RAMBLES ROUND DUNEDIN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1165, 26 September 1865, Page 6

RAMBLES ROUND DUNEDIN.

KAIKOHAI, lUIOCKVILLE, THE CHAIN HILLS

The fine weather of the past few days having thoroughly hardened the roads, we determined on taking a ramble in the above direction. So, leaving town by the Regent Road gullyj then along the district road, across a few paddocks, and we were on the North Taieri Road, at the foot of the hill beyond the Shepherd's Arms. We here struck to the left, and proceeded south by the district road leading to the Kaikorai Creek, which id here a fine brawling stream, rattling over the stones and shingle in its bed most merrily. Somehow, running water has a great attraction for us, and we have spent many a pleasant minute lingering by the banks of streams, both here and elsewhere. After crossing the creek, the road parses over a fine, fertilelooking bottom, and then begins to rise, winding round the various knolls aud hollows. There are some very prettilysituated houses in this neighborhood ; and the whole valle}' possesses considerable beauty, both sides being covered with fine bush, in which there is a good deal of large timber. Coal, or rather lignite, has been discovered lately i;i the Government Reserve here, but we did not see the pit, and can't say to what extent the workings are carried on. We got a pretty good idea of the fertility of the soil from a small nursery garden by the side of the road, with forcing-house and everything complete. Passing a remark to the owner as we passed, we were invited io, and shown over the premises. We observed some very handsome flowering plants, shiub3, &c, and vegetables of eve;y sort, all in a pretty forward state, considering the long and severe winter we have had.

After leaving the garden we had a long spell of hill before us, and the heat of the dny made the accent rather toilsome. On emerging from the bu?h at the top of the ris:*, we passed some very complete and substantial - looking farm steadings; as good specimens, perhaps, as are to be found in the district. A little way further on the road turns to the south, and keeps on along the top of the range. From the ridge, -which, as usual, is covered with big stones, we had a very fine and extensive prospect. In front lay the ocean, stretching away to the horizon; the beach, with its lines of white rollers, extending east to the reefs at Tomahawk. Then the hills of the Peninsula, from Anderson's Bay to Mount Charles and Harbor Cone, with part of the harbor visible at their feet. Before them lay Roslia, and beyond it

the Signal Hill ranee, on tp.tbe Junction, the buildui|;s lat .vpliich -glittered white in the afternoon sunshine.. Below these, the North Road could be seen winding in and out among the trees in the N.E. Valley., More to the left rose Mount Cargill, wooded to the top; except in the Pine Hill district, no openings have yet been made in the vast forest which clothes the sides of this hill. By present appearances however, it will not be very long till the daylight be let in upon its dark recesses, , and the sombre green be dotted over by the houses and the clearings of the hardy settler. To the north lay Mount Flagstaff, presenting, from this point of view, quite a contrast to its well-wooded neighbour, hardly any bush being visible on its southern and western slopes. At our renr lay a long bleak-looking ridge, covered with (all fern and flax, yet in a state of nature. After resting a little, we started again, keeping a southerly direction, passing some fairish agricultural land, until we came to a part where the road ended altogether. Here we took to the bent", and crossing the ranges, iil,^: a short time found ourselves overlooking another most extensive prospect, quite as grand in its way as the one we have just attempted to describe.

At our feet lay the Chain Hill?, broken and rugged, crossed in every direction by numerous gnllie3 ; beyond lay the Taieri Plain, bounded on the west by the great Maunpa'ua, looking huge and grand, as it loomed through the haze which generally overhangs the plain. Here and there on the level could be seen several large patches of water, relieving, by their silvery appearance, the generally sombre hue which the plain presents at this season, before the crops have made much progress.

To our left rose Saddle Hill, apparently not much superior in elevation to the point on which we were now sitting. A long strip of gray, stretching up the eastern side of the hill, showed where the South Road wound its way over the range to the

plain. To the south lay the sea, the whole expanse of hay from the Green Island to Taieri Island, and on to the Nuggets, being within our view—the lout* line of coast being marked out plainly by the white

surf. The extensive marsh in which the Kaikorai and Abbot's Creeks lose themselves, Liy before our eyes as if on a map, every part of its terraqueous surface being perceptible.

We kept on the range till Trig. Station X was reached, when we turned to the ca-t in the direction of the Kaikorai Valley. This station has a most commanding view of the Green Island district, and all the hills in its neighborhood over to Look-out Point and the Forbury. A long spur seemed to lead from where we

stood away nearly to town, promising a very easy gradient into the valley. In

this, however, we were a little out; for a short way on it dipped all at once into a deep bu-ih-clad gully. Rather than encounter tlie briars, we turned to the north and headed the gully, continuing on the range for some distance, then over into a long glen, one side of which was covered with bush, the other with fern, with a fine grassy bottom. To this bottom we =0011

made our way, finding a track leading down the gully, near the bottom of which stood a solitary clay-built cottage, with a small stream of water running close b}'. A little way below this the valley made a sharp turn, which brotight us out, over some rocky ground, to the Kaikorai Valky, ju.-t at B.irr's farm, where we found a match going on at the Government Butts, between the Artillery and the City Guards. After looking on at the shooting tor a little, we crossed the creek and breasted the opposite hill. Then crossing the Primrose Hill Township to Mornington, we pot into town by Serpauline Itoad and Maclaggan street, and s; home. The ground we have gone over to-day was of a very ea3y nature, presenting no difficulty of any sort, and may be easily travelled by any one in about four and a half to five hours. The delightful prospects to be obtained on the way are worth twice the labor, independent altogether of_ the benefits received in a sanitary and hygienic point of view. Sept. 25th, 18G5. Pakeha.