Guided walks through Canterbury’s forests

Press, 26 December 1986, Page 10

Guided walks through Canterbury’s forests

The New Zealand Forest Service staff will offer guided walks through some of Canterbury’s forests this summer. Activities are varied and cater for a wide range of interests and levels of fitness. Family groups are particularly welcome. The northern most venue is Kaikoura, where a joint Forest Service and Lands and Survey Department summer holiday programme is being run from January 5 to January 16. All trips leave from the Forest Service Visitor Centre. One walk that has proved popular in past summer programmes is the climb up Mt Fyffe. Mt . Fyffe (1602 m above sea level)' is an outlier of the Seaward Kaikoura Range, which dominates the western skyline of the small steeply sloping Kaikoura plain and township. From the top of Mt Fyffe, superb views can be gained on a fine day, west to the Inland Kaikoura Range and south over the Kaikoura Peninsula through to Banks Peninsula. Further south and inland is Hanmer State Forest Park. Activities begin on December 29 and continue to January 16. Bus tours depart twice daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. from the Forest Service Information Centre, Jollies Pass Road. A forest officer will ac-

company each tour, explaining all aspects of work in a production forest from land preparation to logging. Scheduled stops include a discussion on how trees are tended, a pruning demonstration, a look at logging activities and from a high point in the forest, the opportunity to admire the scenery and observe the many uses made of the forest land. A colouring competition for children is also being held in conjunction with the summer programme. Entry forms are available from the information centre. This year combined bus tours and guided walks will be offered during the Ashley Summer Programme, which runs from January 12 to January 30. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, buses wil leave at 9 a.m. from outside the Public Library, Percival Street, Rangiora, for Ashley Forest. During the tour, which is the same on each date, forest officers will cover as many facets of forestry as time will allow. The lunch stop will be at the Grey River Picnic Area, where there will be a chance for a swim and the opportunity to walk a Nature Trail, which will appeal to many. The forest tours will return to Rangiora at approximately 3.30 p.m. You should

take lunch and suitable footwear for bush walks. This summer two new half-day walks have been included in the Craigieburn State Forest Park Summer Holiday programme, which will run from December 17 to January 18. They are a walk to Flock Hill Sheep Station and a Castle Hill Rock scramble. In conjunction with Arthur’s Pass National Park is a visit to the Cave Stream cave. This exciting half-day trip requires a working torch and a set of dry clothes to change into after the underground adventure. Also included in this year’s activities is an overnight trip staying in Hamilton Hut. Trips are varied and there is something for all grades of fitness and ages. Superb alpine scenery, beech forests and beautiful river valleys will make an everlasting impression on those who participate in the Ohau-Omarama Summer Holiday programme. Walks, film evenings, a bus tour, and a barbecue are all part of the activities which run from December 29 to January 5. Full details of the Canterbury Forest summer programme, including charges where applicable, can be obtained from the Forest Service, P.O. Box 25-022 (133 Victoria Street), Christchurch, phone 791-040, or the local forests.