2026-04-08 < Weekly activities >
Activity summary: Wednesday 2026 April 15 to Tuesday 2026 April 21
Raumati Escarpment/QE2 Park & Raumati Escarpment/Southern Walkway, Waitangi Park – Island Bay/Bus Barn to Point Howard/York Bay Bush Tracks & Gollans Stream Headwaters/The Peak for Lunch/Waerenga Hut/Silversky – Skyline, Bells Track
Wednesday
E Trip ‘Raumati Escarpment’, led by Anne & Hadley Bond, Wed 15/04 6M
The track is out and back, and we were able to cater for the variety of endurance demands, which increased due to the gradient and the length of grass which became more challenging further along the track. The South Island presented a fantastic picture, but some cloud obscured both Mounts Taranaki and Ruapehu.
EM Trip ‘Bike & Tramp, QE2 Park & Raumati Escarpment’, led by Dave Reynolds, Wed 15/04 5M
We enjoyed fine warm conditions for the trip with idyllic views. At the northern end of the escarpment, long grass and very uneven ground make for slow and careful progress. I suspect this section gets very little traffic.
EM Trip ‘Southern Walkway, Waitangi Park – Island Bay, led by John Willett, Wed 15/04 6M
On a fine sunny calm morning six members including one youth member left Waitangi Park and strolled along Oriental Parade to the start of the Southern Walkway. We walked up to Mount Victoria where we had morning tea. Following the walkway south, we met a large group from Forest and Bird at Mount Alfred. Lunch was eaten at Mount Albert trig which gave great views of the Kaikouras. We then descended to Houghton Bay and walked along the coast finishing at Shorland Park, Island Bay.
M Trip ‘Bus Barn to Point Howard, along the tops’, led by Joan Basher, Wed 15/04 10M
We started up the Bus Barn track, in heavenly autumn weather, and we popped over to Butterfly Creek, well, actually just as far as the toilet. At that point we headed up Middle Ridge, along the way enjoying a quick look at Stan's Hut and admiring the impressive huge rata.
In the afternoon, we followed along Main Ridge track, with trampers peeling off at a couple of points down the tracks leading back to the harbour. It was a good route for enabling people to choose exactly how far suited them. By the final hour, just three of us were left to complete the tramp, pottering down Howard Rd track to Lowry Bay. Everyone had a splendid time - you can't beat Wellington on a good day!
5-8 hours, depending on which track each tramper chose to go down back to the Harbour. Joan Basher (leader), Susi Lang, Grant McNamara, Brian Hasell, Rachel Fry, Peter Morten, Ursula Evans, Gillian Ansell, Bob Buckle, Leonore Hoke.
M Trip ‘York Bay Bush Tracks & Gollans Stream Headwaters’, led by Carolyn Jenkins, Wed 15/04 15M
It was a beautiful day. sun shone, no wind and warm. This tramp was a loop from and back to the Whiorau Reserve carpark –south of Lowry Bay beside the sea. Mostly in the bush, on several tracks, some off track and steep at times with uneven ground.
We started by going up the York Bay Kaitawa track and went off track to above Mahina Bay. We joined the Ferry Road track and climbed to the Main Ridge track and headed southwards along to where we went down to Top Forks in Gollans Valley. We had lunch on the spur above the stream. We continued to the Main Ridge track and came down the Francis Bell Track to Lowry Bay. A short walk down the Kaikoura Path and beside the sea took us back to the carpark.
5 1/2 hours
Alison Smith, Angela Vanderpoel , Cathy Wylie, Chris Munn, Chris Ward, Helena Weller-Chew, Howard Symmes, Jane-Pyar Mautner, Nina Sawicki, Peggy Munn, Simon Davis, Sokha Mey, Susan Guscott, Tricia French
MF+ Trip ‘The Peak for Lunch’, led by Mike Wespel-Rose, Wed 15/04 4M
4 of us left the car at the bottom of the Orongorongo river at 8.15. With permission, we walked on the 4 wheel drive road to the trapline and climbed this to "The Peak". We then headed south along the range top, traversing below the summit of Kotumu to avoid the heavy scrub section. After a minor battle with Ongaonga and Bush Lawyer, we emerged on the farm road which we followed back to the car for a 4.10 pm finish. Calm and fine weather in the morning which became windy in the afternoon. An A+ grade trip.
Multi Day:
Grandparent trip ‘Otaki River Camping’, led by Peggy Munn, 14 – 16 April 2M + 5 children [N/M]
We rejected Plan A to Otaki Forks and Plan B to Tutuwaiwai due to forecast rain and settled on Plan C to Waerenga Hut where we had three days of sunshine. On Wednesday we walked along Cattle Ridge, planning to walk down Baker’s Track to the river but discovered that this track is now a gorse nursery so returned the same way to Five Mile Track. Hardy grandchildren from Dunedin went for dips in the river. Dinner by candlelight, roasted marshmallows over the fire. Two adults and five children had a happy time.
Weekend:
EM Trip ‘Silversky/Skyline Bells Track’, to be led by Muriel Christianson, Sun 19/04
Cancelled due to weather conditions.
Total 48 members and 5 non members [children]