Bridle Path 175 Anniversary Walk

Saturday 13th December 2025

The Ferrymead historical society sent the club an invite to walk the Bridle path and receive a certificate as part of the weekend 175 anniversary of the finding of Christchurch. This seemed like a good idea. We gathered at the gondola side car park and Graeme the trip leader gave a run-down of his historic connections to the first four colonial ships that arrived in 1850. The party soon split up into two groups due to the different walking speeds. Our group reached the top of the hill as the fast group reached Lyttelton.

Once the two groups met up, we went our separate ways with some of us spying out the Farmer’s Market. Everyone declined to stock up on produce for the climb back to Christchurch (I can’t imagine why?). Being a reasonably warm day our group decided to take the Stan Helmes track back up to the top which was a pleasant variation, then back down the Bridle track again. Having arrived at the gondola car park again we wondered how we collected our 175 Anniversary Walk certificate. Several of us then went down to the Ferrymead park to the expected event but became aware that there was no sign of such a thing being underway or actually much activity at all. So much for the anniversary acknowledgement! Anyway, it was a nice morning out even without our hoped-for certificate!

We were Graeme (Leader), Karen (in in-appropriate dress!), Murray, Steve, Sha, Evelien, Darcey, Gary and Margot.