2025-11-05 < Weekly activities > 2025-11-19
Activity summary: Wednesday 2025 November 12 to Tuesday 2025 November 18
Butterfly Creek/Trails of Manawa Karioi & Ta Te Kopahau Reserve’ watawa Reserve/Pauatahanui Inlet/Mt Reeves – centre of New Zealand/Holdsworth – Jumbo/ Te Kopahau Reserve
Wednesday
Ramble ‘Waterfront Art Walk’ led by Paul Jones, Wed 12/11
E Trip ‘Butterfly Creek’ led by Liz Martin, Wed 12/11 10M
We had a delightful trip to Butterfly Creek, beginning at the Bus Barns and climbing up to the ridge in perfect weather, before descending to the Butterfly Creek picnic area for lunch. It was good to see new beech tree plantings in the picnic area, but the whole understory of the area continues to be badly affected by deer browsing. On the descent along the Kowhai Track, a rather fine specimen of liberia ixioides in flower was spotted.
EM Trip ‘Trails of Manawa Karioi and Tawatawa Reserve’ led by Dave Reynolds, Wed 12/11 9M
The group of 9 members enjoyed the trip in warm sunny conditions.
M Trip ‘Pauatahanui Inlet’ led by Peter Morten, Wed 12/11 15M
Fifteen of us set off from Paremata train station at 8:40. We started with a circuit at fairly low tide of the Paremata Peninsula, paused for an elderflower cheesecake morning tea at Peter and Rachel's boatshed, and continued round the inlet. We had lunch near Pauatahanui, then continued to the footbridge with eels in Whitby, Whitby lake and Spinnaker Lookout. We divided soon after, so that some could catch a train back to Wellington with certainty before 3 pm. A smaller group carried on to a hilltop track above Paremata and then dropped down to the station. Total time, just over 6 hours. A lovely day with some fine views.
MF Trip [on the slower side] ‘Mt Reeves – centre of New Zealand’ led by Cathy Wylie, Wed 12/11 6M
The group enjoyed a circuit from Walls Whare up the Cone track to bump 682, where we turned off south along the ridge to follow the footpad to Mt Reeves, at 899 metres. The route is generally evident, with some ribbon and permolat marking. It takes you with some waggles and wiggles through pleasant ferns and trees, and a final stretch of bright sub alpine scrub. We marked the entrance to the route from the Reeves-Tutuwai track with a small cairn; it's just below an orange triangle on a dead upright tree trunk.
The cloud was low, so our views down to the Tauherenikau and then out to the Wairarapa were partial but lovely. We completed the circuit on the east, passing the plaque marking the centre of New Zealand on the second of two open stretches. Then It was down and down and down through largely beech forest to the steep drop to Coal Creek, across, and back to where we started. 8 hours, MF slower pace
F Trip ‘Holdsworth – Jumbo Circuit’ led by Karen Baker 7M
Seven of us left Holdsworth Lodge at 8.20am with the intention of going clockwise round the circuit. But a notice on the gate suggested Te Whakatūrākau track was closed due to a slip. So we decided to go to Jumbo first just in case. As it happens the track was fine and we made it to Atiwhakatu hut in 1hr 45mins. Another 1hr 45mins saw us reach Jumbo hut, it was warm enough to have a late lunch on Jumbo. There were no views for most of the trip across the tops, except as we headed towards Mt Holdsworth. We got back to the cars at 5.50pm - 9hrs 30mins.
Weekend:
M Trip ‘Te Kopahau Reserve’ led by Lynne White, Sat 15/11 5M
We enjoyed a Medium tramp around Te Kopahou Reserve on Wellington’s south coast on Saturday. We climbed from the coast up to the radome, along to the trig point and out to the WW2 observation posts before descending to Red Rocks and back along the coast track. Perfect weather, good company and lovely coastal scenery.
Total 52 members and Nil non members