2009. Evans Pass / Summit Road Intersection, Port Hills, NZ
One sunny Saturday afternoon I parked my car at the top of Evans Pass, Port Hills, as I wanted to walk Crater Rim Walkway from Evans Pass towards Godley Head. I was spoilt for choice, as there were walks up Mt Pleasant and walks down Sumner Valley: Rapanui Bush and Capt Thomas Walk.
2009. Rapanui Bush & Capt Thomas Walk Signs by Evan Pass Top. Mt Pleasant backdrop
2009. Evans Pass Top view of Lyttelton Harbour, Purau, Diamond Harbour, Mt Evans, The Monument, Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley
2009. Evans Pass Top view of Lyttelton Harbour, Diamond Harbour, Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley
At the top of Evans Pass I looked across Lyttelton Harbour to Purau, Diamond Harbour, Mt Evans, The Monument, Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley. On my left was an old quarry below Crater Rim bluffs. I would loop round the top of the quarry on Crater Rim Walkway.
2009. Canterbury Centenary Plaque, Captain Joseph Thomas, Evans Pass Top, Port Hills
Below yellow road signs, I found a surveyor's metal benchmark fastened to a rock, and a bigger, bronze plaque also fastened to the rock stating:
CANTERBURY CENTENARY
1850 1950
IN 1849 CAPTAIN JOSEPH THOMAS
ENGINEER & SURVEYOR ON BEHALF
OF THE CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION
CHOSE THE SIGHT FOR THE SETTLEMENT.
THIS MONUMENT COMMEMORATES HIS
WORK & THAT OF HIS ASSISTANTS IN
PREPARING FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE
COLONISTS OF 1850
2009. 1950 Arbor Day / Canterbury Centennial Plaque, Evans Pass rock above Rapanui Bush
Across the intersection overlooking Sumner Valley, a rock had two plaques. A bronze plaque stated:
ARBOR DAY
1950
PLANTED
TO COMMEMORATE
THE CENTENNIAL
OF CANTERBURY
2009. 1950 Sumner Youth Club Centenary Tree Plaque, Evans Pass rock above Rapanui Bush
A black granite plaque stated:
HE WHO PLANTS A TREE
PLANTS PEACE.
YOUTH CLUB SUMNER
AUG. 1950
2009. Carpark, Evans Pass Top. Godley Head Road left
2009. Scarborough Reserve Sign above Godley Head Road near Evans Pass Top
2009. MTB Warning Sign, Godley Head Road, below Crater Rim Walkway
2009. Start of Godley Head MTB Track / Crater Rim Walkway above Godley Head Road, near Evans Pass
2009. Crater Rim Walkway Sign above Godley Head Road near Evans Pass
2009. Briefly shared Godley Head MTB Track / Crater Rim Walkway near Evans Pass
On Godley Head Road I crossed a stock grid, and at SCARBOROUGH RESERVE sign I climbed the first steep, stony bit of Crater Rim Walkway to a clump of gum trees. Closer to Godley Head Road, Godley Head MTB track went below Crater Rim Walkway, which went up the hill spine.
Crater Rim Walkway followed a quarry fence well marked with orange plastic squares nailed to fence posts. Each orange square had a white "W" on it. Two male MTBs slogged up the MTB track.
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Summit Road / Evans Pass Intersection. Godley Head Road right
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Purau, Diamond Harbour, Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley
209. Crater Rim Walkway view of old Quarry Roads below Evans Pass. Summit Road going up Mt Pleasant right. Lyttelton Harbour, Diamond Harbour, Mt Bradley left
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Sumner Valley & Pacific. Godley Head Road top right
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Godley Head Road above Sumner Valley. Pegasus Bay backdrop
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Port Hills. Summit Road going up Mt Pleasant right
While I sweated up the hill through dry, north-facing tussockland, I had warm Pacific breezes and grand views of Sumner Valley on my left. On my right I had glimpses of the quarry, Lyttelton Harbour, Purau, Diamond Harbour and Banks Peninsula peaks.
In dry tussockland I passed matagouri and thistles on my left, and behind the fence on my right I passed cotyledons & matagouri, Discaria toumatou. Behind were views of Summit Road winding up Mt Pleasant.
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Mt Pleasant (499m) Port Hills. See Summit Road & Jollies Bush
2009. Crater Rim Walkway thistle view of Sumner Valley, Richmond Hill, Clifton, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Southshore Spit, Christchurch, Pegasus Bay
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Charteris Bay, Port Hills, Summit Road going up Mt Pleasant
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Diamond Harbour, Charteris Bay, Port Hills
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Purau, Diamond Harbour, The Monument, Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Mt Evans & The Monument
2009. Crater Rim Walkway thistle view of Taylors Mistake, Godley Head Road going to Godley Head, Pacific
2009. Crater Rim Walkway thistle view of Lyttelton Harbour Mouth flanked by Godley Head & Adderley Head
In thistle pollution on the hilltop, I coolpixed Sumner, Christchurch and Pegasus Bay. The fence turned sharp right, looping round Crater Rim, past a beacon to Lyttelton Harbour side of the quarry. Towards the Pacific, I had glimpses of Scarborough and paragliders above Taylors Mistake.
Above me, an Australian harrier soared. Following fence markers, I had grand views of Lyttelton Harbour, Banks Peninsula peaks, Mt Pleasant and Port Hills.
