THE SUMMIT TRACK

Progress, Volume XIII, Issue 10, 1 June 1918, Page 223

THE SUMMIT TRACK

By ROBERT LAING

On Port Hills, Christchurch

When the organisers of the Canterbury Settlement planned the chief town of the new province, they set aside a large area of over four hundred acres for a —park and recreation ground. The foresight thus displayed has given to Christchurch one of her finest assets--Hag]ey Park. Here almost in the heart of the town are beautiful gardens a

‘ ‘ To realise space ! The plenteousness of all, that there are no bounds, To emerge and be of the sky, of the sun and moon And flying clouds, as one with them.” For the Summit Road as its name implies runs nearly all the way on the sky line; and provides a series of panoramic views and nearer beauties, that even in New Zealand are not easily rivalled.

handsome domain, and sport and recreation grounds that suffice for the needs of many thousands of the citizens. When the city was founded it was comparatively easy to set aside this area; it would be a very difficult if not impossible task now. Yet a similar and even more ambitious scheme is at present being attempted in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, which when finished, will provide the inhabitants with a magnificent walk of some sixty miles over the hilltops from Lyttelton Heads to Akaroa Heads. Few towns in the world will have (for recreative purposes only) a more glorious road. Thus will the citizens of Christchurch in Whitman’s words be able

It is my purpose in a couple of short articles to describe roughly some of the glimpses and scenes from the road, as a recommendation to the citizens of Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin to go and do likewise. Let us then start from Lyttelton Heads and imagine ourselves going like the bounds of empire—for a time at —ever westward. The Lyttelton, lighthouse is on the top of a rocky ridge some five hundred feet high. This ridge runs towards the south-west for about twelve miles rising at times in peaks to fifteen hundred feet above sea level, Along the top of the ridge goes the Summit Track, in most places only for foot passengers but widening to a road between Dyer’s

Pass and Kennedy’s Bush, and near the summit of Mt. Pleasant. On our left hand side, far below is Lyttelton Harbour, behind us is the sea, And on our right a wide plain slowly but determinedly sloping up to the great mountains in the west. Yet though there is to this extent uniformity in the view, every turn in the road, every little peak gives fresh and unexpected Pisgah-sights. To one, who has not made a study of the effect of a slight alteration of the standpoint upon the outlook, these

kaleidoscopic changes are astonishing, and yet a little alteration in height and angle make new and wonderful changes in the scenic pictures, that arc a constant source of pleasure. It is quite impossible then to give more than a hurried account of the varied views to be obtained from different parts of the track. As everywhere, however, the most beautiful effects are the rarest. Thus I have seen the harbour looking like a translucent pearl into which one . might peer like the crystal gazer in search of deeply hidden visions. On another occasion the outlines of ridge and peak were limned upon the clouds, whilst a white-winged schooner, sailed through a rainbow end, midst a flock of glinting sea birds. Sometimes the plains are hidden by a sea of rolling mist, whilst the white mountains to the westward rise into a cloudless sky from this yeasty ocean. Again on rare occasions under the northwest arch, the mountains magnified by unusual atmospheric conditions seem to rise to more than their usual height and grandeur.

However, these are but passing visions, glimpsed perhaps once in a decade, and disappearing again swiftly as the snowflake on the river. To the average city dweller they are quite unknown. Yet no day comes and goes which does not bring with it beautiful pictures of mountain, sea and plain. These are to be seen by any walker on the Summit Road, and though they may never be twice alike yet he can never fail to secure something worth perpetuating in memory. The first gap in the ridge is at Evan’s Pass, here on the left the road zig-zags into Lyttelton and on the right slopes down to Sumner. 1 Rounding the flank of Mt. Pleasant, we arrive at a tea-house immediately under the summit of the mountain (1,615 ft.). Here one may rest, obtain a meal and even accommodation for the night. From the top of the hill the red roofs of Lyttelton may be seen below, with the ships in the basin looking like mere toys. A mile or two further on is the next pass the Bridle Path—which has left unforgettable memories in the minds of the early settlers. Here again almost at our feet on the left is Lyttelton, "and to the right the warm sheltered Heathcote Valley. Some four miles further on, we come to Dyer’s Pass, about 1,000 ft. high. This is the locality best known to Christchurch people. Strangely enough the vast majority of plain-dwellers are content to live in complete ignorance of the hill country at their doors; but the number of outdoor people is 1 think slowly increasing, and on most fine Sundays and holidays several hundred people reach the pass and descend to Governor’s Bay or continue along the summit track to Kennedy’s Bush some four miles further on. On the top of the pass is the Toll-house a quaint and beautiful little cottage built from stone in the vicinity, and of a strength to stand a thousand years. On the beams over the lintel are carved verses of comfort and inspiration for the foot-sore and thirsty traveller. “Jog on, jog on the foot path way, And merrily hent the stilea! A merry heart goes all the day, Your sad tires in a mile—a.” “Merry to meet, and merry to part, And merry to meet again.” It would have been very easy to spoil the general effect by some meretricious modern cottage; but this stone-built, slate-roofed old-fashioned little building fits into its rocky background as if it had always belonged to it; and in a year or two it will look old if hot antique. Governor’s Bay is now on our left and Christchurch on our right; and at this point we shall stop for the present—and indeed we may stay at our cottage for the night if we wish. Modest Johnnie: Teacher: “Do you know, Johnnie, where shingles were first used?” • Johnnie (modestly); “I’d rather not tell.”--“Milestones.”