Time: 4 hours (2.5 hours from car park to Hilltop Tavern, 1.5 hours back)
Distance: 15.3 km total
Start: Okuti Valley Scenic Reserve, Okuti Valley Road, Little River
End: Same place (it's there and back)
Date: Friday 7th February 2021
Note: This track is closed for lambing in spring
Shortly before Little River there is a right turn onto Kinloch Road and then a few hundred meters on is a left turn onto Okuti Valley Road. As you drive down this road, with is weedy sides and overhanging trees, there is a feeling of separation from the city. A feeling that you have arrived in the wop wops.
We parked at the Okuti Track car park and set off 50 meters up the road to the start of the Okuti Track proper. The track ambiguously splits into two at the start. One track through the bush that feels like it will return you to the car, and the other for mountain bikers which heads straight up on Reserve Road. We took the former, then changed our minds (unnecessarily as it turned out) and pursued the latter.
There is no remorse on this road. Straight up, marching along to the deafening tune of 1000 cicadas (actually quite lovely). The mountain bike path and the walkers path quickly converged. It was noticed that one out of three of us was able to walk and talk - uphill - without puffing. Impressive.
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| Onga onga |
We were on a mission so only paused a couple of times. Once at the farm gate to scan the unexpected QR code with our Covid Apps and then again to check out the stings on the onga onga plant. We easily leapt the electric wire fence and began to negotiate a herd of cows who were standing directly on the path. It looked like we would make it through without mishap when suddenly we heard a loud bellowing from under a cluster of pine trees close by and, to our horror, a large black shape came charging towards us.
'BULL!' shouted Zhanna. There was a moment suspended in time while we each contemplated our fight or flight instinct, before unanimously turning tail and running for our lives. I could feel the surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins and my heart was beating like billy-o.
We gained some distance and looked over our shoulders. The bull was not quite as big as a we had first thought. In fact it was more like a smallish kind-of-cute heifer who was desperately trying to reunite with his mother on the other side of the paddock. We watch the reunion with relief and our bravery returned.
We arrived at the Hilltop Tavern at midday - perfect timing for lunch. We sat outside and admired the stunning views of Akaroa Harbour and beyond. Coffees and wood-fired pizzas arrived, followed by another coffee and cake. All delicious. The bull incident a happily distant memory.
After this leisurely and pleasant interlude we wandered back (mostly) downhill, carefully side-tracking the cows by choosing a slightly off piste detour which involved an inconsequential brush with an electric fence. We investigated cicada exuviae (Google it), kawakawa loop caterpillars, and the natural sculptures in the rather tragic totara graveyard (a legacy of European deforestation). The views out to Kaitorete Spit are epic - the sea appears to merge with the sky.
After a mere 1.5 hours from Hilltop we were back at the car and driving to check out the Little River Gallery. Feeling appreciative of a lovely day in this crazy Covid world, we headed back to Christchurch.
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| Cicada exuvia |
