Winter Series 2021: Godley Head Loop, Port Hills, 23 May 2021

A short walk on the Godley Head Loop Track

Last weekend I went out for a walk at Godley Head. It is the eastern most point on the Port Hills which separates Christchurch from Lyttleton Harbor. It was a beautiful sunny winter's day which is the perfect time to enjoy the splendors available on the hills. 

View of Pegasus Bay from Godley Head, Port Hills

My plan was to walk the Breeze Col Loop Track around Pt. 246 and then head back to Godley Head on the Breeze Bay Walking Track. From there I was going to walk out and around the old World War Two defense installations at the end of the Head. Unfortunately the tracks are closed at the Godley Head end due to Asbestos contamination.

There are a series of tracks up and around Pt. 246, Godley Head

Instead I walked along the Breeze Col Track to Breeze Col where I joined the Godley Head Loop Track around the Lyttleton side of Pt. 246. Pt. 246 is the hill right next to the Godley Head carpark at this end of the Summit Road. 

Camp Bay & Mt Evans from atop Pt. 246, Godley Head

View of Godley Head from the Loop Track, Port Hills

When I got back to the Godley Head end of Summit Road I climbed up Pt. 246 to have a look at the defense installations located there. 

WWII era defense post at Godley Head, Port Hills

My partner Karen is out of action at the moment with a broken foot and some other injuries so I am keeping close to home for the next month or so. I will still try to get out for some walks but they will be local...on the Port Hills, Banks Peninsula, Travis Wetlands etc. 

Walking the Godley Head Loop....kind of!!!

So as I mentioned earlier the defense installation at Godley Head is currently closed as DOC found blue asbestos when digging some trenches for power lines up near the campsite. Asbestos is super dangerous so they have closed the area indefinitely until they can decide what to do. It is possible it might be fenced off for good as it costs a lot of money to remove Asbestos safely. 

The road is closed at Godley Head, Port Hills

I had intended to walk around Pt. 246 and then the defense installations but this was impossible. Instead I just did the walk around Pt. 246...this is still a very nice walk. The circuit around Pt.246 would be about three kilometers in total and gives you great views of Pegasus Bay and Lyttleton Harbor as it covers both sides of the Godley Head peninsula.

Silver Surfer parked at the end of Summit Road, Godley Head

Start of the Breeze Col Loop Track, Godley Head

You can still park at the far end of the Summit Road near Godley Head...there is space for about 10 cars here parked off the side of the road on the grass verge. Watch where you are parking as some of the spaces are steep with a bit of a dip so you might get stuck. To start with you are following the Breeze Col Track which is a dual use (walking/MTB) track. 

DOC sign for Breeze Col Loop Track, Port Hills

Jon at the start of the Breeze Col Loop Track, Port Hills

The track makes its way for about 1.5 kilometers along the northern side of Pt. 246 to Breeze Col which a low area between Breeze Bay and Harris Bay. The track is easy walking and forms part of the loop track to Pilgrims Way Walkway along the coast. I previously walked this track just last year...

Breeze Col Loop Track runs parallel with the Summit Road

Bridge over a stream on Breeze Col Loop Track

The track was busy with walkers and bike riders taking advantage of the nice weather to get out and about. From the track you have great views down to the bays along the Coastal Walkway, Taylors Mistake, Scarborough Head and out along Pegasus Bay. You can also see back to the Godley Head Reserve and along most of the route of the Pilgrims Way. 

View of Godley Head from Breeze Col Loop Track

Pilgrims Way Coastal Track from the Breeze Col Loop Track

Scarborough Head from Godley Head, Port Hills

View down to Taylors Mistake from the Breeze Col Loop Track

As you can see it was super dry on the Port Hills...we haven't had any significant rain for nearly six months now so the grass has died and is slowly blowing away in the wind. There is an extreme fire risk at the moment so don't do anything that might start a fire as the whole Port Hills will go up. This risk will be lowered with the heavy rain I can currently see falling outside my window...

On Breeze Col Loop Track heading for Breeze Bay Walking Track

Endemic Cotlydon Orbiculata along the side of Breeze Col Track

I had a group of three women following me along the track and one of them was really irritating...she talked the whole way...incessantly and without pause. One of the things I most like about going out for a weekend walk is the quietude but there was no quiet with that women on the track. 

I noticed the looks on the faces of the other two women when they passed me near Breeze Col and they looked exasperated and ready to murder their companion.

I felt for them....

Harris Bay and Black Rock Point from Breeze Col Loop Track

View of Pt. 258 from the Breeze Col Loop Track

Stile to keep stock off the Breeze Col Loop Track

Breeze Col is a low point in the hills between Lyttleton Harbor and Taylors Mistake. If you keep on Breeze Col Track it eventually leads back down to the Pilgrims Way Coastal Walkway and from there to Taylors Mistake. Continue on over Pt. 258 and you will eventually arrive at Evans Pass between Lyttleton and Sumner. 

