2010. Orton Bradley Park view of Mt Herbert (919m) & Mt Bradley (855m)
One Friday morning, after paying my entrance fee at Orton Bradley Park, Charteris Bay, I parked my car at Orton Bradley Park carpark, as I wanted to walk around Mt Bradley (855m) from Orton Bradley Park to Packhorse Hut; from Packhorse Hut to Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert saddle; from Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert saddle back to Orton Bradley Park. Estimated distance, 17 kms.
Mt Bradley was roughly triangular shaped, with one corner above Orton Bradley Park, one corner above Packhorse Hut, and one corner above Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert saddle.
Caution: In the morning of my walk Mt Bradley was cloud covered, but in the afternoon clouds cleared and I got sun burnt. Water, food & weatherproof gear are needed. Hill walking fitness is required.
1. ORTON BRADLEY PARK, TABLELAND TRACK TO PACKHORSE HUT. My time, 3 hours 40 minutes.
2010. Orton Bradley Park Signboard
I walked past Orton Bradley Park carpark signs, one stating:
PACKHORSE RTN 6-8 HOURS ->
2010. Orton Bradley Park view of Mt Bradley (855m)
2010. Orton Bradley Park view of Charteris Bay & Port Hills from Mt Vernon to Mt Pleasant
By public toilets, I started walking Tableland Track along a farm road which went up a Mt Bradley slope. I followed red-topped marker poles, while wisps of cloud crossed Mt Bradley summit. Within the next two hours Mt Bradley and Mt Herbert summits would be clouded over.
I passed white sheep and black cows with kanuka on my right and pines on my left. I crossed a stile and passed a steep, grassy paddock on my left with views of Charteris Bay and Port Hills on my right.
2010. Lincoln University Trap, Orton Bradley Park
Beyond another stile, I entered a steep gum, macrocarpa, wattle plantation where Tableland Track climbed steeply up Mt Bradley slope. I crossed a dry stream, then zigzagged uphill till I came to a fence and went straight uphill, with glimpses of Port Hills on one side of trees and glimpses of Mt Herbert dipslope the other.
By a gum tree I found a Biology & Entomology, Lincoln University, Quail Island Restoration Project wire cage trap: useless, empty, already sprung, with dried bait inside. I wondered what student had lost the trap?
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Charteris Bay & Port Hills from Mt Ada to Scott Scenic Reserve
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Charteris Bay & Port Hills from Mt Ada to The Tors
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Mt Herbert (919m) & Mt Bradley (855m)
I crossed another stile out of the plantation by a <-TABLELAND <- PACKHORSE <- GEBBIES PASS sign, and continued up a steep farm road, then crossed another stile into a steep sheep paddock, with a pine, macrocarpa shelterbelt on my right, Orton Bradley Park valley on my left, Big Rock in the valley, and views of Mt Herbert (919m) beyond.
Clouds began to roll over Mt Bradley and Mt Herbert summits and the saddle between.
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track by a Shelterbelt
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Mt Herbert (919m)
Tableland Track followed the shelterbelt above the valley, and I passed a farm gate into another steep paddock with a line of sheep going down towards the valley stream. Several old fence standards and lengths of old railway line stood as sentinels below trees.
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Port Hills from Mt Vernon to Mt Pleasant
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Lyttelton Harbour & Port Hills from Mt Vernon to Mt Pleasant
2010. Big Rock, Orton Bradley Park. Mt Herbert Dipslope backdrop
By the shelterbelt, I passed a concrete water trough amongst masses of thistles, with views of Lyttelton, Port Hills and Mt Herbert. I passed a native bush remnant going down the valley slope towards Big Rock, with Mt Herbert dipslope across the valley.
As I'd walked for an hour, I stopped below a poplar for a CocaCola and Pams Chunky Steak Pie break, and watched a faraway ferry crossing from Diamond Harbour to Lyttelton.
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track Stile view of Mt Bradley (855m)
Beyond the shelterbelt, Tableland Track continued beside a fence into grassland and a steep cattle paddock with Mt Bradley summit ahead and Mt Herbert on my left. Like Cape Town, Table Mountain's "tablecloth," more clouds blew over Mt Bradley, the saddle and Mt Herbert, with glimpses of Mt Herbert Shelter on the cloudy skyline. Behind I had clear views of Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbour and Port Hills.
