Walk Details

NZ Walking Routes > Canterbury > Banks Peninsula - Lyttleton Harbour > Lyttleton > Mount Pleasant Bluff Track

Mount Pleasant Bluff Track

Location

From Lyttelton take Chambers Track, which starts from the top of Brenchley Avenue. This is a steep climb up a valley through Tauhinu-Korokio Scenic Reserve, to reach the gun emplacements.

A gentler route takes you along an old army 4WD track across city council land. This track starts at lookout point on the Summit Road, (near its intersection with Mt Pleasant Rd).

You can also access the area via the Mt Pleasant Bluffs Track, which starts from the car park on Summit Road, located in the saddle between Mount Cavendish and Mount Pleasant.

Description

The Mount Pleasant Bluffs Track is the final part of the Crater Rim Track which extends along the Port Hills above the Summit Road from the top of Gebbies Pass in the south to Godley Heads in the north east.

Go through the gate at this point and turn left along the Crater Rim Track. This track first takes you along through some patches of bush.

The track then follows under the Mount Pleasant Bluffs, high vertical cliffs, on the Lyttleton side of the hill. These cliffs are popular with rock climbers and you will often find them there practising their skills on a Sunday afternoon.

Some of the bluffs are covered with red lichen.
There are clear views of the Lyttelton harbour, Lyttelton town and the wharves, and the bays on the far side of the harbour.

The track suits walkers of moderate fitness as it goes up and down along the foot of the bluffs with some moderate sized rocks on the track. It is best to wear strong shoes and carry a warm jacket as the wind can be fresh at the top.

After just over an hour's walking you reach old fortifications – gun emplacements from World War 2. From that point on the walking is on a track over grass and tussock leading gradually down to the top of Evans Pass where we parked the first car.
From this part of the walk you have views of Lyttelton Harbour out to the open sea, and of Sumner and beyond up Pegasus Bay to the north. On a clear day you can see as far as the Kaikoura Mountains beyond.

2 Hours one way.

Level

Medium

Amenities

• Birds
• Carpark
• Historical
• Lookouts
• Plant Life

Source

www.doc.govt.nz

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