Leader: Kath Ballantine

Five trampers joined in the Hira Fire Brigade Fundraiser walk on Pepin Island. At 09.30 when we set off there was already a large crowd of people. When we reached the top at lunch time, saw how this had swelled to a huge crowd judging by the number of cars in paddocks and lining the roads.

We were directed to start in an anticlockwise orientation, (bikers going clockwise) and once we reached the east side, began our ascent to the summit, a steep climb in places. The day was warm and very calm. We got good views out to the bay. At the summit we enjoyed a leisurely lunch sheltered behind a row of pines, before descending steeply back to the start point, arriving back about 1.30pm. At morning tea we met Pat Holland and his wife, and at lunch Leah Parker and her family.

Credit goes to the Hira Fire Brigade, for the great organisation – the parking, coffee and cake stations, toilets, directions, and the separation of the bikers from the walkers on some parts of the track. I hope they raised a good amount of money from the $10 pp entry fee.

Participants: Sue & Paul Henley, Kate Krawczyk, Susan Jenkins (visitor) & Kath Ballantine (scribe)