John’s Creek Lookout
This is a high point above John’s Creek which gives great views across Lake Hawea towards the Hunter River valley and Corner Peak. We park the cars at the boat ramp adjacent to the Lake Hawea camping ground, walk along the lake to John’s Creek, and then along the Timaru Creek Road for about 200 metres to the start of the Breast Hill Track. A short climb up the track takes us to the lookout.
Greg Martin
The Old Cromwell Reservoir
The walk starts and finishes at Nichols and takes us across the bridge and down to the lookout on the Cromwell – Alex road. We cross and walk up to the reservoir built in 1875 to provide drinking water for Cromwell. From the reservoir and its great views we walk along the top of the Cromwell Slide, check the condition of the survey pegs used to detect land movement, down into Firewood Creek and back to the Nichols Café for goodies.
Greg Martin
Blue - Young Link Track
“The track starts at the Blue Pools car park [about 10k west of Makarora on Highway 6]. ... just after the first swing bridge, it branches to the left… it crosses the Blue Pools Bridge for great views up the river gorge. From here the track continues through beech/tawhero forest to Rainy Flat and then opens up onto sections of farmland and bush that lead to the mouth of the Young River.” (DOC web site) Icecreams at Makarora on return.
Greg Martin (5414)
Plan A : Nook Road and beyond
With the weather less than ideal last Monday, we postponed our walk alongside the Grandview Creek which runs just beyond the old Nook Road nursery in Hawea.
This is a beautiful walk along what is now the start of the Grandview Mountain Track. The walk rises gently for the first km or so and then climbs a little up the side of the valley along a wide and grassy farm track. Despite the recent rains, it is not at all muddy or slippery, although you will have to traverse Grandview Creek a few times at the start of the walk. So you might want to bring along a second lot of footwear to change into for your drive home.
It's one of those walks where you can go as far or as little as you want because we will all be returning by the same route to the DOC carpark which is located just beyond the end of Nook Road.
This is our last opportunity to do this walk before the track is closed for lambing.
Plan B : John's Creek to Lake Hawea lookout
If it looks like rain, then we will walk from John's Creek alongside Lake Hawea and then climb up to the lookout over the lake.
Leader : Brian Kusel
