This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 96 No.1 February 2024
A walk on the wild and windy side (Belmont Regional Park Middle Ridge loop) EM
Sunday 14 January 2024
Eight keen trampers met at Stratton Street, Belmont Regional Park on a windy Sunday in mid-January. We began by climbing up Middle Ridge over open farmland. The weather was overcast with only a light breeze at first. This was to change.
All of us were hoping that we would be blown away by spectacular scenery at the top of the hill. We certainly achieved being blown away. However, as regards the spectacular scenery, we must have mist it.
As we passed Cannons Head (390m) the light breeze had increased to gale force. The fierce norwester made onward progress difficult. While low cloud and rolling mist obscured our visibility.
Our adventurous party forged on. We took a southerly course along part of the Puke Ariki trail. After some daunting encounters with savage gusts, it was with some relief that we gained shelter for morning tea on a bend in the track, away from the screaming gale.
We pressed onwards, refreshed. Bob did a brief side trip to investigate Belmont Trig. The rest of us had a relaxed lunch on the Dress Circle farm road track. From here, it was a gravelly descent down the road to arrive back at the cars. All were happy to have survived intact, and it was a tramp that really blew the cobwebs away.
- Party members
- Alan Benge (leader and scribe), Judy Alexander, Lainey Cowan, Muriel Christiansen, Bob Cijffers, Annie Van Herck, Sue Fish, Joanne Gapes.