2026-02-25 < Weekly activities > 2026-03-11
Activity summary: Wednesday 2026 Mar 04 to Tuesday 2026 Mar 10
Wednesday March 5th
Lunch: Karori Park Café led by Carole Haigh. 8M and 1NM
It was a fine day in a comforted venue with the added virtue of waiter service for those rendered less mobile by age and disability. Everyone was very happy with the venue, the food, the company, and the public transport accessibility.
Easy: Whitireia Park led by Anne and Hadley Bond. 8M
We walked the coastal track to the Shelly Bay carpark for morning tea. The group split to cope with health issues; two going back to cars via the inland track while the rest carried on round the coast and ascended via the cliff top track to join the access road and stopped for lunch at the crest of the hill while there was little wind. The wind got up just as we opened our lunch boxes! Surprise, surprise! After lunch we descended to the top of the inland track where we intended to traverse the hill crest to the lagoon but changed to descending the inland track due to tiring bodies.
Easy Medium: Silversky-Skyline-Bells Track led by Muriel Christianson. 8M
Eight TTC club members met at the Ngaio Railway station at 9.15 am on. We walked through the Heke Reserve to Thatcher Crescent, Silverstream Road and the Silversky zigzag Track, rising to the Pylon Road up to the Skyline Track. Morning tea was at a sheltered spot on the Pylon Road with magnificent views over Wellington city and harbour. Once on the Skyline Track we encountered a gentle southerly wind, however, generally the weather was warm and dry, in spite of a forecast for the possibility of showers. At the top of Bells Track two trampers left the group, descending Bells Track for Ngaio village. The remaining six trampers walked up to Kaukau where we enjoyed lunch and the view over the city. Following lunch, we walked west to the Kaukau trig, providing excellent views over the Ohariu valley and out towards the South Island and Tasman Sea. We then descended from Kaukau down a new zigzag track, then continued to the top of Bells Track, descending to the junction with the Korimako Track. There were some blackberries ripe for picking partway along this track. We made our way down to Huntleigh Park Road and then back via the Heke Reserve to Ngaio Railway Station. The time for the trip was five and a half hours. Distance approximately eleven km.
Medium: Orongorongo Tr-Big Bend swim-McKerrow Tr-Harvaard Spur led by Mary Kane. 17M
We walked the 5 mile and Orongorongo track into the Orongorongo river valley. The main river channel was running quite fast as we neared Big Bend so we decided not to cross and instead returned for lunch to Turere Stream mouth. The sun came out which warmed up the 4 of us who’d had a cool dip there. We walked out along a relatively dry McKerrow track then down the lovely Harvaard Spur trap line route. However, at its base after crossing the stream, the footpad to Clay Ridge track became muddy and obscure because the bush was dense and strewn with storm damage. The trip took 6 hours, longer than expected, but was enjoyed by all.
Medium Fit: Sayer Hut-Totara Creek Circuit led by David McNabb. 3M
Three members set out in overcast and cool, but dry, conditions on the track to Sayer Hut for lunch. After leaving our 6.2kg load of cleaning materials, supplied by GWBN, in the hut, we crossed a slightly swollen Waiohine R and headed for Totara Ck. Crossing this we eventually located the old route up the spur to Pt 768m and along the ridge to rejoin the track back to the road. 16km, just over 8 hours. There were several new large windfalls to negotiate both on the track down to Sayer Hut and the route up from Totara Ck.
Weekend
Love Our Huts: Field Hut spit and polish led by Paul McCredie. 4M
Franz took hit for the team cleaning the toilet, meanwhile Ingrid tackled the windows with Paul and Cara scrubbing mattresses and the sleeping platform. Sunday we partially painted the floor of the loft before re-baiting the rat traps. The walk out in the rain was accompanied with two sacks of the assorted junk that trampers have a tendency to leave behind in huts.
Total 48 members and 1 non member