Woza Wanderer: Mt Herbert Summit via Port Levy Saddle

2010. Little River Road Signs to Akaroa & Christchurch

2010. Little River Road Signs to Western Valley & Port Levy

As I wanted to climb Mt Herbert (919 m) via Port Levy Saddle (estimated distance 10 kms return), I drove 55 kms along Akaroa Road from Christchurch to Little River, where I turned left along Western Valley Road, a metalled road going over Port Levy Saddle to Port Levy (17 kms).

Caution: Port Levy Saddle and Mt Herbert summit - exposed to the elements. Hill walking fitness, food, water, weatherproof gear needed.

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Western Valley

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Port Levy

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Western Valley Road to Port Levy. The Monument (711 m) & Mt Evans (703 m) backdrop

For about 9 kms Western Valley Road wound steeply over corrugations up to Little River / Port Levy Saddle Carpark (660 m). By the carpark, I had down valley views to Little River. Port Levy side, I saw The Monument, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps to Kaikouras Ranges, and a pine forest going down to Port Levy.

Two dead possums hung on a fence by my car. Southern side of the road amongst rocks and weathered tree stumps a DOC sign stated:

PORT LEVY SADDLE
SUMMIT WALKWAY
MONTGOMERY PARK AND SUMMIT ROAD -> 3 hrs 30 min

2010. DOC Port Levy Saddle Sign, Port Levy Saddle

I walked westwards in the opposite direction towards Kaituna Spur, where another DOC sign stated:

PORT LEVY SADDLE
SUMMIT WALKWAY
MT HERBERT SHELTER -> 2 hrs 30 min

I disagreed with that time, as it would take me 2 1/2 hours to summit Mt Herbert, with Mt Herbert Shelter another 1/2 hour walk down Mt Herbert / Mt Bradley Saddle.

2010. DOC Port Levy Saddle Sign, Kaituna Spur Carpark

I walked the grassy track on Port Levy Saddle through an avenue of weathered fence posts towards Kaituna Spur. I passed old logging mess: weathered stumps and grey logs sticking out of brown grass.

I passed prickly shield ferns, horopitos, scrubby tree fuchsias and small totaras, the track winding steeply between Kaituna Spur (807 m) and a smaller hill (763 m).

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Western Valley & Hills above Little River. Pacific backdrop

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Banks Peninsula Hills

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Western Valley & Hills above Little River

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Mt Bradley (855 m) & Mt Herbert (919 m)

Along the way, I watched a shepherd driving his maroon ute, while his five sheepdogs herded sheep from Kaituna Spur down to the track. I greeted the shepherd in passing, and from a high point below Kaituna Spur, with views of Port levy, I watched the shepherd leaving his ute, and controlling his dogs and sheep by whistling to his dogs.

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Sheep Flock on Kaituna Spur

2010. Port Levy Saddle view off Sheep on Kaituna Spur above Port Levy

I sidled past Kaituna Spur on my left with western views of Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps, Mt Bradley (855 m) and Mt Herbert (919 m). On my right I saw the pine forest and Western Valley Road descending to Port Levy, with views of The Monument (711 m) and Mt Evans (703 m).

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of The Monument (711 m), Mt Evans (703 m) & Port Levy

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of My Bradley (855 m)

2010. Bush Pocket, Port Levy Saddle

After crossing a stile on Kaituna Spur slope, I passed a pocket of totaras overlooking old logging-ravaged Kaituna Valley, with bare valley slopes going up Mt Bradley, and slopes going up to podocarp forest in Mt Herbert Reserve. I would pass five bush pockets on Port Levy Saddle, interspersed with grassland.

Through another bush pocket I passed regenerating vegetation: matagouri, dominant totaras, ferns, horopitos, tree fuchsias, bush lawyers, muehlenbeckias, coprosmas, lichens on mossy rocks, grasses, wooly mulleins, clematis creepers...

