We run a tramp every weekend (except over Christmas). This may be a day, overnight or multiday tramp, a base camp or the occasional bike ride.
Tramps are graded on length, terrain and gradient. The following guide should be used in combination with the trip description in the newsletter. Note: Tramp times are estimates only as they are greatly affected by the fitness of the trampers in the group as well as conditions on the day (weather / track conditions).
Easy A short day tramp for almost anyone who can walk 5-6 hours. Possibly some short gentle slopes but generally on a track or flat riverbed.
Mod Longer tramp of up to 7 hours, requireing a reasonable level of fitness. UIsually involving some uphill sections and generally on a track.
Md+ A long tramp of up to 8 hours requiring a good level of fitness. More difficult terrain, varying gradients including steep slopes. Ice axe and crampons may be required.
Hard A challenging trip requiring excellent fitness and experience. 8-10+ hours tramping on high passes and untracked routes. Ice axe and crampons may be required.
Weather, river levels and snow depth can change the duration and/or difficulty level of a trip.
Please ring the trip leader prior to a trip if you have any queries or wish to obtain more detailed information about a tramp.
Day tramps are usually run on a Sunday with the occasional Saturday tramp.
Occasionally trampers can just turn up at the meeting point at the designated time however most often leaders ask trampers to contact them the day before. This allows leaders to contact you if bad weather requires a change or cancellation to the tramp.
Meeting points are on the outskirts of town in the direction of travel (commonly Yaldhurst, Templeton, Halswell, Belfast or base of the port hills) and most often 8 or 8.30am (occassionally earlier for long tramps or travel times).
Car pooling is arranged at the meeting point with petrol money paid to the driver.
Time of return is most often between 4.30 and 6.30 pm but is quite variable as it is dependent on the length of the tramp, the distance to travel, the speed of the trampers on the day and the amount of time spent at the all important après tramp coffee/ice cream stop.
We usually leave Saturday morning but where there is a long distance to travel a trip may leave on the Friday evening.
The leader will arrange car pooling and meeting /pick up points. Depending on where they live, trampers may be picked up from their home or asked to meet at the drivers or another tramper’s home (where they can safely leave their car).
As for a day tramp, the time of return to town is quite variable and may on occasion be quite late where long travel times are involved (average 5 -7pm).
Each tramper brings all their own food though they may share cookers and food if they wish.
Trampers may carry their own tent or share a two person tent with another tramper (the leader will usually help organise this).
A base camp is an overnight or multiday trip where we travel out of town to a “base” from which we do day walks.
The base may be a hired lodge or batch, cabins or hostel accommodation or camping by the cars.
The day tramps may consist of a mixture of different grades of tramps often selected to suit the trampers attending.
Where they involve long distance travel they will usually leave on the Friday night.
The leader will arrange car pooling as for a weekend tramp however trampers are free to travel separately if they wish leave early, carry on elsewhere afterwards etc.
These are normally highly social events usually featuring a pot luck dinner on Saturday night or occasionally an evening meal at a local restaurant /pub.
Non-tramping partners are welcome to join us.
Usually one bike ride is included in each newsletter’s group of trips (about 3 per year).
Riders meet at the designated starting point with their own bike.