windy but we were spared the rain. The kids had a lot of fun exploring the island, and searching for kororā with red lights after dark. The only complaint was that the trip was too short.
Grandparent Trip: (age 6+ years) Holdsworth/Jumbo circuit led by Lynne White and Peggy Munn. 4M and 8 children
Four adults and 8 children tackled the trip up to Powell Hut in fine weather on Tuesday morning – they tell me that they ‘suffered in silence’ going up all those steps. By midafternoon the wind came up and then the rain arrived. Three adults ventured up the track beyond the hut but returned when we could barely stand up – not good conditions for kids! This same weather continued next morning when we decided to return to the car park. The Powell Jumbo Circuit can wait for another day.
Tararua Lodge
At least four members used the Tararua Lodge this week. They have this to say:
- There has been fresh snow. The Knoll and the Far West were great skiing and the snow cover on the upper mountain is good.
- The second guitar (classical - nylon string) has now been returned with the machine heads completely replaced. Enjoy
As always, the Lodge is a great place to relax and recreate.
Total 51M, 7NM and 13 children