The Flagstaff Track looking southwest

Feeling daring, (and deciding to prove to myself how unfit I was) I went for a walk in Flagstaff Scenic Reserve. Set in the hills above Dunedin, the reserve features a multitude of tracks and paths that make up Dunedin’s Skyline Walk. One of these, the Flagstaff Track, was the one I intended to conquer. 

When I arrived, the car park was already overflowing but before long, I found a spot and set off along a well maintained gravel path. The track I had chosen formed a loop that would eventually bring me back down a hill to my vehicle, but it started with a short but steep ascent up to a point known as Flagstaff. Within minutes I was passing through manuka scrub, which gradually gave way to tussock land. Occasionally I stopped to take in the view and give my lungs a rest, which didn’t really surprise me. What did surprise me was the sheer amount of dog poo on the track. Honesty, it was like an entire pound of dogs had been brought to the track and told to poo anywhere you’ll think someone will step. 

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against people walking dogs, I just don’t want to constantly dodge fly-covered excrement while trying to enjoy a walk through a scenic reserve!