| Group | Leader | Mentor | Understudy | Tailender |
| Stds | Chris | Alan H | Jen | Margaret E |
| Alternates | Leonie | Norma | Eric | Bruce |
Stats: distance 15.8km, ascent 728m, time 4hrs 30mins
Trip report for Hill top to Cooptown Nothing could dampen our joy at standing in sunshine above a sea of fluffy fog, or our anticipation for a splendid 15km hike through bush and farmland- not even Trusty Leader Chris’s dire warnings about the dangers of stiles, roads, muddy rocks and … falling over on slippery grass. So soon 27 Standards set off briskly uphill from close to the Hill Top tavern, while 21 Alternates set off further down the road.
The Montgomery reserve was a delight to walk through, and the ancient totara tree along the way never fails to astound (thought for the day: would our girth extend to something like nine metres if we too lived to be 2,000 years old?) After emerging from the bush, the graveyard of ghostly, long-dead totara may even be more memorable than that solitary remnant of the forest that once covered these hills.
Our morning tea spot was a little further on than usual, but well worth the effort. Enthroned on rocks on top of a hill in warm sunshine, we enjoyed panoramic views enhanced by the blanket of fog below. The going became a little difficult at times, having to negotiate monolithic stone steps designed for giants, and cowpats the size of small coffee tables.
Lunch was enjoyed in another spectacular spot, with the added bonus of being spent in the company of our Alternate buddies who were already making the most of the sunshine and views. Also a pleasure to see soon after was the kereru surveying us haughtily from the skeleton of a once majestic totara. Our leaders guided us ably downhill towards Cooptown, despite there being little in the way of a track. The going became rather muddy in places, but it was the stinging nettle that caused the most consternation (Note to self: avoid, it does not actually sting, IT HURTS!!)
One of our newer members cottoned on to something he really should have noticed months ago; the partner of El Presidente has the mysterious ability to teleport himself repeatedly, so as to be the person at the back holding the gate open until the last tramper goes through, then seconds later reappearing to hold open another gate further down the hill. Just one of his many talents!
After all that mud (and those impressive cow pats) it was a pleasure to slosh through a little stream to give our filthy boots a bit of a clean, before walking quite a distance down an actual road to the bus. Other than the occasional moan about the stinging nettle, (mainly from me) everyone seemed to be raving about what an absolute joy our little jaunt had been.
Sunshine, birdsong, companionship, and no helicopters needing to be summoned for ankle injuries … who could wish for more. I have elevated my Enjoyment Rating for this tramp in my personal tramp journal to a ground-breaking 5/5, (despite that cursed stinging nettle!).
