Duncan Park Perimeter Track

Time: 1 hour (includes lots of natter stops)
Distance: 2 km 
Start: Duncan Park car park
Finish: Same place its a loop
Date: Friday 15th September 2003

Duncan Park is a 23.4 hectare block of land in the Port Hills, spanning a grassy spur between the Horotane and Avoca Valleys. Originally a farm belonging to the Duncan family, it was bequested to the city by Mary Duncan in 1949. According to the graffitied signage at the entrance to the park, a fairly flash looking farm house once graced the site from 1860-1962. These days, the Avoca Valley side comprises paddocks leased by the Ferrymead Pony Club.

The park has two tracks to explore: The short Perimeter Track and the longer Spur Track. Today we were embarking on the former, with the latter earmarked for another day [Eds note: watch this space]. There are other options for walking on the horizon, because the Summit Road Society has bought an adjacent block and is restoring it as the Linda Wood Reserve. This project will eventually link a number of Port Hills tracks. 

We parked in the derelict Duncan Park pot-holed car park off Port Hills Road, and dilly dallied for a bit wondering whether the bird up yonder was a takahe or a pukeko. While the mystery remained unsolved, we set off along the track framed by gorse, which sidles along the edge of the horse paddocks in the Horotane Valley.  

After about 10 minutes, the track zig-zagged up onto the spur and we paused to catch our breath and admire the views. There was a turnstile and the option of heading up to the ridge on the Spur Track or continuing on the Perimeter Track. Our quest today was the latter. 

We descended to the Avoca Valley and the Ferrymead Pony Club. A horsey type person was bundling hay into their ute and they gave us a curt hello.  The horses watched us steadily as we edged along the side of the Ferrymead Pony Club paddock.  

We bypassed some old farm buildings and meandered along a farm road of sorts - up a small hill to a farm gate. A few meters past this was a small unmarked easy-to-miss side track which led us nicely back down to the Duncan Park derelict car park. We had come full circle - with a gazillion stops - in a mere 60 minutes. According to Mark Pickerings "The Port Hills: the complete guide to all walking tracks" (of which I happen to have a signed copy), the track time is more like 40 minutes. And so we jokingly labelled it as "Not much of an excuse for a walk." The takahe/pukeko was still tripping around the pot holes and this time we got photos and identified it as the ubiquitous pukeko.

In line with the horsey theme of the day, we headed to Up Shot Coffee Roastery on Bridle Path Road. Carolien and Edel joined us and we all nattered away. After weeks of winter colds and flu, and life's up's and down's, it was lovely to sit in the sun, drink good coffee and enjoy the company of good friends. Ngā mihi nui e hoa mā.