This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 96, no 5, June 2024
Simla Crescent figure eight EM
Wednesday 24 April 2024
A bunch of 11 members met at the Simla Crescent track entrance leading up into Khandallah Park bush. With welcoming tunes of kākā and tūī we ascended uphill to the second side track to the north where we proceeded on lesser-known tracks. The comment, ‘this is more like a real tramping trail’ was heard from behind, as we undulated along amongst rocks, roots and some irregular terrain. We emerged into the bright and sunny main park and went down to the entrance for a comfort stop before taking the northern track that rises steeply towards the Skyline. Morning tea overlooking Broadmeadows to the harbour made a timely break from what seemed like relentless sets of steps and the steadily rising path.
On then, uphill to the Skyline roadway for a couple of hundred metres before turning into regenerating bush where we traversed above Johnsonville on shared bike and tramping trails. We came out of the bush into open farmland where the wind was more noticeable and we experienced strong gusts on exposed corners. The narrow pathway we were on zigzagged steeply downhill until we were adjacent to northern suburban Johnsonville. A sharp turn south took us over a cattle-stop and onto a shrubbery-lined pathway that took us to Old Coach Road. A very short suburban walk then took us to the entrance of Tōtara Park. We hiked up through the bush to the picnic area for lunch with its wide panorama of views.
Our return to Simla took us by road to the top of Truscott Street where we took the northern track back into native bush and up to the Skyline. We followed the four-wheel drive road, tracing very little of our earlier route before we ducked onto more bike trails amidst regenerating bush and a few scrubby areas to just below Mt Kaukau. From there it was a sharp turn downhill on the main track back to Simla Crescent. Five hours all up, about 12 kilometres of tramping, and an elevation rise of 819 metres.
- Party members
- Penny Salmond (leader and scribe), Diana Barnes, Linda and Alistair Beckett, Brian Hasell, Carol Kelly, Rob Laking, Lynne Pomare, Bob Stephens, Rob Vanderpoel, Rosemary Wilson