This was a very popular walk, which started and finished at Awakairangi Park. We began by walking on the Hutt River Trail beside the horse paddocks until we reached a bush track. After around 10 minutes of walking, we arrived at the Whakatiki Bridge (also known as Carson’s Crossing). We crossed the bridge to view a sign that described Upper Hutt’s best-known personality in the early decades of the 20th century. After reading about Angus McCurdy, his diverse work history, and the house that he started building around 1900, we walked back over the bridge and found the track that took us up the hill past the former site of Bonnie Glen (also known as McCurdy’s Castle). We followed this short track to the logging road and turned left onto it. After another 20 minutes of uphill walking, we turned to the right off the logging road and joined the signposted track that took us up to the Cannon Point trig. After a break, we walked along the tops and then proceeded down to the Birchville Dam and returned to our cars via the Hutt River Trail. 

This walk was good as there were plenty of well-known exit points, good to cater for everyone’s other commitments or capabilities. Some of our group exited via these. Rain was threatening! 10 of us did the advertised loop back to our cars.

Trip Leader – Anna Kay

Walkers – Gordon, Nichole, Suz, Sheila, Sharon, Trish T, Lynn, Helena, Linda, Annemarie, Andrea, Delphine, Helen, Peter, Dan, and Mark