Godley Head MTB Track continues over Pt. 258, Port Hills

Breeze Col between Harris Bay and Breeze Bay, Port Hills

At Breeze Col you cross over the Summit Road and join up with the Godley Head Loop Track...it is well signposted so just look for the sign and follow it. There is a stile at the start of the track around the Lyttleton side of Pt.246 or you can follow the MTB track up and over the hill. 

Track Junction on Breeze Col Loop Track...Taylors Mistake to right...

Breeze Bay Walking Track goes to the right around Pt.246, Port Hills

Breeze Bay Walking Track: at the track junction with Breeze Col Loop Track

Breeze Bay Walking Track is over this stile...

I noticed the Christchurch 356 Trail sign on the fence post just to the right of the stile. The Christchurch 360 Trail is a series of tracks which completely encircle Christchurch and allow you to circumnavigate your way right around the city.

 I have finished all but two sections of the track...from Taylors Mistake to Sumner and from Spencer Park to Brooklands. I have walked, run or ridden a MTB along all of the other sections...roughly 150 of the 170 odd kilometers. 

Great views of Lyttleton from the Breeze Bay Walking Track

Christchurch 360 Trail marker near Breeze Col

The Breeze Bay Track goes along the southern side of Pt.246 from Breeze Col back to the carpark at Godley Head. It has magnificent views of Lyttleton Harbor and Banks Peninsula including Purau, Rippa Island, Camp Bay, Little Port Cooper and the heads of Port Levy. 

View back to Mt Herbert and Rippa Island from Breeze Col

 The track gradually climbs to an apex looking down on Mechanic's Bay before descending down towards Godley Head. It is quite striking on this side of Pt.246 with a series of bluffs above and below the track making for a dramatic scene. 

Breeze Bay Walking Track climbs up the side of Pt.246

Pt. 246 from the Breeze Bay Walking Track

It is a lot cooler on this side of the ridge as the sun is totally blocked but it was still warm enough out of the wind to keep walking. Lytelton Harbor looked beautiful with the water a light turquoise color backed by the tan and brown hills in the distance. You can see how dry it is as the only green on land is along gullies and ravines where water is still running on occasion. 

Everywhere else is dry and desiccated...

Little Port Cooper from the Breeze Bay Walking Track

Mt Evans and Camp Bay from the Breeze Bay Walking Track

Rock fall zone on the Breeze Bay Walking Track

I passed a number of people along the track all going for a walk around Pt.246 but mostly it was walking by myself. You have to maintain a good pace along this section as there is a rock fall hazard since the Christchurch Earthquake. There is a 250 meter section where you are not allowed to stop and signs at both ends to warn you of the risk. 

Jon on the Breeze Bay Walking Track, Port Hills

The bluffs on this side of the hill are not massive but they still have a bit of heft to them...they look to be volcanic dams worn down over the eons as this end of the volcanic cone was gradually worn down by erosion. 

Bluffs along Breeze Bay Walking Track, Port Hills

Pt. 258 from the Breeze Bay Walking Track, Port Hills

Lone walker rounds the Breeze Bay Walking Track

You round a bend in the track and can look down into Mechanics Bay and out to the opening of Lyttleton Harbor.  Looking back up the harbor you can see as far as Gebbies Pass at the far end and there was a sailing regatta clearly visible around Quail Island. 

Little Port Cooper and Port Levy from the Breeze Bay Walking Track

...there was a sailing regatta on Lyttleton Harbor...

There were a number of boats cruising up and down the coast and you could see right across to the small settlement at Little Port Cooper and Adderley Head on the far side of the harbor mouth. In the far distance you could see Mt Sinclair and Mt Fitzgerald on the Te Ara Pataka Track. 

Mt Sinclair/Mt Fitzgerald are visible from Breeze Bay Walking Track

In the shadows on the Breeze Bay Walking Track

Godley Head and Adderley Head from the Breeze Bay Walking Track

A motorboat cruises past Mechanics Bay

Once around the point above Mechanic's Bay you can see down to Godley Head which marks this side of the harbor entrance. Godley Head is festooned with defense installations from the Second World War which were built to defend against the real threat of attacks by German commerce raiders and Japanese submarines. 

Both passed along this coast during the war and a Japanese submarine even laid some mines near the heads which were not detected until well after the war ended. 

Godley Head...note the WWII defense installations...

Note how the buildings blend into the hillsides when the grass is this color after summer...good camouflage!!!

Closer view of Godley Head installations...good camouflage!!!

The end of the Breeze Bay Track is just above the end of Summit Road but I decided to walk up to the defense posts up on Pt. 246 to have a look. Every time I come out here I think "...I must go have a look up there..." but this is the first time I have done so. 

