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Clarence Reserve to Quail Flat |
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Date: 17/03/2007
Organizer: Kaikoura Lions Club
Trip Report by: Harald Ahlfeld
To satisfy the curiosity of some not to be mentioned ‘Toyota’ drivers: Yes, the Jeep made it down there, lasted during the whole trip, and made it back in one piece – no problems at all!!!
I don’t know why nobody wanted to join me on that trip, probably they don’t trust Jeeps, and this is one thing I really can’t understand. Anyway, I called up Peter McInnes on Friday evening to find out if the trip is still on. The forecast for the next day wasn’t too bad, so at that stage it was a definitely ‘go’. I’ve tried to do this trip last year, but unfortunately it was called off because of bad weather. So Saturday morning I had an early start: 6 am I’ve put the key in the ignition of the Jeep and started my way down south. Meeting point was at the Kahutara Bridge, Inland Road, Kaikoura with a start at 10 am. After filling up petrol in Kaikoura (remember it’s a Jeep), I met 4 fellow 4wheelers at the Waiau/Mt. Lyford turnoff. Together we’ve ventured further up the road to got briefed and fleeced off of our money (proceeds went to a good course = the Kaikoura Lifeboat Institute). We’ve got started in small groups and made our way uphill through farmland to cross the Seaward Kaikouras. After Bushy Saddle (540m), the track steepens and native forest clads the mountains on either side, gradually changing to shrublands then alpine vegetation near the top. The weather turned out ok so we had marvellous views down to the Kaikoura coast line and over the Clarence Valley, as soon as we made it to Blind Saddle (1190 m).
The Clarence Reserve Conservation Area protects some of the highest mountains in New Zealand outside the Southern Alps. The reserve presents endless vistas of convoluted mountains, twisted rock formations, and small streams rushing to the Clarence River. The land is managed by the DoC following purchase by the Forest Heritage Fund.
The road drops then into the Clarence Valley via the Seymor Riverbed. After countless crossings we arrived at Quail Flat, near to the Clarence, to have our lunch. The hill across the river (on Molesworth Station) is called The Clockface – as the name implies, the shadow on its face was used to judge the time. The cob (mixture of mud and tussock) homestead Quail Flat dates from the 1860s or 1870s.
After lunch Mike (DoC) told us a bit of history about Quail Flat and the surrounding area. And then The Clockface Challenge Trophy was shown around. The story behind: a run from the entrance of Quail Flat to the top of the Clockface hill and back. Mike took up the challenge and of course everybody was asked to put his bet in. Hint about previous records: around 1 hour! I have no idea how much it would be kilometerwise, but crossing (swimming) the Clarence, running up and down a very steep hill, then crossing the river again = alone the thought of doing it would kill me! Of course everybody was watching Mike’s effort with binoculars = no cheating!!!
To cut a long story short, he’s made it in 48 minutes and 53 seconds, beating the old record (his own?) by approx. 10 minutes. That man definitely deserved a beer (which he had). What puzzled me the most: he didn’t even breeze hard after all this killer-run. Well done mate!
Shortly after we left the area on a slightly different way out and made our way back over Blind Saddle to Kaikoura. After filling up (just to be on the safe side, not because it’s a Jeep) I made my way home.
P.S.: It was a nice surprise to meet a Nelson 4 WD Club member down there: Eric Sullivan and his ‘car care-taker’ made this enjoyable trip as well.
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Past club trips 