A couple of hundred metres past the quarry and along the unsealed portion of Kimpton's Road we climbed over a stile into farmland and proceeded to follow the fence line up a very steep 'track' to re-group at the highpoint at the edge of a pine forest that provided sweeping views of the quarry in the foreground with the Auckland Skytower just visible in the distance. Already one of our non-members was struggling a bit and only after giving his daypack to his wife to carry plus some words of encouragement from Imogen and myself was he persuaded that he could do it, albeit at a rather slow pace at times.
We briefly came out on Kimpton's Road again after this first hill before we tackled the second one equally as steep but only about half the distance.
From here we made our way to a trig with views to the east and south. Then down a channel cut through a thick stand of gorse ( something we really wish the English had not introduced into New Zealand ) to a fence line with views looking northwards towards Duder's Regional Park on the left background and the Wairoa Riverflats and the Wairoa River in the centre. Over another stile and into a section of regenerating bush before emerging onto the Clevedon Circuit Tracks.
A viewing stand here gave 360 degree views with a brief glimpse of the Clevedon township over the treetops to the south east.
Down hundreds of steps on the Clevedon Circuit and then along a boardwalk to an area that was formerly a quarry. Also with a small waterfall and with seating for most of our group to enjoy a sunny comfortable lunch stop well shielded from the wind.
After lunch time to look around the area that included a stream, a bridge, open grassy areas and Camp Sladdin,a Boy Scouts campsite that included a large bunkhouse building .
What comes down must go up so we then took another steep track to get back to where Kimpton's Track intersected with the Clevedon Circuit.
Our struggling non-member found the upward grade difficult so after giving most of the other trampers the choice to go on ahead and retrace their steps to the club bus ,or wait until we arrived at the track junction, Imogen and myself stayed back with this gentleman, his wife and one other to ensure that he was assured and encouraged to keep going and that he could make it.
Not seeing anyone at the junction we made the assumption that all had gone on to retrace their steps to the starting place so we slowly made our way back to the bus to then discover that we were first back. Unbeknown to us the main group had gone straight past the turnoff to the viewing stand. Eventually all but four made their way back arriving about twenty minutes later.
The four upon not seeing us at the viewing stand (rather than the junction) thought something must had happened and went back down to Camp Sladdin to investigate.
A lesson to be learned by all re stopping at track junctions! With no cell phone coverage and after some discussion we assumed the ' Brookby Four ' were still at Camp Sladdin so after about an hour or so had elapsed since first arriving back at the bus the decision was made to drive to Clevedon to investigate. This after first leaving a note anchored to the ground by rocks,just in case they were still en-route back to the quarry entrance.
Lo and behold when we reached the Twilight Road/Papakura-Clevedon Road intersection the ' Brookby Four ' were waiting there as large as life having walked the short distance from the camp into Clevedon Township.
All's well that ended well and we still arrived back at the Strand at a reasonable hour.