Ten trampers donned woollies and parkas and braved the rain to explore some new coastal bush tracks in the Hillsborough area. We started at Belfast St outside the Hillsborough Primary School and followed a bush track down into the Goodall St Reserve coming out at Hillsborough Bay where we had a brief comfort stop. The tide was right in at the beach.

We then went back into the Goodall St Reserve and climbed up to cross Goodall St and take another bush track leading to the Hillsborough Cemetery. The tracks we have covered so far were quite new, having been made within the past year. We could look out from the cemetery through the rain and mist to Ambury Park and Puketutu Island across the inner part of the Manukau Harbour.

From the cemetery we went into Rebecca Rise and roadbashed along Aldersgate Rd to the end where we began to follow another bush track skirting the coastline to come out at Wesley Bay. We walked the sandy beach and took another bush track going up to the main carpark and playground of Waikowhai Park.

A concrete path dropped down through grassy reserve, then it was a climb up a long flight of steps to come out to Cape Horn Rd. Five minutes further on was tramp’s end at the home of our leaders Marian and David and a welcome cuppa.