Map of region showing the loop walk from the Catchpool car park via
Butcher and Cattle Ridge tracks, and returning via the Orongorongo
Track. Shows the three caches placed along the route at the time of
publication of this one
How to get there:
It is recommended that you do this walk in an anticlockwise
direction on the map above. Starting at the Department of
Conservation carpark at the end of the Catchpool Valley road, it's
about 500 metres along the main Orongorongo track to the signposted
junction with the Butcher Track which leads uphill in a southerly
direction. Proceed up the Butcher Track to the signposted junction
with the Cattle Ridge Track and then past it to the lookout point
which is close to the cache. For the great part the tracks you'll
be walking on are well formed and maintained to a good standard by
DOC. Where the track may be less obvious (mainly towards the
northeast end of the Cattle Ridge track on the map above) there are
frequent orange triangular plastic markers on trees along the way.
The Butcher Track part of the loop walk is almost all uphill, but
after that the walking is much easier along the Cattle Ridge Track
and on the return to the carpark along the Orongorongo Track. If
you're reasonably fit, your time from the carpark to this cache
should be around 40 minutes. When you leave this spot you'll need
to walk back down the track for a few minutes to the junction with
the Cattle Ridge Track and proceed up this to continue to the next
cache.
Wide-angle view over Wellington from track near cache site
If you stop and listen at intervals during your walk you're likely
to be rewarded with some rather attractive birdsong. I heard both
tui and bellbird and saw a number of kereru (wood pigeons).
About the cache:
The cache is a 1-litre Xeonic snap-lock plastic container with
logbook, writing implement and a few small swappable items. It is
located approximately 7 metres off the track.
Caveats:
Note that the gates to the road leading into the Catchpool car
park open at 8am, and close at 8pm in summer and 6pm in winter.
About 100 metres past the cache site there is a gate with a
prominent DOC sign on it saying "Private Property". The Rimutaka
Forest Park boundary is at this point; please respect the sign and
keep within the park.
Be careful when traversing the last few metres off the track to
the cache. There is gorse, but you should be able to make your way
underneath or around it without getting spiked. You will approach
the cache from below but the access is much clearer from above,
slightly further up the track.
As with all tracks in NZ wilderness regions, make sure you're
equipped with good tramping boots, warm clothing, wet-weather gear
and adequate food and water. A topographic map will be very helpful
for navigation purposes. These tracks are all marked on the
maps.