Belfast Reserve

Day 322, Monday 9 July 2018

Belfast Reserve occupies a gully between Goodall and Belfast streets in Hillsborough. I entered it from Goodall Street, and walked down the steep path into the gully. After heavy rain this morning, it was muddy and slippery, but there were steps in the steeper places. The track forked, giving me options to climb to Belfast Street, or to continue the descent toward the Manukau Harbour. I took the latter path. The track got even muddier, and in one place the ground around some steps was washed away. The track ended in a grassy park at Frederick Street, with Taylors Bay on the opposite side of the street.

I was intending to walk back the way I’d come, but decided I’d rather not risk slipping and having an involuntary lie-down, so I walked back along the streets to where I’d parked the bike.

The reserve used to be called Goodall Street Reserve, and it was created in the 1960s after local residents lobbied the council to buy it. It is mostly native forest, with some exotics. This would be a nice place on a dry day, but I can’t recommend it after rain.