This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 85, no 2, March 2013
Days Bay - Northern Hawtrey - East Ridge - Butterfly Creek
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
We could, or perhaps should have used public transport but it wasn't convenient for everyone. So, time passed gathering all from 3 meeting places and arranging a few cars at Kowhai Street, before setting off on the Korimako Track, Days Bay.
From the Main Ridge Track just before Hawtrey, we took the trapping line which passes the exclosure trial plot, taking morning tea on the level portion half way down. At the bottom slope each person made a personal short cut of some sort down to the stream. There was no stopping at the delightful flats of the true left, in case we didn't move again, but straight onto the almost opposite trapping line up to east ridge for a restful lunch under the manukas.
For some distance south there is much criss-crossing the old fence wires of the Regional Park and farmland. The pipe jammed over a short tree stump labelled with '285' for the bump, was passed about an hour or so after lunch. Most of the ridge is good open track travel, apart from the several tangled patches of long fallen windfalls half hidden in spring shrub growth. These spots resulted in the occasional face slap, dong in the shin or a chunk being taken from your good merino top by a persistent old twig.
A smattering of gorse and the no shooting sign heralded the transition to the farm track from which we immediately left to take the nicely graded trapping line down through stumpy hard beech to the valley again, some 10 minutes or so from the Butterfly Creek picnic area.
In spite of a few little murmurs about altering plans for some hopeful evening ideas, we were out at a respectable time, about 7 hours including all numerous stops and lunch. We were grateful for the extra vehicle supply at the end thanks to Jim Gibbons who had taken his people mover to Kowhai Street ahead of time and cycled back to Days Bay.
A good crew had enjoyed the great weather and Gollans scenery on a day when others strutted a red carpet dreaming of Hobbiton.
- Party members
- (leader and .Diana Barnes, David Campbell, Nick Campion, Alan Clarke, Richard Clarke, Mike Crozier, Michele Dickson (Leader and scribe), Syd Edwards, Jim and Diana Gibbons, Diane Head, John Hill, Sheena Hudson, Justin Kerr, Liz Martin, John Neas, Jan Nye, Peter Hatfield, Kerry Popplewell, Penny Salmond, Sue Seedhouse, Marris Weight