This circuit walk in the Craigieburn Range visiting Lyndon Saddle and Camp Saddle is a good half day option with views of the Castle Hill Basin, Craigieburn Range and Torlesse Range. We took a side trip to Helicopter Hill (1256m) for the first of the views, and that would make a much shorter but worthwhile walk if you had limited time. For a bit more adventure then climb off-track along a ridge at about 1500m to Camp Saddle, with views all the way. The return section is a pleasant enough walk down through tussock and then back into native forest.It’s not a hard walk except for one section climbing steeply up a spur onto the ridge to Camp Saddle, however there is an alternative route that might be easier – more info in my track notes at the end.
Helicopter Hill-Lyndon Saddle-Camp Saddle Circuit: The Scenery
Track Notes
We started on the road at the beginning of the Luge Track. Walk as far as Lyndon Saddle where you can take the side trip to Helicopter Hill for views of the area.
After heading back down, climb up through forest on an impact track that has occasional orange markers, but only seen if travelling down the hill. When out of the forest we walked straight up onto the ridge leading to Camp Saddle. Note that our route was very steep and loose, and I suspect following the impact rack heading off over scree to the left and then up the other spur would have been easier.
It’s easy walking once on the ridge and then down on a marked route from Camp Saddle, which becomes a track through the forest and eventually joins the ski access road which you take back to the start.
You’ll need about half a day for this walk. We got our notes from the Canterbury Foothills and Forests tramping guide.
The pin in the map below is in fact the beginning of the road into the area – the Luge Track is probably a 5 minute drive along this unsealed road.
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