Short walk: Devils Punchbowl Falls: 10th February 2019

Another day trip to Arthur's Pass...

This last weekend my partner Karen and I went up to Arthur's Pass for the day and walked a number of tracks. One of them I walked towards the end of 2018 but the other was new to both of us. It was a really nice day in Arthur's Pass, warm, still and sunny...perfect weather for a trip to the National Park.

There were a lot of visitors in Arthur's Pass Village over the weekend

We went on the Sunday as they were running the 2019 Coast to Coast race on Friday and Saturday and the Village is always heaving with people for those two days.

 

Walking the Punchbowl Falls Track...as an alternate...

We were planning to walk the Otira Valley track but when we got up to Arthur's Pass Village there was quite a bit of cloud lingering around the top of the valley. The Otira Valley Track is situated right on the highpoint of SH73 going over Arthur's Pass so the Otira Valley would have been full of cloud. As an alternate we decided to go up to Punchbowl Falls a very nice short track down by the village.

Entrance to the car park for Punchbowl Falls Track

The car-park for the Punchbowl Falls Track is at the western edge of Arthur's Pass township, it was totally full of cars as this is starting point for a number of tracks in the area:Punchbowl Falls, Mt Aicken Track, Cons Track, Arthur's Pass Walking Track, Scott's Track and Coral Track.

Arthur's Pass Village: note the many tracks in the immediate area

Lots of tracks start from the Punchbowl Falls car park..

You walk up to the Bealey River bridge cross over it  and take the right hand junction to get to the Falls. If you go left you will eventually reach the pass at the head of the valley by following the Arthur's Pass Walking Track.

Looking at Punchbowl Falls from near the car park

Karen crossing the Bealey River bridge, Arthur's Pass

A very low Bealey River from the bridge to Punchbowl Falls, Arthur's Pass NP

Track junction on the true left of the Bealey River...go right!!

Once over the Punchbowl Falls Stream the track is a series of flat areas, steps and stairs...it is built to great walk standards so can be used by anyone with a degree of mobility. Boots are not required a pair of walking shoes will suffice...

On the Punchbowl Falls Track, start of the climb

Multiple sets of steps on the Punchbowl Falls Track

...and also a lot of stairs on the Punchbowl Falls Track

It is a bit of a haul climbing up all those steps and stairs but once you reach the apex of the track it is more gentle as it gradually descends down to the viewing platform at the end of the track.

High point of the Punchbowl Falls Track, descending to the viewing platform

Final set of stairs to the Punchbowl Falls Track viewing platform

We got to the viewing platform after about 25 minutes walking...not as many people here as last time I came up and the falls were flowing much more sedately. Several groups of ...lets call it as it is..idiots...ignored the rock fall warning signs and walked up the side of the valley to the lip of the falls.

This is not something I would do as I don't want to get squot like a pumpkin by a falling three tonne rock.... most of the transgressors were young with the resulting dumb obviously playing on their minds!!!!

I recommend you do not follow their example!

Punchbowl Falls from the viewing platform, Arthur's Pass NP

An interpretive panel describing the Maori origins for the Falls name...

Look closely and you can see some of the youngsters on the right of Punchbowl Falls stream...

After a short break at the falls we started off back to the car park, the return journey is much quicker than the walk in as there is a lot more downhill. The trip back to the car-park would have taken us less than 20 minutes but we stopped off to visit the old power station site.

Climbing back up the Punchbowl Falls Track to the high point

Stairs on the way back to the car-park, Punchbowl Falls Track

Nearing the top of the Punchbowl Falls Track on the way back to the car

Karen has never visited the site of the old power station built for construction of the Otira Tunnel so we took the short five minute walk to the ruins. They consist of a series of foundations left over from the power house itself and the massive dynamo wheels installed to generate power. The site is a part of the Arthur's Pass Historic Walk.

Sign for the track to the old power station, Arthur's Pass Historic Track

We had a Wren following us through the bush as we walked the short track to the power station site. The Wren flitted from tree to tree as it checked us out...it was quite young and bold. Meanwhile momma bird was watching us intently from the top of a nearby tree...

A Wren we encountered on the walk to the old power station site, Arthur's Pass

Some of the foundations for the fly wheels at the old Otira Tunnel power station site

Interpretive panel showing the old Otira Tunnel power station

We back tracked and walked back over the Punchbowl Falls Bridge (although Jon tried hard to convince Karen that an attempt at a crossing of the Bealey River was a good idea....it was very shallow due to the dry weather...)

Maybe next time we visit...

Crossing back over the Punchbowl Falls bridge on the way to the car park

On the way to Punchbowl Falls we passed Cons Track, this is a moderate to difficult track up the eastern side of the valley the falls sits in. Con was one of the early Rangers in the National Park, he built this track back in the mid 1960's to allow access to the upper slopes of Mt Cassidy. 

I will be visiting this track some time in the future: If you want to visit Mt Cassidy beware that once you leave the bush-line this track requires some rock climbing and can be moderately dangerous. You would need mountaineering skills and route finding ability to reach the summit.

I wont be going quite that far.....

Cons Track to the summit of Mt Cassidy, Arthur's Pass National Park

The current bridge over the Bealey River was built in the late 1960' the previous wire swing-bridge was destroyed in a big storm so they built a much higher and stronger structure to replace it. There have been bridges here since the 1880's so people could visit the Punchbowl Falls.