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track, Matagouri view of Charteris Bay, Quail Island & Port Hills from Sugarloaf to Mt Cavendish
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Tableland below Mt Bradley (855m)
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Charteris Bay, Quail Island & Port Hills from Scott Scenic Reserve to Mt Pleasant
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Tableland, Governors Bay, Charteris Bay & Port Hills from Cass Peak to Mt Vernon
2010. Orton Bradley Park, Tableland Track view of Cloudy Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle
Tableland Track went through north-facing matagouri till I found a junction with signs pointing into the valley, and a right-angle turn across a stile to PACKHORSE -> which I took. The track climbed a steep slope beside a fence through grass and thistles towards Mt Bradley summit.
Curious black cows with yellow and blue ear tags watched me slogging upwards. I went through another farm gate where the track levelled on grassy tableland with grand views, and continued to another stile and three signs:
ORTON BRADLEY PARK
WESTERN BOUNDARY
PACKHORSE -> 1 1/2 HRS
GEBBIES PASS -> 3 1/2 HRS
THE WALKWAY
IS COURTESY OF
PRIVATE LANDOWNERS
PLEASE
KEEP TO TRACK
NO DOGS NO BIKES NO FIRES
LOUDON FARM
2010. Orton Bradley Park Western Boundary below Mt Bradley (855m)
2010. Mt Bradley Tableland view of Charteris Bay, Quail Island, Governors Bay, Lyttelton & Port Hills from Coronation Hill to Mt Vernon
2010. Mt Bradley Tablelands view of Head of the Bay, Governors Bay, Quail Island, Charteris Bay & Port Hills from Coopers Knobs to Witch Hill
2010. Mt Herbert west slope view of Gebbies Pass, Head of the Bay & Port Hills from Coopers Knobs to Marleys Hill
After the stile, white-topped poles marked the way to Packhorse Hut. Continuing upwards, I crossed a grassy farm road, turned right at a fence corner and followed a grassy road in the direction of Gebbies Pass and Lake Ellesmere, with cloudy Mt Bradley summit bluffs on my left and views of Head of the Bay and Port Hills on my right.
After climbing for about two hours from Orton Bradley Park, the grassy road was easy going. Not a soul in sight.
2010. Mt Bradley West Slopes, Clouds, Tussockland & Bush Gully
2010. Packhorse Hut Sign, Mt Bradley West Slope
I passed an aluminium sign on a pole stating:
PACKHORSE ->
<- ORTON BRADLEY
2010. Bush Gulley, Mt Bradley West Slopes
On two boulders, white arrows pointed to native bush in a gully overlooking Head of the Bay and Port Hills. The track left the road and entered bush, where I clambered over a whiteywood trunk. As it had overnight rained, I slithered along the muddy track over slimy leaf-litter, mossy rocks and slippery roots.
White paint splotches on tree trunks marked my gloomy way. Some trunks had red plastic squares marking the way. Through bush gaps, I glimpsed Coopers Knobs, Port Hills and Gebbies Pass.
2010. Mt Bradley West Slopes, Farm Boundary Sign. Lyttelton Harbour & Port Hills backdrop
Beyond the bush I crossed a stile in grassland again. A fence sign stated:
PLEASE RESPECT THIS LAND
WALKERS WELCOME
NO DOGS! NO SHOOTERS!
NO MOUNTAIN BIKES!
LOUDON FARM
Another day, miles away, up Mt Herbert Walkway I'd seen an identical sign.
2010. Remarkable Dykes Sign, Mt Bradley West Slope
I continued through tussockland, and an aluminium sign on a pole stated:
VIEW OF
REMARKABLE
ROCK DYKES
L. ELLESMERE
WAIAKE
FORESTRY
2010. Mt Bradley Remarkable Dykes & Waiake Forest near Packhorse Hut
Said view was straight ahead, and on another walk from Gebbies Pass I'd gone through Waiake Forest and passed Remarkable Dykes, parallel rock walls, on my way to Packhorse Hut.
2010. Dyke on Mt Bradley West Slope near Packhorse Hut
2010. Mt Bradley Saddle east end & Packhorse Hut
2010. Mt Bradley Saddle west end & Packhorse Hut
I passed another dyke wall and a flax gully before Mt Bradley saddle, where Packhorse Hut perched. I coolpixed views around Packhorse Hut, but didn't enter, as students occupied Packhorse Hut.
I watched three students begin their climb up a giant, stepped ridge above Packhorse Hut to Mt Bradley summit. They were the only souls I saw on the tracks that day.