2010. Bush Pocket & Dead Totaras, Port Levy Saddle

On my right, views of Port Levy. On my left, Port Levy Saddle grassy slopes, old logging slopes with views down Kaituna Valley to Lake Ellesmere, Kaitorete Spit and Canterbury Bight, vanishing in Pacific and Alpine haze. Westwards - Canterbury Plains, while closer Mt Bradley and Mt Herbert loomed large.

2010. Bush Pockets, Port Levy Saddle above Kaituna Valley. Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley backdrop

2010. Bush Pockets, Port Levy Saddle above Kaitina Valley. Mt Herbert backdrop

In a third bush pocket on Port Levy Saddle, I passed tall totaras, broadleafs and scrubby kanukas. In a fourth pocket of regenerating bush, several southerly wind-sculptured totaras marched up Port Levy Saddle. On top I passed weathered stumps and dead totara trunks against blue sky.

The track descended Kaituna Valley a bit, where I passed unmarked Monument Track turnoff descending logged wasteland into Kaituna Valley, which I'd wandered before. Far below, piebald horses grazed amongst wind-blasted stumps.

2010. Totara Ghosts, Port Levy Saddle below Mt Herbert (919 m)

2010. Totara Ghost, Port Levy Saddle overlooking Kaituna Valley, Lake Ellesmere, Kaitorete Spit, Pacific

2010. Totara Ghosts, Port Levy Saddle overlooking Kaituna Valley, Lake Ellesmere, Kaitorete Spit, Pacific

2010. Totara Ghosts, Port Levy Saddle, overlooking Port Levy Pine Forest

2010. Totara Ghosts, Port Levy Saddle overlooking Kaituna Valley, Lake Ellesmere, Pacific

The fifth pocket of scrubby bush descending Kaituna Valley would need hundreds of conservation years to become podocarp forest again.

I zigzagged up to Port Levy Saddle crest again, where 1 1/2 hours after leaving Kaituna Spur Carpark I found a track junction with two signs: One stated PORT LEVY SADDLE by a post with a rusty shovel and a sledge-hammer attached. Another sign directed trampers along MONUMENT TRACK to The Monument and Mt Evans.

2010. Port Levy Saddle Sign, Port Levy Saddle

Midday, Port Levy Saddle crest: I stopped for cool breezes, coolpixing and lunch - CocaCola, Pams steak pie, muesli bar.

2010. Monument Track, Port Levy Saddle

2010. Mt Herbert view of Monument Track & Port Levy

Continuing up Port Levy Saddle, I climbed the steep, pole-marked track through windy grassland for the next half hour to Mt Herbert summit ridge. On my way up, I crossed a stile and had grand views of Kaituna Valley, Lake Ellesmere and Pacific.

Sidling right hand paths, I saw Port Levy, Pigeon Bay hills, Okains Bay hills, The Monument, Mt Evans, Port Hills, Pegasus Bay, Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps to Kaikouras Ranges. Looking back, I saw hilltops over Kaituna Valley, Little River and Akaroa.

2010. Mt Herbert view of Port Levy Saddle

2010. Mt Herbert view of Kaituna Valley

2010. Mt Herbert view of Kaituna Spur & Banks Peninsula Hills

2010. Mt Herbert view of Banks Peninsula Hills beyond Port Levy Saddle

2010. Mt Herbert view of Hills above Port Levy & Pigeon Bay

2010. Mt Herbert view of Mt Evans (703 m) & Pegasus Bay

On top of Mt Herbert mini-summit (913 m), at the broken mast I stopped to coolpix spectacular views. By the broken mast a shipping container, in camouflage colours, had several small aerials on top.

2010. Mt Herbert view of The Monument (711 m), Mt Evans (703 m), Port Levy, Pacific

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Pegasus Bay

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Mt Evans (703 m) Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Pegasus Bay

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Mt Evans, Purau, Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Pegasus Bay

2010. Mt Herbert Summit Ridge. Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Southern Alps backdrop

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Kaituna Valley, Lake Ellesmere, Kaitorete Spit, Pacific

For the next half hour, I dodged cowpats in tussockland along Mt Herbert summit ridge, while admiring views:

Lake Ellesmere, Pacific, Canterbury Plains.

