Five adventure seekers encountered much variety on a pleasant Spring Sunday: chilly river crossings, relics of past endeavours, scree scrambles, scrub bashing, panoramic views, untouched forest and easy travel on a tramline formation.

 Leaving  the car at Aniseed Valley road-end at 9am, we crossed the new forestry bridge to an information panel where I, the leader, made the first of a couple of navigational errors. In my quest to show some leadership, I took the opportunity to outline our route on the map displayed in front of us. But being confused by the map's portrayal,  I mistakenly ran my finger along the Jenkins Hill- Third House track, suggesting that to be our route, instead of  the valley track below. Sharp-eyed Michele quickly brought my finger to the right place! My second, impactful, mistake would come later.

After an insertion in the intentions book we headed along the rough vehicle track to our first river crossing, admiring the beech and podocarp trees in the valley below us which looked resplendent in the morning sun. The route dropped back to the river for a knee-high wade and then we were in the bush for half an hour until a second crossing at the United Creek confluence. Not far beyond lay the brooding relics of Champion Smelter, an ideal place for morning tea in the sun. We also took time to look at the stories and photos of past endeavours, nicely displayed on the Nelson council information panel.

Kath Brian Michele and Grant at Diamond Mine site

The United Creek carries a sizeable volume of water, and we followed the route up this valley. After a couple of kilometres we found ourselves climbing steeply beside a southern tributary to the United Mine site. Here there were a couple of shafts, the higher one being reached by scrambling up a  very steep slope of shattered tailings.  After torch-lit shaft inspections, it was time to complete our ascent to the 700m ridge crest.

Grant, seeing route markers heading into the scrub from the lower shaft, chose to try that track to reach the higher adit and thus avoid the scree. However the track veered away from the tailings and soon he was abreast of us on the next spur. Now it was time for my second error.

Scrambling up scree slope at United Mine site

 Instead of dropping back to the track,  I opted to head upwards by pushing through the scrub, hoping for open spots between the vegetation. We were able to shout our intentions to Grant, who was enjoying the comfort of his track through the scrub, which would soon take him to the top. But for we others, progress was frustratingly slow, our adversaries being spheres and outcrops of dun rock, gorse and manuka. Open bits were scarce, and we must have lost nearly an hour in this mission, plus loss of skin! But at last we reached the track, which, with Grant, was upon the ridgeline. What a superb place and time for lunch, with views aplenty!

Lunchtime on the ridge between the two mines

 Well-refreshed, the track soon left the mineral belt taking us into beech forest and a well defined descent into Champion valley. Not too far above the deeply cut Champion Creek, flush with rapid flow, we me the tramline formation which, well over 100years ago, was used to ferry rock from Champion Mine down  to the smelter. From this track junction it was only five minutes to the mine remains. Unlike the United site , there was a lot of flat ground, space to move around and reflect on activities of the past. We looked in wonder at a vertical shaft, swamped, with lots of water bubbling out of it.

Now it was time to head back, and we followed the tramline route through what seemed to be well-advanced regenerating  bush. After about three kilometres a steep side track dropped us into the Roding valley just above the Champion confluence. Across the river it was a quick return along the vehicle track, and by 4.30 we were changing into dry footwear back at Kath’s car.

This was a happy trip in a very interesting area. The unplanned tussle with the scrub, in retrospect, added to the experience, I trust. Thanks, Kath, for comfortable transport and for everyone who booked in, giving me another memorable trip in the hills.

Participants were Kath, Michele, Brian, Grant (visitor) and scribe/leader Malcolm.