Mondays Walk 1st April 2024

Motatapu River Track

Meet at 9.30am usual place down by the waterfront carpark opposite McDougall Street.

Take the Glendhu Road and park in the old quarry just over the Mototapu River Bridge.

Walk to the track end at the gorge for lunch and then return. Approx 5km each way

Leader: Derek Paterson

Monday's Walk 25th March 2024

Destination: McPhies Ridge

Description: With rain forecast on and near the main divide we'll keep to the east, with a 13 km return walk along McPhies Ridge from the signposted DoC carpark on Cluden Creek Road off SH 8 at Cluden Hill. Total height gain is 380 m, with lenient gradients after a steady 200 m climb over the middle 2 km. We should have ample time for a cafe stop at Tarras on the return trip to Wanaka.

Walk Leader: Martin Unwin  

Monday's Walk 18th March 2024

Destination: Poison Creek Sculpture Project / Alfern Conservation Area

Description: A morning visit to the Poison Creek Sculpture Project above Queensbury followed by a short walk to the Alfern Conservation Area for lunch. Poison Creek has increased their collection from 12 works at the time of our last visit to 30 so is well worth a second look. The Alfern Conservation Area, a 350 m climb over 2.5 km, is a small but thriving stand of regenerating Hall's totara.

Poison Creek asks for a $15 koha per person, and has asked that this be paid online as a single lump sum. To facilitate this please have $15 in cash for me to collect and transfer to their account on behalf of the group.

Walk leader: Martin Unwin      

Monday's Walk 11th March 2024

Destination: Cairnmuir loop

Description:  The Coffee Afloat boat on Lake Dunstan has confirmed they will be open tomorrow so last Monday's walk as originally posted will now proceed tomorrow. We follow an 11 km loop over the Cairnmuir Hills above Bannockburn, climbing 250 m to a saddle overlooking the Cromwell Gorge, descending to the Cairnmuir Slip control works visible across the gorge from SH 8, and continuing on to the coffee boat on the Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail. From here it's a 6 km walk back along the cycle trail to our cars. In contrast to our usual formula with a post-walk cafe stop this gives you your latte (and optionally lunch) option at the boat.

Walk leader: Martin Unwin

Monday's Walk 4th March 2024

Stop Press

The coffee boat has just emailed to say they are closed today because of the forecast so Plan A is no longer an option. Which leaves us with Plans B and C.

Monday's Walk 4th March 2024

Despite the very heavy overnight rain forecast all the main websites suggest it should be virtually all over by 9-10 a.m. tomorrow, with just the odd spot of rain from late morning. On this basis we have Plans A, B, and C as follows:

Plan A (no rain)

Destination: Cairnmuir loop

Description:  An 11 km loop over the Cairnmuir Hills above Bannockburn, climbing 250 m to a saddle overlooking the Cromwell Gorge, descending to the Cairnmuir Slip control works visible across the gorge from SH 8, and continuing on to the Coffee Afloat boat on the Lake Dunstan Cycle Trail. From here it's a 6 km walk back along the cycle trail to our cars. In contrast to our usual formula with a post-walk cafe stop this gives you your latte (and optionally lunch) option at the boat.

Plan B (light rain)

Destination: Millennium Track

Description: A short return walk along the Millenium Track to an agreed turnaround point.

Plan C (heavy rain)

Destination: Edgewater for coffee.

Walk leader: Martin Unwin