Leader: Graeme Ferrier

On a cool autumn morning a good muster of 18 trampers gathered to climb Mt Campbell. We set off at a good pace on a farm track. 45 minutes later we were strung out climbing a steep track beside pine forest.

With an enticement that there was a veranda to sit on for morning tea. We continued on up the farm track, now at a better incline, till we reached Ashton’s house. Here, we sheltered from the cool wind and ate morning tea. A farm yard it was, with some chooks hungry for our scrap, and pigs in the pen behind the house.

We continued through a patch of bush, had a scramble up a rock to get a view over the bay before joining the access road to the summit. It was just a short stop in the lee of the solid structures with light flurries of sleet and snow. A plan was made to descend via a different route that Sue and Christine were familiar with, that took us out via Nick’s Hut.

The access to this track was identified and we followed yellow markers descending through a lovely patch of bush with large rocks before coming out at Nick’s Hut, where we had a more comfortable and leisurely stop. Descending from the hut, we re-joined the farm track and out to the car park by 3.00pm. Most of us then gathered at Toad Hall for coffees en route home.

Special thanks to trip leader Graeme Ferrier, who spent considerable time obtaining permission from farmers to do this walk.

Other trampers on the day were: Rob Renshaw, Sue Martin, Christine Hoy, Pat Holland, Sue & Paul Henley, Karen Mumme, Mary Honey, Bruce Alley, Neville West, David Cook, Debbie Hogan, Marie Firth, Kath Ballantine (scribe), Kate Krawczyk and Ian Morris.