Mt Bradley, Mt Herbert summit ridge, Canterbury Plains.

The Monument, Mt Evans, Purau, Diamond Harbour, Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Pegasus Bay, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps. While I walked a helicopter circled Mt Bradley and Mt Herbert summits, twice.

2010. DOC Sign, Mt Herbert Summit 919 m & Cows

2010. DOC Sign, Mt Herbert Summit 919 m & Banks Peninsula Hills

By rocks near Mt Herbert Summit, 20 grey codgers, including 2 women, replete with day packs and walking sticks, passed me on their way to The Monument. At Mt Herbert Summit trig beacon and masts (919 m) a herd of black cattle sheltered, chewing cud and staring at me.

I watched two Australasian harriers soaring thermals above Mt Herbert Summit. Two codgers lay on brown grass, boots off, admiring western views down Mt Herbert dipslope: Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps. I coolpixed 360 degree summit views.

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Kaituna Valley & Pacific

2010. Mt Herbert Summit Masts & Cows

2010. Mt Herbert Summit Cow view of Mt Bradley (855 m), Lake Ellesmere, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps

2010. Mt Herbert Summit Cow view of Mt Bradley, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Head of The Bay, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Charteris Bay, Head of the Bay, Governors Bay, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Quail Island, Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Diplsope, Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Pegasus Bay, Southern Alps

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Lyttelton Harbour, Mt Cavendish, Mt Pleasant, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Pegasus Bay

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Purau, Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Pegasus Bay

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Mt Evans (703 m), Purau, Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Pegaus Bay

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Monument Track, The Monument (711 m), Port Levy, Pacific

With afternoon sun on my back, I returned from Mt Herbert Summit, down Port Levy Saddle back to my car in 2 hours 10 minutes.

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of The Monument (711 m), Port Levy, Pacific

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Purau, Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains, Pegasus Bay

2010. Mt Herbert Mini Summit (913 m) view of Mt Herbert Summit (919 m)

2010. Mt Herbert Mini Summit (913 m) view of Mt Bradley (855 m) & Lake Ellesmere

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Banks Peninsula Hills

2010. Mt Herbert Summit view of Port Levy Saddle

2010. Port Levy Saddle Sign: Monument Track Purau Saddle. Port Levy backdrop

2010. Port Levy Saddle Sign, Port Levy Saddle

2010. Totara Ghost, Port Levy Saddle

2010. Port Levy Saddle, Totara Ghost & Port Levy

2010. Port Levy Saddle Bush Pocket, Upper Kaituna Valley

2010. Port Levy Saddle, Wind Blown Totaras, Upper Kaituna Valley. Lake Ellesmere & Pacific backdrop

2010. Port Levy Saddle, Old Podocarp Logging. Kaituna Valley & Lake Ellesmere backdrop

2010. Port Levy Saddle, Regenerating Bush, Upper Kaituna Valley

2010. Summit Walkway view of Port Levy Saddle & Mt Herbert Summit

2010. Summit Walkway View of Port Levy Saddle Pine Forest, The Monument (711 m) & Mt Evans (703 m)

2010. Summit Walkway view of Port Levy Pine Forestry & Port Levy

2010. Summit Walkway view of Mt Herbert Summit (919 m)

2010. Summit Walkway view of Western Valley going down to Little River, Banks Peninsula

2010. Port Levy Saddle view of Western Valley Road & Banks Peninsula Hills

2010. Dead Possums, Port Levy Saddle Carpark. The Monument (711 m) & Mt Evans (703 m) backdrop

From Port Levy Saddle Carpark, I drove along Western Valley Road down the side of Port Levy Saddle, through pine forest to Port Levy. I looked at Port Levy School and St Pauls Anglican Church, both small wooden buildings.

On Purau Port Levy Road, by Purau Saddle I coolpixed Mt Herbert eastern summit ridge I'd just climbed.

I drove back to Christchurch via Purau, Diamond Harbour, Governors Bay and Dyers Pass over Port Hills.