2025-03-05 < Weekly activities > 2025-03-19
Activity summary: Wednesday 2025 Mar 12 to Tuesday 2025 Mar 18
Wednesday March 12th
E Lees Grove Orchids led by Julia Fraser. 9M and 2NM
Nine Tararuas turned up for the Lees Grove Orchid tramp on 12th March. Michele invited two Forest and Bird trampers who happened to be there at the same time, to join us. The climb to Lowry trig seems to be getting steeper but we all made it! Then on to the bench lookout for morning tea.
We retraced our steps to join Rata Ridge and make our way to the huge patch of Earina Autumnalis Orchids. I had wondered if they would still be in flower and indeed some of the flowers were finished but there was still enough to create the wonderful fragrant scent. After lunch we continued to the Ferry Rd junction. From there the track is quite a relaxed descent.
The tail of the party enjoyed botanising and we all got familiar with the Drymoanthus Adversus Orchid. It is spotted by noticing the white roots curving around the trunk with fan shaped clusters of fleshy leaves. We plan to go back in Spring which is the flowering season.
Back at the cars soon after 2pm, we all seemed to have had a very enjoyable day.
EM Mana Cambourne perambulation led by Lainey Cowen. 5M
Despite the warning that this walk would not meet the time requirements for an EM walk, 5 of us set out from Mana railway station into the teeth of a rising southerly for a circuit of the peninsula. We took tea at one boatshed on the Cambourne Way, then toured another before setting out to the reservoirs marking the local hilltop. We lunched there (photo) before descending to Plimmerton. None of us felt like swimming, so we walked on between the railway and the sea, into that southerly, completing our circuit by 2pm . . . Then it rained!
Lainey Cowan Leader & photographer, Penny Salmond, Peter Morten, Helene Weller, Diana Barnes.
M Kaukau, Skyline, Ōtari, and return led by Ann Walker. 16
We met at the start of the Northern Walkway in Simla Crescent, Khandallah, and ascended Mt Kaukau [via its 485 steps route]. The cooler and more blustery conditions at the top and as we walked the Skyline were not unexpected; we stopped for morning tea out of the wind on the Skyline, eventually dropping down to a very sheltered track leading down to the Ōtari –Wilton’s Bush picnic area for lunch.
3 members left the group after lunch with the remainder heading up again to the Skyline via the Flax Clearing track. We continued along the Skyline on the way back to the Mt Kaukau summit, but due to wind gusts becoming stronger, decided to head down to some beautiful bush of lower tracks. [We learned later that both ferry companies cancelled their sailings that day!] 3 members departed the group at Ridvan Grove, Ngaio and the remainder of the group continued along more bush tracks and then via some road walking back to Satara Crescent, Khandallah and down to Simla Crescent where cars were parked.
We walked 20kms, 7 hours duration, 850+ metres climbed. Some beautiful photos of the surrounds were taken by Jim Gibbons.
SF Ōrongorongo Mouth, Mukamuka Stream, South Saddle, Goat Stream, Catchpool led by Karen Baker. 8M
Eight of us set out from the Ōrongorongo river mouth at 7.50, conditions were overcast with no wind. We reached the shingle bed of the Mukamuka at about 11 just as the forecast southerly picked up and the promised rain forced us to get out our wet weather gear. We reached the south saddle about 1.30 and we got to the Catchpool car park at 4.30. A great trip with varied terrain despite the weather.
Total 38 members and 2 non-members