HARBOUR, HILLS AND HERITAGE WALKS GOVERNORS BAY Explore the head of Whakaraupō/ Lyttelton Harbour from shore to summit Choose Your Governors Bay Walk Cass Peak/Orongomai Mt. Ada Marleys Hill Sign of the Bellbird Sign of the Kiwi Café shelter Coronation Hill Dyers Pass Road 5 5 4 Private Land 4 Bay Heights Road 5 Fire Station car park Zephyr Terrace Ernest Adams Drive 5 Governors Bay Hotel 4 3 Café Community 3 Centre 1 3 Lyttelton Diamond Harbour 2 2 3 Governors Bay Jetty O¯ hinetahi Sandy Bay 1 Allandale Reserve and car park Homestead Church Lane Ma¯ ori Gardens Key to walks Other Tracks in the area – Visit summitroadsociety.org.nz OTHER BROCHURES AVAILABLE IN THIS SERIES to download map of all tracks in O¯ hinetahi Reserve. Lyttelton Town and Hills, Diamond Harbour Coastal and Village Loop Visit ccc.govt.nz/walking-track-map for an interactive map of Walks, Akaroa/Wairewa Summits and Bays, Akaroa Country Walks, 1 Seashore Stroll and Scramble – 1 hour return. Discover two hidden sandy beaches safe for swimming. Good option for Port Hills tracks or pick-up brochure from library or i-SITE. Akaroa Village Walks. families with mixed abilities. For more information see www.bpwalks.co.nz Foreshore Track – 1½ hour return. Easy stroll or great family 2 Walk on formed track. Safety is your responsibility bike ride along the old foreshore road with fantastic views up the Well formed track surface, easy walking Some up and down. harbour. Wear walking shoes Plan, prepare and equip yourself well. Tracks slippery after rain – sturdy footwear and walking poles recommended. – 1½ hour circular. 3 Governors Bay Heritage Trail Easy tramping on formed, Tramping on mostly Appreciate the history and find some historic gems on this gentle signposted track. unformed track. Weather can change quickly – check forecast before departure. When cloud loop route with lovely harbour views. Wear walking shoes or Prolonged up and covers hilltops, choose a lower level walk. tramping boots down hill. Boots High fire danger – absolutely no fires to be lit anywhere. ¯ recommended 4 Experience Ohinetahi Reserve – 2 hours circular. A steep climb is rewarded with elevated views and a bush walk. Crossing and walking along roads – most walks involve road crossing and EASIEST grade mountain bike Mountain bikes not short sections along roads. Keep on the footpath, dogs on leads and hold – shared use with walkers permitted children’s hands. The main road is busy with limited visibility – listen and look 5 Mt Ada Grand Loop – 5-6 hours circular. Hit the hills and climb 500m to the summit traversing O¯ hinetahi Reserve. Saunter carefully for vehicles before crossing. along the crater rim then descend steeply back to Governors Bay. Dogs permitted on leads Dogs prohibited Cliffs and other hazards – keep children under supervision. Rockfall hazard – do not linger in areas below potential rock falls. Getting to Governors Bay Explore Governors Bay on Foot 1 SEASHORE STROLL AND SCRAMBLE 1 CHRISTCHURCH 74 76 Get out of your car and explore on foot to discover the hidden 76 Discover two hidden sandy 76 gems of Governors Bay. Colombo St swimming beaches. First, an easy 75 Three easy walks take you along the coast to gentle swimming 15 minute walk to Sandy Bay. 74 beaches, around the foreshore with views up the long harbour, You can leave less active group 1 hour return, 3.5km Godley Head and on a hunt for charming heritage buildings hidden behind members here while those wanting Dyers Pass Rd more adventure continue another LYTTELTON Adderley Head high hedges. Access to Ma¯ori Gardens Sign of the Kiwi Beach only at low tide. 15 minutes to Ma¯ori Gardens. Whakaraupo¯/Lyttelton Harbour Two more challenging tramps hit the hills where lush native 75 Diamond Harbour Cliffs and scramble at At publication date first part of track Governors Bay Quail Island forest is regenerating on protected upper slopes, and open end on track to Ma¯ori is closed. Start at Sandy Bay instead. spaces and rocky outcrops afford stunning elevated views. Summit Rd Gardens Check status on www.bpwalks.co.nz Be aware that many of these upland tracks have been built by volunteers to provide access to the native regeneration Directions: Parking is available near 75 To Akaroa Gebbies projects. They are steep and will be slippery after rain, so be the Governors Bay Community Centre on Cresswell Ave. Walk Pass Rd prepared for an adventure, wear