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Diamond Harbour below The Monument, Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley
2009. Crater Rim Wallkway view of Mt Pleasant (499m) Port Hills
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Port Hills, Evans Pass & Summit Road on Mt Pleasant (499m)
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Quail Island, Port Hills & Quarry below Evans Pass, Mt Pleasant
20009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Purau, Diamond Harbour, Lyttelton Harbour, Charteris Bay, backdropped by Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley, Port Hills
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Purau, Diamond Harbour below Mt Evans, The Monument, Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour below Mt Evans, The Monument, Mt Herbert
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Quail Island, Charteris Bay, Governors Bay, Port Hills
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Purau, Diamond Harbour, Charteris Bay below Mt Herbert, Mt Bradley, Port Hills
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelon Harbour, Ripapa Isand, Purau below Banks Peninsula Peaks
2009. Crater Rim Walkway zoom view of Ripapa Island & Purau
2009. Purple Legume Flowers, Crater Rim Walkway above Lyttelton Harbour
In cooler, wetter tussockland, scattered with tiny, purple legume flowers, Crater Rim Walkway doubled back, going downhill beside the quarry, with views of Ripapa Island (with Fort Jervois and its disappearing guns), Diamond Harbour, Banks Peninsula peaks, Quail Island, Gebbies Pass, Evans Pass and Summit Road going up Mt Pleasant.
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour Mouth: Godley Head left, Adderley Head right
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour Mouth
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Purau, Diamond Harbour, Charteris Bay backdropped by Banks Peninsula & Port Hills Peaks
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Godley Head & Adderley Head flanking Lyttelton Harbour Mouth
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Godley Head Bluffs by Lyttelton Harbour Mouth. Adderley Head right
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour & Mt Evans
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour & Purau below Banks Peninsula Peaks
After I crossed a stile, Crater Rim Walkway left the quarry fence, and went downhill along the top of bluffs towards Godley Head at Lyttelton Harbour Mouth, with views of Adderley Head the opposite side. Wooden poles marked the way.
While strolling downhill, I watched a ship spewing brown muck into Lyttelton Harbour far below, the ebb tide flushing pollution to the Pacific. A smiley black Labrador jogged past, uphill, his panting master behind.
2009. Crater Rim Walkway going down to Godley Head Road above Taylors Mistake
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Lyttelton Harbour, Purau & Diamond Harbour below Mt Herbert & Mt Bradley. Charteris Bay beyond
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Model Aeroplane & Paragliders above Scarborough. Pacific backdrop
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Scarborough, Taylors Mistake, Pacific
2009. Crater Rim Walkway view of Taylors Mistake Valley Head left, with Godley Head Road going to Godley Head
2009. Godley Head Road view of Scarborough Reserve Sign overlooking Lyttelton Harbour, Purau & Banks Peninsula peaks
2009. WW2 Concrete Guard Hut by Godley Head Road overlooking Lyttelton Harbour
2009. Purple Legume Flowers, WW2 Guard Hut, Godley Head Road, Port Hills
2009. WW2 Guard Hut, Godley Head Road view of Lyttelton Harbour, Purau, Diamond Harbour, Charteris Bay, backdropped by Mt Bradley & Port Hills
Approaching Godley Head Road above Taylors Mistake, I crossed another stile, and coolpixed views from two WW2 concrete guard huts overlooking Lyttelton Harbour.
I took 1 hour 20 minutes to walk from Scarborough Reserve sign at Evans Pass to Scarborough Reserve sign by Godley Head Road overlooking Taylors Mistake one side and Lyttelton Harbour the other.
2009. Scarborough Reserve, Godley Head Road view of Lyttelton Harbour & Charteris Bay. Port Hills backdrop
2009. Godley Head Road thistle view of Scarborough, Taylors Mistake, Pacific
2009. Godley Head Road view of Red Model Aeroplane backdropped by Godley Head
2009. Godley Head Road view of Paragliders above Scarborough
2009. Godley Head Road view of Paraglider & Green Model Aeroplanes backdropped by Mt Evans
It took another hour to return to my car along Godley Head Road. At the head of Taylors Mistake valley, I watched seven blokes flying model aeroplanes in fresh breezes.
Further on I watched eight paragliders soaring Taylors Mistake winds. They took off below Godley Head Road, soared Taylors Mistake void along Godley Head Road towards Mt Evans, then circled back, blown by Lyttelton Harbour winds.
The Australian harrier soared closer to Taylors Mistake beach.
2009. Godley Head Road view of Paraglider above Taylors Mistake
I had spectacular views of Scarborough, Sumner, Avon-Heathcote Estuary Mouth, Christchurch and Pegasus Bay.
On my way down to Evans Pass again, I looked into another roadside WW2 concrete guard hut. Like the other two guard huts, it was soiled by decades of dry stock dung, broken glass and rubbish. Roadside sheep stared at me while I passed.
Closer to Evans Pass, with wisps of white cloud tickling Mt Pleasant summit, I saw a black car wreck lying beside narrow Godley Head Road, windows smashed, panels crunched, rubbish strewn in tussocks beside the car. Four yellow POLICE stickers were stuck on the side of the wreck.
Coda: Evans Pass was closed after the 22.02.11 & 13.06.11 earthquakes due to rockfall hazards.
Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.
See Matagouri (DOC)
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