Monday, 19 September 2016

Christchurch 360 Trail: Mt Pleasant to Scarborough

Walking from Mt Pleasant to Scarborough on the Christchurch 360 Trail 

The weather forecast for the mountains was not supposed to be very good on the Saturday, so I decided I would go walk another of the Christchurch 360 sections I need to complete.

Entrance to the Estuary from near Shag Rock


The eastern beach suburbs

Mt Pleasant to Scarborough on the Christchurch 360


The section I decided to walk was that between Mt Pleasant and Scarborough, along the Christchurch Coastal Pathway. This pathway is mostly on footpaths but is is actually quite nice as you have water right next to you for the whole length of the trip. I parked my car at the Mt Pleasant Yacht Club car park and set out for points East.....

Car-park next to the Mt Pleasant Yacht Club


Ferrymead end of the Estuary
There are a series of information panels along the pathway with historical information and notes about future developments envisioned for the estuary such as bird watching hides.


Information panel along Coastal Pathway


View out to South Brighton from Mt Pleasant shoreline


The new Christchurch Coastal Pathway at Mt Pleasant

Mt Pleasant farmers market
Mt Pleasant farmers market advertisement...


The McCormicks Bay Causeway

The fore mentioned McCormicks Bay

Approaching Redcliffs on the causeway
Christchurch 360 symbol near Redcliffs

Turn off down Beachville Road, Redcliffs
Not all parts of the Coastal Pathway are completed, the section between McCormicks Bay and Clifton Terrace is still under construction

The Coastal Pathway...a work in progress....

The estuary, Clifton Terrace and Southshore Spit

More of the Coastal Pathway at Redcliffs

Jon with Clifton Terrace in the background
I spotted a few birds along this area, shags, herons and seagulls mostly, also some shoals of fish swimming around just off shore.

Nankeen Heron?

The infamous Shag

The estuary and Southshore Spit
The trail goes back out onto the main road for a couple of hundred meters, taking you through the shops at Redcliffs....


Trail goes through down town Redcliffs

Older gravel section of the Coastal Pathway

One of the Coastal Pathway Signs

Estuary mouth from Moncks Bay
I noticed a sign along here which said that this next section of the Coastal Pathway is due for construction in November 2016...watch this space.

Unformed part of the Coastal Pathway
As you round Clifton Terrace you pass Shag Rock, which was a rock pillar just off the coast. Now it is just a pile of ruble, it was destroyed in the 2010/11 earthquakes. We in Christchurch have cheekily taken to calling it "Shagged Rock", its gallows humor really as it is actually quite sad....

Is it Shag rock, or....


...."Shagged" rock

Pre earthquake Shag Rock


There is a massive earthwork in progress at Clifton Terrace, the council and NZTA are building a berm to catch rocks falling down onto the road. It is impressive, they are cutting the cliffs back and totally covering them with reinforced wire netting to hold it all together.


Massive earthworks to stabilise Clifton Terrace

Foundations of destroyed Clifton Terrace House


Clifton Terrace: cliff side wire netting to hold rock in place
You can see why there have been various schemes over the years to build a bridge from Sumner to Southshore, the mouth of the Estuary is only about 40 meters wide at low tide. Unfortunately it is about the same depth so $$$$$$$$$$.... it is unlikely to be built in my lifetime.

Entrance of the Estuary between Shag Rock and Southshore

Sumner Beach
The new Surf Club at Sumner looks flash, I really like the shape and use of wooden cladding.

Brand new Sumner Surf Clubrooms
Turn onto the Esplanade just past the surf club and walk down to Cave Rock...

The Esplanade in Sumner


WW1 Memorial "Gallipoli" on Sumner Esplanade
The council are repairing the signal station on Cave Rock at the moment, but you can still go up on top for a bit of a look around. There is a nice view of Pegasus Bay from up there. i note some idjiot is in hospital after trying to jump from Cave rock onto the containers....don't be that guy!


Cave Rock, Sumner
Once past Cave Rock you walk along the seawall right down to Sumner Heads and the end of this section of Trail.

View out to Scarborough cliffs...the end in sight!

Closer view of Scarborough and Sumner Heads

On the promenade between Sumner and Scarborough
Pathway on the Sumner seawall, the WW1 memorial clock tower

...Ice-cream....?

....Ice-cream....?
...damn straight ice-cream!
Christchurch 360 Information Panel at Scarborough
There are a series of Christchurch 360 information panels and maps next to the cafe at Scarborough, not so easy to see unfortunately....


Godley Cliffs Section (7-8 hrs)

Estuary-Marshes Section (4-6 hrs)
This section ends another 100 meters up the road near the Coast Guard Station., from here you can walk back to the start, catch a bus (in Sumner township) or continue along the next section of the Trail.


Heading towards Sumner Heads

View of Sumner Bay from the end of this section


End of this section, Godley Head Section starts/finishes here
I got to the end of the section with the intention of catching a bus back to the start but it was such a nice day I thought, bugger it I'll walk right back.

So I did....

We have spent many happy hours with the kids at the Scarborough Park over the years, it is gorgeous and very well loved.

........park near Scarborough.

Tide filling the Estuary
Jaffa the Jeep, need I say more.....

Jaffa the Jeep.....yep!

Below is a WW2 machine gun emplacement that was converted into a seat at some time. Back in 1941/42 we were convinced the Japanese would invade New Zealand so a series of fortifications were built right along the coast. This one would have dominated the entrance to the estuary.

I'm glad it is seeing some other sort of use...

WW2 machine gun emplacement reconfigured as seat

Gun emplacement information panel
The tide comes in quick at this end of the estuary, in the 15 minutes I was eating lunch all of the sandbars were covered over by the tide.

Incoming tide in the Estuary
I stopped for a sandwich and drink just past the Moncks Bay Yacht Club, there are seats where you can look out over the estuary. My sandwich was from the bakery in Sumner...yum, very nice,  it had my favourite Kiwi dressing made from sweetened condensed milk, I will go there again.

Eating my lunch near Redcliffs

Lunch spot over looking Moncks Bay


Southshore from lunch stop

The Estuary from lunch stop

Clifton Terrace from lunch stop
There are still a lot of empty sections along the coast, some poor people are still fighting their insurance companies 5 years after the 2010/2011 earthquakes.
 Bastids!

One of the still empty sections in Redcliffs

One of the sad losses of the earthquakes is Redcliffs Cave, the roof collapsed making it unsafe to enter.

It is totally munted!

Just about every Christchurch kid from 1860-2010 must have visited this cave at one time or another.....

The munted Redcliffs Cave

If you don't fancy the idea of walking all the way to Scarborough and back, then just jump on the Purple Line bus and only walk one way. The bus comes through every 15 minutes and would cost $2.00-$3.50 depending on your age.


Your bus transport if you care to use it...

It takes a long time for the tide to reach the head of the estuary, as you can see in the photo below there were still mudflats at this end.

Still not high tide at this end of the estuary

The Coastal Pathway is a very nice trip...how many times have you driven this way but never actually walked it? I recommend everyone get out there and give it a go, just pick a lovely sunny day like I did.

Christchurch 360 section details: Mt Pleasant to Scarborough

Access: Start at the Mt Pleasant Yacht Club, ends at the Scarborough Surf Club
Track Times: Approximately 7 km's, 1-2 hours one way
Miscellaneous: Purple Bus Line covers this whole section if you want to park at one end and catch the bus back to your car. toilets at both ends of the section. There are shops right along this route. 
Christchurch 360 Trail: Taylors Mistake to Scarborough-Coastal Walkway: Mt Pleasant to Scarborough - Mt Pleasant to Travis Wetlands Section
 

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