This article was first published in Tararua Tramper July 2025
Silversky/Skyline Tracks
15 June 2025
The Sunday tramp on 15th June was a great illustration of the well known adage, ‘You can’t beat Wellington on a good day.’ When previously I have completed a recce and attempted a Wednesday trip, the wind on the Skyline has been formidable, attempting to blow us from the trails.
Seven TTC members and one non member commenced the trip from the Ngaio Railway Station at 9.15 a.m. with frost enveloping the grass and pathways. As the morning progressed there were clear blue skies, with just the merest breath of wind when we stopped for morning tea and lunch. From Ngaio Railway Station we walked through Heke Park bush to Thatcher Crescent, then along Silverstream Road to the start of the Silversky Track, a gentle zigzag up to Pylon Road leading up to the Skyline Track where we had a morning tea break. The view out over the Ohariu hills towards the Marlborough Sounds was outstanding.
From here we made our way up to the Kaukau transmission tower, then to the Kaukau Trig, with further magnificent views over the Ohariu hills, the Tasman Sea, and south with views of the Seaward and Inland Kaikoura Ranges with their dusting of snow.
At our lunch stop, we found that most trip members had not previously ventured beyond the transmission mast towards the trig, the high point of Kaukau.
From Kaukau we went down to a new zigzag track that gently descended to meet again with the Skyline Walkway, then made our way to the junction with Bells Track. Descending Bells Track towards the bottom we made a right turn onto Korimako Track, winding around the lower slopes below the Skyline. We exited via the track to Huntleigh Park Road, from there walking the streets to Heke Park and the Ngaio Railway Station. The trip was just over 14 km, with an overall ascent of 550 metres, lasting five and a half hours.
Muriel Christianson (leader/scribe), Judy Alexander, Alan Benge, Bob Cjiffers, Alan Knowles, Ali Laing, Fleur Patterson, Janice Tijsen