Port Hills

Overview

The Port Hills are a portion of the Banks Peninsula and form the northern rim of one of the three volcanoes that created the Peninsula. The city of Christchurch has grown into these hills making them a popular weekend destination for locals and tourists looking to enjoy the outdoors. The South Island of New Zealand was originally inhabited by the Maori people. In the 1800s Europeans began settling in the area. In 1992 a Gondola was built taking people from the base of the hills to the top of Mount Cavendish.

Getting There

By car: From the center of Christchurch head south on Durham, Colombo, Manchester or Barbadoes St, then turn left into Moorhouse Ave. Follow Moorhouse Ave until it becomes Ferry Road. Continue along Ferry Road through Waltham and Ferrymead, then turn right onto Bridle Path Rd. Follow Bridle Path Rd until you see the lower terminal of the Gondola, just before the Tunnel Rd exit.

By bus: The city also runs buses every day, departing every 15 minutes. There are two bus routes what will get you to the Gondola and the cost is only $2.80. Bus No. 28 departs from Platform D on Colombo St. and Bus No. 35 departs from Platform D at the corner of Colombo St and Cashel St Mall. Check the local listings for current bus timetables.

Mountains

The Port Hills have a number of summits along the northern volcano rim. The table below lists all the major summits in the area. There are some smaller unnamed summits not listed here.

Port Hills Major Summits

Mountain	Elevation (m/ft)	Latitude	Longitude	Picture
Mount Pleasant	499m/1,637ft	43.588423°S	172.726707°E
Sugar Loaf	496m/1,627ft	43.603306°S	172.648977°E
Castle Rock	456m/1,496ft	43.585209°S	172.702396°E
The Tors	453m/1,486ft	43.590906°S	172.697187°E
Mount Cavendish	445m/1,460ft	43.589336°S	172.715904°E

Note: This table may not include all summits in the area.

Tracks

There are many popular tracks in the Port Hills. Most are easy but some are steep and require a moderate fitness level. Longer multi-day tracks can be found on the Banks Peninsula. The map located in the upper Gondola terminal can be seen below and shows all the tracks listed in the table below.
Port Hills Walking Tracks

Track	Length	Description
Bridle Path	1hr one-way	Returns to the base terminal of the Gondola, or descends into Lyttleton
Crater Rim Walkway	2.5 hr return	Views of Lyttleton Harbour, Christchurch, and the Canterbury Plains
Cavendish Bluff Lookout	30min return	Views of Lyttleton Harbour
Pioneer Women's Memorial Track	1hr return	A walk along the ridge to the Pioneer Women's Memorial
Chalmers Hill Track	1.5hr one-way	Connects the Crater Rim Walkway to the Major Hornbrook Track
Major Hornbrook Track	1.5hr one-way	Begins in Lyttleton and gain access to the upper ridge

Note: Times are approximate and can vary from person to person. They are based on an average person's pace starting from the top of the Gondola.

Sites

Gondola
At the summit of Mount Cavendish the top terminal of the Christchurch Gondola. At the summit is a gift shop, a cafe, and a ride describing the history of the area. The Gondola is open 10am to 9pm daily with the cost of an adult ticket being $24 NZD.

Pioneer Women's Memorial
This small stone building is a memorial to the early settler women that arrived in this area in the mid-nineteenth century. It is located just off the summit road with a parking area nearby. There are two plaques, the original plaque and another "Centennial" plaque.


Gun Emplacements
Along the Crater Rim Walkway there are remnants of a World War II heavy anti-aircraft battery.

Rock Climbing

There are over 1200 sport and trad routes in the Port Hills. The climbs are on Basalt and provide climbing for beginners to more advanced climbers. The climbs range from 7 AUS to 32 AUS (5.0 YDS to 5.13d YDS).

Port Hills Climbing Areas

Area	Difficulty	Type	# of Routes
Rapaki	5.4-5.12	Trad	31
The Tors	5.2-5.10c	Mostly Sport, Some Trad	36
Castle Rock	5.4-5.11a	Trad	183
Castlestop	5.4-5.10c	Mostly Sport, Some Trad	72
Britten Crag	5.7-5.11b	Mostly Sport, Some Trad	233
Albert Terrace	5.6-5.10c	Mostly Sport, Some Trad	17
Mount Pleasant	5.3-5.10a	Trad	92

Note: This table if far from complete. If you have more info please help me with this section

More route info can be found at Rockclimbing.com

External Links

Christchurch Gondola
Christchurch Weather

Images

View Port Hills Image Gallery - 11 Images