Lyttelton Semi-CircleBeginner - Intermediate

Description

This is a shorter version of the Lyttelton Dress Circle Loop also on the directory, that cuts out the Mt Pleasant bluffs for a speedier return to home base.

Park up on London Street and head out around Cunningham Terrace which loops you onto Voelas Road. Start the hill grind on Voelas and pick up Harman. On the bend you'll spot the gas pipeline coming down. Here you will find the Stan Helms track which zig zags and climbs fairly steeply all the way to the top where it joins up with the summit of the Bridle Path. Its an awesome grind up the hill.

From the top pick up the Crater Rim Trail as it heads east up to the Gondola Top Station. This is the summit of Mt Cavendish, and the high point. You could well and rightfully be tempted to pop in here and soak up the views or even grab a refreshment. In fact a great variation to this loop is to start/ finish at the Gondola and have a cold one at the end.

Follow the trail to the harbour side of the building and descent into the saddle. Here you need to turn south and look for the Major Hornbrook Trail that descends steeply back down the hill to Lyttelton suburbia. Its a fast descent, but be warned it is very greasy in the wet and for most of winter - not a place for town tyres and certainly a great section to test out your nice knobbly trail runners. Major Hornbrook bottoms out on Ross Tce where you hang a left and then a quick right to descend the road back down to the main street.

Mission complete!

Features of interest

Mt Cavendish and the Gondola Top Station
Great views of Lyttelton and surrounds
A couple of lesser travelled but nice technical trails

Make Up of Run

Technical Single Track: 50%

Moderate Single Track: 40%

Sealed Road: 10%

Route Data