Time: 3 hours and 15 mins (had a few stops)
Distance: 7.7 km
Start: Summit Road, small car park at the top of Kirks Track
Finish: Same place (it's a loop)
Date: Friday 2nd September 2022
Omahu Bush Reserve is a forest remnant on the southern side of Summit Road just past Rhodes Spring. Its recent history is recorded by the Summit Road Society here, and they have a fabulous pdf map of all the tracks in the reserve here. The reserve includes Gibraltar Rock which is some volcanic thingy (Dyke?).
We parked in a small car park at the top of Kirk's Track and descended through a stunning fuchsia forest where we lingered under the trees to touch their trunks. At the first junction we took a right turn onto Rhodes Track (an old farm track) which popped us out of the bush, through a gate, and onto a small path to the base of Gibraltar Rock (500 m). We dumped packs and poles and scrambled up to the top in a (mostly) elegant fashion. The views across the plains to the alps were fabulous.
We attempted a different route for the descent which ended in gorse and so we had to back track a wee bit and scramble down (less elegantly) the same way we had come up. We headed back to the gate and onto Prendergasts Track.
The first junction was not signposted and we didn't know which way to go. We stopped for snacks to help us think, and then randomly chose the straight ahead track (both would have been fine). This zigzagged down the hill (via Prendergasts, Kirks and Nelsons Tracks) all the way to the river at the bottom. Edel hopped across the slippery rocks with impressive agility. This was the end (pretty much) of the downhill section. We halted briefly for an intense discussion on neurodiversity, before a climb up to Annies waterfall. I recall this waterfall being almost absent in high summer but today it was lovely.
Back on the main Rhodes Track we ascended up up up to Firebreak Link where we paused to get our breath back and to wait for our blood pressure to return to a more normal level. The link took us back into the bush and across a small bridge. Kereru swooped and piwakawaka flitted. We walked and talked until, once again we were back in the fabulous fuschia forest of Kirk's Track and before we knew it we had popped out onto Summit Road and the car park. Rather unexpectedly my car keys were waiting for me in the the drivers door of my car.
Feeling very happy that the car hadn't been stolen, we headed to Cup Cafe (a.k.a. Dusk Bar) for hot drinks and small snacks.
