Kowhai Track - Montgomery Spur Reserve

Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Distance: 6.7 km
Start: Top of Rapaki Road
Finish: Bottom of Rapaki Road (we kind of turned it into a loop)
Date: Friday 1st March 2024

The Christchurch City Council has added another couple of tracks to the existing Port Hills network. The Montgomery Spur Reserve (named after New Zealand politician William Montgomery 1821 - 1914) now hosts the Taramea Track (mountain bikers only) and the Kowhai Track (walkers only). We were checking out the Kowhai Track today.  Taramea is the Māori name for the sharp-spiked Spaniard grass and kowhai means "yellow". The reserve can be entered shortly after the start of the popular Rapaki Track. 

Beware that there are often parking issues on Rapaki Road - especially on weekends when Cantabrians head for the hills en masse. Today seemed fairly busy too. In anticipation, some of us parked at the bottom, while others took their chances and managed to park further up the road.  We all eventually rendezvoused by the seat at the start of the Rapaki Track. 

Edel was with us today - for the first time in awhile - and so we had some major catching up to do. We set off on the track, nattering away nineteen to the dozen. There was some (understandable) banter and mirth about the fact that I was the only one sporting walking poles. A gazillion young blokes (and one girl), dressed in camouflage khaki and carrying backpacks, came jogging slowly by. Probably the New Zealand Army in training, and a good explanation for the lack of car parks. We moved aside to let them pass. 

The turn-off into the Montgomery Spur Reserve (and onto the Kowhai Track) is only a couple of minutes along the Rapaki Track. We headed up hill, following the poles to the ridge line on a wide grassy track. As we gained altitude a coolish wind sprang up. We reasoned that we had exited "the lee of the mountain" so to speak. Sheep, unphased by our presence, were dotted about the dry tussocks. One, looking slightly demented, was enthusiastically scratching itself on the fence. Two more came running towards us (alarming) but turned off at the last minute to get a drink at the water tank.

A gate, with its "keep gate closed" sign, was wide open. A mixed message, and so we paused for debate. Should we "leave gates as you find them" or follow instructions? We were divided. Eventually Nicole noticed it was securely tied open, we went on our way leaving it as is (or as was).

The sun came out and brightened the dry yellow grass. The outline of Rapaki Rock and Sugar Loaf could be seen in the distance. I thought Rapaki Rock looked rather like the snout of a baboon. I had imagined the track here would "summit" the grassy knoll above us. A woman on her new electric bike (no spring chicken, but obviously fairly gung-ho) advised us that the walking path did not go up to the knoll, so we opted for an off-piste approach. There was a survey pole at the top and grand views.

Looking back, the gung-ho woman seemed to be dragging her bike off the path and sitting down. Was she injured? Or perhaps just having a squat?  We didn't know whether to look politely away or launch a full-scale rescue mission. We opted for the latter and headed towards her to investigate, but actually she was just chatting on her phone. Back on the Rapaki Track, Edel and Nicole had disappeared up the valley towards the top.  We caught them up and lingered for a photo shoot of Linda at the flash new gate to the Linda Woods Reserve (definitely on the radar for a future Friday Walkies). 

It was a short off-piste crossing from here to the Rapaki Valley Track. The valley track is always much quieter compared to the Rapaki Track and therefore a nice descent. The going was quick, with only a short stop at the shelter. The shelter used to be the stopping point with the kids when they were little. Today I noticed that some little fucker "Eno 24", had graffitied a flip of the bird on one of the posts (#cantbetooselfrigheousherethough). 

The valley track ended and we took the connector across to the bottom of Rapaki Road. From here, those who had parked at the bottom, returned those who had parked at the top, to their cars.  It was time to make the big decision about where to go for coffee. We paused for debate.  Should we go to Fava or Opawa. We were divided. In the end an Executive Decision was made to go to The Opawa Cafe.  Weirdly I hardly ever go to that part of town so it was nice to check it out. They make a jolly good flat white I must say - and the mushroom filo was pretty fine on the palate too.  As an added bonus we got to check out Love Me Again Vintage, a quirky second hand store with an eclectic collection of vintage jewellery.