On the Breeze Bay Walking Track eastern side of Pt.246

There are a number of posts you can explore around the hill...the first is Observation Post No. 1. These posts were occupied by spotters with high powered binoculars, range finders and sounding devices to monitor anyone approaching the harbor entrance. They phoned the details down to the battery control HQ down at the heads who controlled the 6" naval guns mounted there. 

Observation Post No. 1, Godley Head, Port Hills

Roof of Observation Post No. 1, Godley Head, Port Hills

From Post No.1 they could see from Motunau Island right across to Beacon Rock at the entrance to Port Levy. The naval guns had a range of over 30 kilometers so they could actually have hit targets near Kaiapoi and out to the horizon.  

View of Lyttleton Heads from Observation Post No.1

View out to Pegasus Bay from Observation Post No. 1

Godley Head was backed up by gun batteries at Rippa Island and the whole of the Port Hills are covered with machine gun posts to stop any enemy from approaching overland. Over 600 Army, Navy and Home Guard troops served here at any given time from 1939-1945. 

You could see the gun batteries from Observation Post No.1

From Observation Post No. 1 I climbed up to the crest of Pt. 246 on the Godley Head Loop Track...it is an old farm track which zig-zags up the hill. There is a trig point at the top marking the high point and just down from it are some more defense buildings including Observation Post No. 2. 

On the Godley Head Loop Track to Pt.246

Godley Head from the Godley Head Loop Track, Port Hills

Trig point on the top of Pt. 246, Port Hills

At the trig point on the top of Pt. 246, Port Hills

It is worth climbing up Pt. 246 for the view alone...you can see right along the coast of North Canterbury to the distant foothills. It was a bit misty along the coast so the view was not clear. You can also see right along the whole length of Lyttleton Harbor and out to the different bays that make up this end of Banks Peninsula. 

Awesome views of Pegasus Bay from the top of Pt.246, Port Hills

View along Lyttleton Harbor from Pt.246, Port Hills

Adderley Head and Beacon Rocks from Pt. 246, Port Hills

I headed down to Observation Post No. 3 just down from the top of Pt. 246...this is the most complete of the various buildings and still has some of the armour plates which covered the embrasures of the post. I can see why it was positioned here...it can see every inch of the harbor entrance...no-one would have been able to sneak into Lyttleton without being observed. 

Observation Post No. 3, Godley Head, Port Hills

Observation Post No.3 still has armored shutters...

There is an information panel inside the post which details the work carried out here during the war. This was the HQ for the positions lower down the hill and had a powerful range finder and communications equipment to command the action of the various observation posts. 

Information panel in Observation Post No.3, Port Hills

View of Adderley Head form Observation Post No. 3

View of Little Port Cooper from Observation Post No. 3

View of Lyttleton from Observation Post No. 3

Jon inside Observation Post No. 3, Godey Head, Port Hills

After spending some time in the Observation Post I walked a short distance down the side of Pt. 246 and had some snacks. I had a balcony view down to Godley Head from my position with a wide arc of vision of the whole of this end of the Port Hills. 

Godley Head from my lunch spot of Pt. 246

Despite the numerous warning signs down near the road I could see a number of people walking around the defense installations down at Godley Head. It is really a stupid thing to be doing...DOC wont even go out there without protective gear on. 

Idiots walking through Asbestos contaminated area...Godley Head

It was a beautiful winters day out at Godley Head, Port Hills

It was a short walk down the hill back to the Silver Surfer parked down at the end of the Summit Road. I followed a sheep track down to the fence line, crossed over and made my way down an old farm track to the main route of the Breeze Bay Track. 

Waking back down to the carpark at Godley Head

..there are a multitude of tracks on the flank of Pt. 246...

Godley Head information panel on Breeze Bay Walking Track

You can see the parking clearly in the following photos..as I say there is parking for around ten vehicles here. Hopefully DOC will soon reopen the area so that we can enjoy the rest of the track network at this end of the Port Hills. 

Back on the Breeze Bay Walking Track, Godley Head

Lots of cars parked at the Godley Head end of Summit Road

It was a picture perfect day to be out walking on the Port Hills as I and the hordes of other people can attest to. Once again the Port Hills have shown themselves to be a walking and tramping Mecca for those lucky people who live here in Christchurch. 

Access: From Summer take the Evans Pass road, then turn left onto Summit Road heading out to Godley Heads. The road is narrow, winding with drop offs on the downhill side. Exercise caution as it can be busy and some of the other drivers are not very courteous. 

Track Times: From the car-park it is 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete the Godley Heads Loop Track around Pt. 246, all tracks are well marked and signposted. 

Campsite Details: Closed due to Asbestos contamination. 

Miscellaneous: The defense installation at the end of Godley Head is currently closed as DOC have found Asbestos in the soil. Please do not cross the safety barriers as walking in the area can contaminate your clothing and footwear. Asbestos is a known carcinogen and breathing in even a small amount can have life altering consequences.