Interpretative panel next to the Bealey River swing-bridge, Arthur's Pass

The current bridge over the Bealey River, Punchbowl Falls Track

Excellent view of Punchbowl Falls from the track, true right of the Bealey River

My second visit to the Punchbowl Falls in three months but this kind of scenery never gets old.

Short Walk: The Old Coach Road Track: Arthur's Pass NP: 10th Feb 2019

Walking the Old Coach Road Track in Arthur's Pass

My partner and I recently visited Arthur Pass for the day and while there we took the opportunity to walk the Old Coach road near Greyneys Corner. This is a remnant of the old stagecoach road from Christchurch to Greymouth. Most of the rest of the track became SH73 this is a piece that was bypassed and cleared so that people could see what the old stage route looked like.

Interpretive board showing the course of the Old Coach Road Track at Greyneys

It is a nice wee track and well worth the 20 minutes it takes to do the loop from the car-park, along the hillside and then back all within the confines of the forest.

Map of the area: Greyneys is the start point for many tracks in the area..

Greyneys car park is the start point for a number of tracks: the Old Coach Road, Edwards Hut, Mingha-Deception Track and the section of the Te Araroa through Arthur's Pass National Part.

Greyneys Picnic Area and Day shelter

My partner Karen and I were up in Arthur's Pass to walk the Punchbowl Falls Track, I have been there many times but it was the first visit for Karen. On the way back to Christchurch we stopped and walked the 20 minute Old Coach Road Track near Greyneys car park. 

Greyneys used to be a very useful camp-site for those people tramping the Mingha-Deception Route or attempting the trip to the Hawdon Valley via Edwards Hut. DOC have now banned camping here probably because of all the vandalism that happened to the facilities. It is also much closer to SH73 since the road widening near here making it a less desirable place to camp.

The picnic area at Greyneys Corner, Arthur's Pass National Park

I camped here a couple of times back in the 1980's and 1990's and always found it a nice spot to stop for a night. It is a bit of a pity it is no longer a camp-site but it is still an excellent spot to stop for a picnic.

The Greyneys Picnic area day shelter......interpretive board...toilet...

...and a view of the inside of Greyneys day shelter

There is a fireplace in the day shelter at Greyneys and plenty of wood in the surrounding forest although I am not sure if DOC want you using it on the fire. If you do use it just make sure it is fully out before you leave the area.

Walking the Old Coach Road Track, Greyneys Corner

The start of the track is not well sign posted but it is the obvious track at the eastern end of the picnic area. The track is flat to start with and then ascends for about 20 meters to get up to the level of the Coach Road. The whole track is very gentle and easy to walk...great for kids and even the less fit of us.

The Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass starts from the Greyneys picnic area

The short 20 metre climb to get to the level of the Old Coach Road Track

on the Eastern ascent of the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass:

Once you reach the track it is a flat easy walk along a classic benched track built for horses and carts. The waking is very easy with only one or two small wet spots to cross...with all the fine weather we have been experiencing these last two months the ground was dry.

Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass: starting the long sidle along the side of the hill

It was cool under the trees and there is a surprising amount of bird life along the track. We saw some Wrens, fantails and I think a Weka which we disturbed.....if it really was a Weka it would be the first I have ever seen in Arthur's Pass National Park!!!

The original track is much wider than the newer foot bridges, Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

Greyneys car-park area just visible through the trees , Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

Descending down towards the western end of the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass:

Thin forest in a regenerating cut over area along the Old Coach Road Track

You sidle along the side of the hill for about 500 meters before descending back down to ground level alongside SH 73. The track used to be fully within the forest but the recent road widening at Greyneys Corner means a 200 meter section of the track is now in the open.

Wind fall damage in the forest along the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

You can easily see this was once a coach road....Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

A small water fall crossing the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

Fixed bridge over a small stream along the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

There were some very pretty small white flowers along the track as well as some dense stands of fern in the darker wetter sections.

Some pretty white flowers growing alongside the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

There is a track junction towards the western end of the track, there is a short 100 meter section of additional track to the left, and a descending track heading down towards the highway.

Track junction on the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

 As we were unsure where the left hand track lead we followed the path down the hill. I will come back the next time I am up here and take some photos of the loop we missed out.

Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass: the start of the extra loop

Descending down to the highway on the western end of the Old Coach Road Track

Looking west towards the loop of track we missed: Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass, heading alongside SH73 in the forest

You are about 30 meters away from the road on the flat sections of this track, the noise of the cars is a bit intrusive but not a real concern. I believe DOC intend to plant some new trees along this section now that the road widening is finished.

The Old Coach Road Track running next to SH73

Heading back into the forest on the way to Greyneys Picnic Area

Raised board-walk over one of the small streams along the Old Coach Road Track, Arthur's Pass

The track deposits you at Greyneys car park, the western entrance to the track is just past the long drop toilets DOC have provided for the site. 

The long drop toilet at the Greyneys car-park/Old Coach Road Track

The other end of the Old Coach Road Track at Greyneys car park

As you can see from the sign camping is no longer allowed at Greyneys Corner. Since the recent road widening in the area the old camping area is right next to SH73 and less attractive as an overnight destination.

Sign put up by DOC to discourage over night camping

Given the distance from Arthur's Pass village and the small number of rangers working there I would imagine the car-park fills up with illegal freedom campers every night. The day we were there there were two vans parked up looking like they were getting comfortable.

A great we walk if you are ever going to or from Arthur's Pass Village, make sure you stop and check it out...