Time: 2.5 hours
Distance: 6.3 km
Start: End of Albert Terrace, Cashmere
Finish: Same place (it's a loop)
Date: Friday 28th July 2023
A wet, wet, wet week. Rain, rain and even more rain - not to mention flooding on the Canterbury plains. So, today it seemed like a jolly good idea to stay local and head to Dry Bush.
This track starts in Mount Vernon Park at the end of Albert Terrace and follows the Albert Stream up a gorge (aptly named Gorge Track), through farmland to an old bush remnant a.k.a. Dry Bush. There is a decent map of all the tracks in the area on the Mount Vernon Park website.
We parked the cars and set off on the squelchy muddy track which wound its way initially through the native plantings. Community groups have worked hard in this area over the years and the seedlings are starting to take off. We were soon strolling/skidding under established trees alongside the stream, which today was swollen and flowing fairly rapidly.
After five minutes or so of walking, the track forked and we veered right - across the stream (I found out later, the left trail is an interesting 5 minute detour to some caves). Normally this would not be a problem - a mere hop skip and a jump - but today the rocks looked wet and slippery and we slowed down to negotiate these obstacles. A little futher on, the track went straight up the river through a cascade (not usually there). The others watched me slip-sliding along the edge of it, trying not to get my feet wet (heaven forbid). They wisely preferred an alternative muddy side path.
The valley was narrow here and we were walking by rocky crags and under over-hangs with pines towering above. A rock climbing area. I remember this track was closed for a long time after the Christchurch 2011 earthquake.
Eventually the valley opened up and we were on Dry Bush Track which runs through grassy tussocky farmland. We bypassed a couple of side tracks: one that crossed the river heading towards Huntsbury Avenue and the other that went up to a meditation kiosk - no signage (all the previous information was gleaned from perusing the map after the walk) but we chose to stay in the valley, following the creek on an unmarked muddy and sometimes vague track.
After about 50 minutes from the carpark, a patch of manuka scrub could be seen on the opposite side of the valley. The beginnings of regenerating forest. On our side of the valley there were suddenly track markers and, soon a turnstile to climb. We arrived at the edge of Dry Bush - a squareish section of natives surrounded by an unscaleably high fence. Pest control probably. We kept parallel to the eastern fenceline and when we got to the corner of the square we had to make some big decisions. Should we continue following the poles up the valley (to god-knows-where [Ed's note: Summit Road]) or should we follow the fenceline across the creek in an off-piste fashion and descend to the cars via the Huntsbury Track?? Everyone was up for the off-piste adventure. Bless them.
Without any drama we crossed the valley to the Huntsbury Track where we found a gated entrance into Dry Bush - although today I think we will call it Wet Bush. Just inside the gate we sat for a few minutes on the Jack Hutchinson memorial seat (Summit Road Society member and dedicated Dry Bush conservationalist - Thank you Jack). According to "Port Hills: the complete guide to all the walking tracks revised 3rd edition" by Mark Pickering (of which I happen to have a signed copy) there are stone wall remains nearby from the 1850's when a Mr. T. F. Feel built two sod huts in the area. We didn't see the stone walls but we could see a clear track descending into the bush - tempting - but it was drizzling and too cold and damp to explore any further today. Something for a future walk.
We headed down the spur all the way to the top end of Huntsbury Avenue and the Tussock Winery. It looked quite posh. More big decisions to be made. Could we squeeze in a quick wine tasting or were we just too under-dressed (tramping boots) and too wet (sodden puffers) and too muddy (splattered trouser legs)?? Yes probably. Besides, it was only 10:30am. Something for a future walk.
We were now heading down Huntsbury Avenue - partly on the road and partly on the footpath. At the Huntsbury Reserve sign, just opposite Vista Place, there is a small easy-to-miss track which winds steeply and slipperyly down the hill, through the pines, between the crags to the bottom. We descended without drama and popped out, pretty much back to where we had parked the cars. Wallah! We made our way to Fava Cafe to dry out over coffee and kai.