2010. Packhorse Hut in Tussockland, Mt Bradley Saddle
2010. Packhorse Hut sign on Packhorse Hut Door, Mt Bradley Saddle
2010. Packhorse Hut DOC Sign & western view of Port Hills
2010. Packhorse Hut view of Gibraltar Rock & Coopers Knobs, Port Hills
2010. Packhorse Hut view of Head of the Bay & Port Hills from Marleys Hill to Witch Hill
2010. Packhorse Hut western view of Gebbies Pass, Head of the Bay & Port Hills from Gibraltar Rock to Sugarloaf
I sidled round Kaituna Valley side of Mt Bradley, and by a stile I lunched by lancewoods: CocaCola, ham sarmie, apple.
2010. Packhorse Hut view of Kaituna Valley
2010. Packhorse Hut DOC Sign & view of Kaituna Valley
2010. Packhorse Hut Sign: Mt Bradley southern slopes route to Mt Herbert & Orton Bradley Park
2010. Packhorse Hut, Tussockland, Mt Bradley Saddle
2010. Stile & Lancewoods, Mt Bradley Southern Slope Bush Gully
2. PACKHORSE HUT TO MT BRADLEY / MT HERBERT SADDLE. My time, 2 hours 45 minutes.
2010. Mt Bradley Saddle. Find Packhorse Hut.
Although Packhorse Hut DOC sign stated the track could be walked in 2 hours, I found the high track below Mt Bradley summit bluffs badly maintained in places. Overgrown gorse thrust spiky leaves and stems over the track, causing many tripping hazards. Never mind scratches.
Thickness of gorse branches across the track showed gorse hadn't been cut or sprayed for years. It wouldn't surprise me to hear someone had broken their neck or limbs on that high track. Never mind rockfall hazard.
2010. Horopito, Pseudowintera colorata, Mt Bradley Southern Slope
2010. Cabbage Tree, Native Bush, Mt Bradley Southern Slope
2010. Purple Foxglove in Native Bush, Mt Bradley Southern Slope
2010. Mossy Whiteywood, Melicytus ramiflorus, Native Bush, Mt Bradley Southern Slope
2010. Bush Gully, Mt Bradley Southern Slopes
2010. Bush Gully overlooking Mt Bradley Saddle & Waiake Forest
2010. Mt Bradley Southern Slope going down to Packhorse Hut. Waiake Forest, Gebbies Pass, Canterbury Plains, Lake Ellesmere & Pacific backdrop
2010. Mt Bradley view of Kaituna Valley & Pacific
2010. Mt Bradley view of Kaituna Valley Head
Afternoon clouds had lifted above Mt Bradley summit, and red- topped or white-topped poles and paint-splotched rocks marked the way to Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert saddle. On Kaituna Valley side of Mt Bradley, I walked through two bush gullies, including Parkinsons Bush.
I zigzagged up the steep side of a ridge to bluffs below Mt Bradley summit plateau. Packhorse Hut shrunk the higher I climbed.
2010. Mt Bradley southern slope view of Summit Bluff
2010. Mt Bradley Southern Slope Grasses
2010. Mt Bradley Southern Slope Grasses & Blue Thunbergias
2010. Mt Bradley Southern Slope Bush Lawyer Smothering Matagouri
High grassland on the ridge, wetted by morning clouds, made my shoes and socks soggy. The higher I climbed the grander my views of the giant, stepped ridge rising from Packhorse Hut saddle to Mt Bradley summit.
Westwards were spectacular views of Waiake Forest, Gebbies Pass, Lake Ellesmere and hazy Canterbury Plains. Southern Alps were obscured by cloudy haze. Southwards I had views down gullies into Kaituna Valley, and lovely views over Lake Ellesmere, Kaitorete Spit and the Pacific.
2010. Mt Bradley view of Kaituna Valley, Lake Ellesmere, Kaitorete Spit & Pacific
2010. Brown Skink, Mt Bradley Southern Slope
On the rocky track below Mt Bradley summit bluffs, I coolpixed a brown skink sunning itself by my feet. At a bluff break I passed a bush-hidden marker pole, where I'd climbed Mt Bradley summit five months before. An aluminium sign stated:
<- MT BRADLEY
TO MT HERBERT AND OPEN SHELTER HUT ->
2010. Mt Bradley Summit Sign
2010. Mt Bradley view of Kaituna Valley Head
2010. Mt Bradley view of Kaituna Valley
2010. Mt Bradley view of Kaituna Valley, Lake Ellesmere, Kaitorete Spit & Pacific
2010. Overgrown Gorse Pollution in Bush below Mt Bradley Southern Summit Bluffs
I pushed through lots of spiky gorse with grand views over Kaituna Valley and Banks Peninsula. I crossed another bush gully filled with understorey ferns, whiteywoods and tree fuchsias, with wind-sculpted totaras rising above.
