Four legs: Maukatere/ Mt Grey

The weather here in North Canterbury has been pretty changeable recently; basically hot and dry but we've had a few overcast days too and we took advantage of one of those to load up our daughter's pony, Jellybean, and try out a track up to Maukatere/ Mt Grey.  We'd walked up previously with the girls in backpacks as part of my Spring Challenge* training and I thought I could remember the track.

Horses and pack horses are welcome through the Mt Grey/ Maukatere conservation area, which comprises 1700 hectares of remnant native forest and tussock grasslands within the Ashley Forest, a privately owned commercial forest.  I've heard local riders complaining about not being able to ride in the Ashley Forest, but there are logging trucks trundling along those roads so I'm not sure I feel terribly deprived.    

Anyway, I had completely forgotten what the track was like.  The track to the left of the car parking area (plenty of space for floats) heads steeply up into the forest on a very narrow track.  It would be ok for riders, but it was a bit tricky leading a pony because it was definitely single track.  Hairy little Jellybean was sweaty and puffing