Tolosa Park and Beyond - 25 March 2025

 Today we are doing the Mount Hull circuit, a walk we last did in 2019.

The forecast is for a max of about 21 degrees with little wind - again a perfect day for hiking.

 Getting ready

 Built in 1958 this is part of the changes made to Knights Creek to augment local water supply following a period of prolonged drought.

 

Knights Creek Reservoir

 

 

The long dry is certainly apparent when looking at water levels in the dam

 

After leaving the dam the real climb begins - the next 5kms are basically a continuous climb of about 700m

 

The first of numerous barriers we will pass today

Looking towards Mt Wellington - those with sharp eyes will be able to see a bus followed by a line of cars making their way up to the pinnacle

 

By this stage of the climb everyone was happy to stop for a short rest 

 

After almost 3 hours we reach the point where the track crosses Knights Creek and it is the perfect spot to stop for lunch

 

Lunch over and reluctantly the group continue on with a short climb to the Big Bend Track

 

The only wet patch for the whole walk which Chris is clearly navigating easily .. he hasn't even stopped eating!

The Big Bend Track and its the highest point of today's walk at about 840m above sea level

 

Its mostly downhill from now as we head off towards the East West Trail

 

We pass bushes laden with berries .. the purple ones are "New Zealand Blueberry" and the red are "Mountain Pink Berry".

 

Looking at one of the many water holes, created to assist fire fighters, that we passed today

 

This looks like a baby Octopus Tree

 

Continuing downwards on the East West Trail

 

We got a real surprise when this man appeared  .. we have no idea where he came from or where he was going to.  We are about 5kms from Tolosa Park so he must have travelled a considerable distance.

 

We didn't see any cameras on our walk

 

Now onto the Montrose Trail

 

Twins! A number of trees in this area had splits in their trunks

Vibrant colours on the trunks of some trees

As we approach Tolosa Park the last 2kms gets very steep in places and this combined with the small gravel used for road surface makes it very slippery.  We had a number of slips and falls in this section

Locals keeping an eye on us

The last 500m before we reach the cars

 Today we had perfect weather for the 8 walkers who completed 14kms while ascending 700m.  Everyone enjoyed the walk although they were a little weary and happy to get back to the cars.

 

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