Leader: Brenda Griffin
Though the day wasn’t looking too promising, but with most of the walk below the bush-line, we decided to proceed. After a few missed turns, we arrived to a full Flora carpark. It’s great to see so many people making the most of the weekends in our mountains. (Thanks to Val for leading the way.)
Lodestone is a short, but cheeky, steep climb. The weather was deteriorating, so once we arrived on top, we decided to return the way we came. We had lunch just off the summit under a small rock face, out of the wind and rain.
On the return car journey, we stopped at Upper Moutere for refreshments. Our visitors Vivienne Lilly and John Tomie enjoyed the day out with the club. Scribe Brenda Griffin and club member Val Latimer led the way.
16 June 2012 – Shedwood Bush (Tapawera) & Luna Hut
Leader: Uta Purcell
On a frosty morning in Nelson, nine trampers experienced an even frostier day in Tapawera. For most of us this track was new. Firstly, we absorbed a bit of local history at the Museum, devoted to the railway line that came to Kiwi and Tapawera in the past.
Shedwood Bush is on the southern side of a hill and kept us in the shade all the way up. Struggling through, and attempting to clear some of the many windfalls, got us warm.
When we stepped into the sun for morning tea at the end of the climb, the view opened down onto Tapawera, the foothills, the valleys of Tadmor, Wangapeka and Baton, crowned by the glittering Western Ranges. The arch of mountains reached from Gordons Knob to Mt Campbell.
We went back down the same way and drove to Harry Hancock’s old property nearby, walked some ten minutes across grassy fields, and settled in for lunch at the old Luna Hut. Harry relocated this 46-year-old hut from its original site on the Leslie-Karamea track to sit beside his man-made lake.
The hut was much photographed and the saving of this hut much admired. The outside has been repainted; the inside is authentic. On our short walk out through Harry’s farmland his fenced-in sheep and Kune Kune pigs “talked” to us.
The short tramp and visit to Luna Hut were enjoyed by Merrick Mitchell, David Rae, Raymond and Lynnette Salisbury (visitor), David Blunt, Jim Maxwell, Jackie Hoffman (visitor), Vivienne Lilley (visitor), and Uta Purcell (scribe).