2010. Tree Fuchsia, Fuchsia excorticata, Whiteywoods & Ferns, Mt Bradley Summit Bush
2010. Fern, Mt Bradley Summit Bush
2010. Windblown Totaras, Mt Bradley Summit Bush
2010. Stile near Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle
2010. Mt Bradley Southern Summit Slopes seen from Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle
By an old totara post I crossed another stile, and by the time I reached Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle I'd passed three gullies dropping into Kaituna Valley. A saddle sign overlooking Kaituna Valley head stated:
PRIVATE
PROPERTY
NO ENTRY
<- CROSS STILE
2010. Property Sign, Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle
2010. Stile, Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle. Port Hills backdrop
2010. Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle view of Mt Herbert Summit & Dipslope
2010. Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle view of Mt Bradley
2010. Gorse Pollution, Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle & Mt Bradley
2010. Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle view of Mt Bradley Slopes, Orton Bradley Park, Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbour & Port Hills
Beyond the stile I coolpixed views of Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert gorse polluted Saddle, Kaituna Valley, Mt Herbert Walkway, Mt Bradley and Mt Herbert summits, and far below Orton Bradley Park, Lyttelton Harbour, Quail Island and Port Hills.
2010. DOC Sign, Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle. Mt Herbert Summit backdrop
3. MT BRADLEY / MT HERBERT SADDLE TO ORTON BRADLEY PARK. My time, 2 hours 45 minutes.
2010. DOC Sign, Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle, Mt Bradley backdrop
On Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert saddle, a DOC sign gave me three options:
PACKHORSE HUT 1 HR 45 MIN
MT HERBERT SHELTER 15 MIN
ORTON BRADLEY PARK 1 HR 45 MIN
2010. Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle view of Mt Bradley Slopes, Quail Island & Port Hills
2010. Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle view of Mt Herbert Summit Spur, Dipslope, Quail Island & Port Hills
Starting the latter, I scoffed afternoon "tea:" Coca Cola, ham sarmie, muesli bar. For half an hour I zigzagged down a grassy farm road on Mt Herbert Walkway, through masses of sprayed dead gorse and much more live green gorse infesting the Saddle and Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert slopes.
A month before I'd climbed from Orton Bradley Park to Mt Herbert Shelter through masses of golden flowering gorse. As gorse flowering season was over, Mt Bradley, Mt Herbert and the Saddle was smothered in ghastly gorse, green-pollution.
2010. Mt Bradley Northern Summit Bluffs
2010. Mt Bradley Northern Slope view of Mt Herbert Summit Spur & Gorse Pollution on Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle
For the next hour or so I continued around Mt Bradley, avoiding Mt Herbert Walkway on Mt Herbert side of the valley above Orton Bradley Park, and walking the grassy farm road around Mt Bradley through tableland.
On my left I had sunny views of organ pipe bluffs on Mt Bradley summit, which reminded me of Giants Causeway bluffs, Ireland, and Organ Pipes Pass, Drakensberg, SA.
2010. Mt Bradley Tablelands view of Orton Bradley Park, Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbour & Port Hills
On my way down, I had sublime views of the gorse polluted gully between Mt Herbert summit ridge and Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle; Orton Bradley Park; Lyttelton Harbour and Port Hills. I watched an afternoon ferry crossing from Diamond Harbour to Lyttelton.
Beside the farm road, low on tree trunks and gate posts, I saw red plastic poison dispensers for vermin.
2010. Poison Dispenser, Mt Bradley North Slope
2010. Orton Bradley Park Tablelands view of Charteris Bay, Lyttelton & Port Hills
2010. Orton Bradley Park Tablelands Cows. Mt Herbert backdrop
2010. Orton Bradley Park Tablelands view of Mt Bradley North-Western Summit
2010. Mt Bradley Tablelands view of Big Rock in Orton Bradley Park. Lyttelton Harbour & Port Hills backdrop
Below the farm road at Orton Bradley Park Western Boundary again, I rejoined Tableland Track, and for the last hour or so, watched by sheep and black cows, I trudged downhill to Orton Bradley Park carpark the way I'd come up.
2010. Charteris Bay Golf Course view of Mt Bradley North-Western Summit & Mt Bradley / Mt Herbert Saddle
Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont
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