We have all driven along the Hutt River Road hundreds of times, past the under-utilised Keith George Memorial Park, and haven’t realised that tracks exist, hidden in the bush. Access is from the river track just upstream of the Silverstream bridge, and a subway under the highway.
We last did this trip in June 2019. This time, after coming through the subway we took the right hand route up the Keith George Loop. While steep and tricky in places, the track eventually levelled slightly to a more reasonable gradient, and the River Road traffic noise receded into the distance. Gradually we curved around so we were heading back the way we had come, but at a much higher level. At the top of a rise, marked by two timber posts, was our right hand turn, and a couple of minutes later we were out in the sunshine at the foot of a pylon.
We turned downhill, past a much more photogenic pylon with a great Hutt Valley view, only to be faced with a “Private Property, Turn Back” sign. Hoping it was an aberration we kept on going, only to be told in the next sign “You are now Trespassing”! And there in front of us was a large gate and high fence, with pigs, cattle and goats on the other side.
It appears that it is no longer possible to descend the pylon track to Haywards Falls which we had visited in 2019. We retreated to the timber posts, and continued round the King George Loop, steeply downhill, and along to the subway. We were disappointed that we were unable to complete our intended route, but everyone seemed happy with our 4 hour approximately 5.5km loop, our leg muscles certainly got good hill exercise, and no one slipped over and broke anything on the steep parts!
We have since revisited the park and have now worked out a future trip using the Pine Tops and Haywards Tracks, which will include the side trip to Haywards Falls.
SWTC welcomes new members! Phone or email Ed and Juliet Cooke, 06 304 9497 or efjac@xtra.co.nz. Check out our Facebook page and website.