shoes or boots with good downhill to Jetty Road until you see a gate and stairs on your soles and bring your tramping poles. left. Take the stairs down to a track following the shoreline By Car: Coming from Christchurch, drive over Dyers Pass Road under the trees, emerging briefly onto the beach then back and continue straight ahead at the bottom of the hill. Coming Use the map and key on page 1 to choose a route that is into the bush. Soon you pass a Scout Den, opened in 1961 by from Lyttelton, follow the coastal road around to Governors Bay. suitable for your ability and the weather conditions on the day. Sir Joseph Ward, then New Zealand’s Chief Scout. Parking at Fire Station, Jetty Road or Sandy Beach. Take your brochure with you so you can find and follow your chosen route. Sandy Bay beach has picnic tables and a toilet. There is Governors Bay vehicle access and parking if non-walkers want to join you. All routes visit the centre of Governors Bay, enabling you to The track to Máori Gardens is above cliffs and can be slippery. relax over lunch or coffee at one of the delightful local eateries Lyttelton Take care, closely supervising children. The remains of a D as part of your experience. A Z O D short jetty providing deep-water access can be seen. It was ep R A hy Christchurchurch r S O Tc S R e A dismantled in 1938 after a young boy fell over the edge and S P Y For more local information visit the local Community ER A D Y B S dy Beac Rd P G S an h OV R drowned. When you reach a junction take the right hand lower ERNO Association website at governorsbay.nz track passing the bench under the pine tree. (Do not head Happy Walking! uphill – this goes to the main road). Then scramble carefully down the steep steps to the beach. Climb over the rocky shore Governors Bay O¯ hinetahi to reach M ori Gardens. Explore the rock pools as you cross á Rhodes Reserve to the main beach. The classic kiwi baches were built in the and Skate Park Community Centre early 1900s. Return route is via the same track. Governors ell Bay Hotel sw P es r A C J v e e School t t y R d oa Watch for Ongaonga ' Jetty Cafe – Stinging Nettle Look out for Ongaonga, the New Zealand native nettle, on the tracks. This E r nest Ad a raggedy shrub grows in regenerating m s Dr M P A I Diamond Harbour forest areas alongside tracks where there is N Fire Station Car Park R more light. It can range in size from a small O A D young plant up to 2 m tall. The white hairs Illustration by Hugh Wilson and stems give a painful sting even if you only brush Discover secluded St Cuthbert’s Church – one of the hidden gems on the Heritage Trail against it and a large number of stings can be dangerous. U 2 Governors Bay Heritage Trail FORESHORE TRACK V E Fire RI D Station Stroll along the foreshore of Governors 7 S M A Bay around to Allandale and back on a ➞ D A T S oernor E wide easy flat track, or start at Allandale N ay otel R 6 E Ōhinetahi and walk to Governors Bay for lunch. N E Toar iaon arour LA 4.5km to 6km return or oetea H C 9 U R The Foreshore track also makes a great ➞ H 1½ hours return, 5 kms C 8 ALLANDALE af Rhodes bike ride for families. Watch out for Res D START Dogs on leads on track. To llanale A 1 walkers. RO HERE N AD M AI E C RE O R Dogs prohibited on Sage T S Y Reserve O T School Community Directions: Starting at Governors Bay, C T N E foreshore and mudflats I Centre L G ER J M O D park on Cresswell Ave. Walk along for wildlife protection V Y Sewage CHLOMONDELEY E Jetty Road (opposite the Community CK works E ESHORE A LANE R R R R T S O F N Centre) and follow it down to the jetty. 5 P 2 O 3 A Turn right to start the gentle foreshore stroll, signposted as GOVERNORS BAY R S S S hritchurchurch B RO Head to Head Walkway to Allandale. This is original Old Coach A AD View Ōhinetahi Y (hilltop route to Chch) Homestead 4 R Road, built many years ago by prisoners from Lyttelton Gaol. O from here’ A Today it is a tranquil place with lovely scenery and birdlife. You etty D ( to L will pass the Margaret Mahy Memorial Bench and Óhinetahi ytt elto Volcanic Caverns. For a bit more of an adventure, divert up n) around Sage Reserve, a 10 minute steep loop, then return to the 3 2 Cholmondeley Children’s Centre foreshore track. Continue on to the Allandale Reserve car park, GOVERNORS BAY HERITAGE TRAIL Hugh Cholmondeley purchased this site in 1898 but sadly his turning left onto the bridge at the junction.