abtcnorthshore

COASTAL CLASSIC

North Shore coast Sat 27 Feb

A poor weather forecast may have prevented more people from coming along, but a total
of ten managed to do at least part, if not all, of the trip in grey but dry weather - the
greyness was a bonus as it was much more pleasant for walking than the scorching hot sun
experienced last Saturday in Piha Valley.

We set out from the northern end of Cheltenham Beach and found ourselves wading up to
waist deep as we negotiated the rocky coastline on the outgoing tide. After rounding
Takapuna Head we came to Narrow Neck Beach. A further lengthy stretch of more
straightforward rocky coastline below the cliffs brought us to St Leonard’s Beach then to
Takapuna Beach.

Our elevenses stop was at the ice-cream shop at the northern end of the beach by the
motor camp. Here Margaret, who had not been on a tramp for ages, showed up.

The stretch between Takapuna and Milford was totally different - before we were
following a coastal platform of sandstones and mudstones below cliffs of strata; now we
were heading around the edge of the old volcano whose crater is now Lake Pupuke. There
was a proper track cut into and over the black lava coastline. Just before approaching
Thornes Bay we saw the outflow from Lake Pupuke - this lake does not have a stream
outlet; instead the water seeps underground and comes out as springs on the rocky
coastline.

We carried on, past the Giant’s Chair, to Milford Beach. In May last year, we did this trip
from Narrow Neck to Campbells Bay and when we reached Milford we had to go inland
via the road or cross a small weir across the access to the marina. This time we were able
to walk directly across to mouth of Wairau Creek, wading only to knee-deep.

Castor Bay was next, then more of the sandstone cliff terrain we had before Takapuna.
Our lunch stop was at Campbells Bay - we put the virtue of sharing into practice as we
threw bits of bread etc. to the sparrows and seagulls crowding around us. Here Joy and
Christine joined us.

We walked along the coast to Mairangi Bay and Murrays Bay, following an old concrete
pipeline at the foot of the cliffs. Our leader surprised us by walking inland and climbing up
a walkway following the clifftops. This was a change, with views looking out to the
beaches behind and ahead. For most of the way, it followed a grassed reserve along the
tops of the bluffs.

From Rothesay Bay to Browns Bay it was a short walk along the coast, then along
another clifftop track finishing on Sharon Road. From here it was a roadbash to Torbay
and up to our icecream stop at the Torbay shops at the top of the hill. A short walk
brought us to tramp’s end, Long Bay. A former club member George Palmer, who lived
nearby, took the drivers back to their cars to bring them back to collect us.

While the rest of us were waiting at the carpark next to the marine education centre, we
saw a wedding group arrive at the centre’s reception lounge. Most were casually dressed;
but the bride, bridesmaid, groom, best man and flowergirl were in the traditional tuxedos
and bowties or long dresses, the bridesdmaid in red and the bride and flowergirl in the
normal white. The groom was seen to drink a can of beer as he arrived, past our cameras
and into the reception lounge.

COST: $2.