Walking New Zealand May 2023

Streets for People projects underway At the end of 2022, the first Streets for People projects got underway as the programme moves from the pre-implementation phase and onto streets in 13 councils across New Zealand. On 15 December, Timaru District Council launched the Port Loop Road Shared Path Trial. The project will explore safe and convenient ways for pedestrians, cyclists and other active modes to move between Caroline Bay, the Port, coastal trails and the Timaru city centre via the Strathallan footbridge. Then on 16 December, the Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust held the Awa to Moana Grey Street Food Festival in Gisborne to begin community engagement around the re-envisioning of Grey Street. The Trust and Gisborne District Council are working to make a new skate park and pump track easier and…

NZ shared Trail Meandering 9km along the coastline east of Ōpōtiki in the eastern Bay of Plenty, the Dunes Trail is part of the Motu Trails Great Ride, a popular journey for both cyclists and walkers. Now there's an option to extend the coastal wandering, with the Waiotahe Trail heading along the coast — west of Ōpōtiki. The new Waiotahe Trail is a mostly flat gravel trail that stretches 9km from the SH2 Waioeka bridge, on the entrance to Ōpōtiki, out to Te Ahiaua/the Pipi beds. Heading back into town, from the Waioeka Bridge, the Waioeka Trail links with the Dunes Trail. Writing at the end of March 2023, the Waiotahe Trail still has some finishing work to do, and trail signage for both Waiotahe and Waioeka Trails is in…

The Leigh Coastal Walkway winds around a stunning coastline is edged with large pohutukawa trees that bloom bright red in early summer. Views include Omaha Bay, Tawharanui Regional Park, Coromandel Peninsula, Little Barrier (Hauturu) and Great Barrier (Aotea) islands. Dolphins, orca and whales are regularly seen from the coast. This walk can start at either the Leigh Cemetery on Harbour View Road or from the bottom of Wonderview Road and also accessed from the following roads: Kyle, Penguin, Cotterell, Kowhai, Cumberland and Harbour View. You can do it all or just part of it. If starting at Wonderview Road. Directly ahead, steps lead to Crabb Bay. (At low or mid tide, continue on to Matheson Bay around the rocks. 30 minutes.) To the right, a short track overlooks Daniels Reef,…

The Matherson Bay Bush Walk is 1.3km there and back trail in Leigh, north of Auckland. It is considered an easy route, and takes an average of 21 minutes to complete. It is popular trail for hiking and walking. From Matheson Bay beach, this beautiful bush walk begins at the flat grassed reserve on the west side of the Kohuroa Stream. There are some steep sections as the track follows the stream and a series of waterfalls. Native bush includes mature kauri, pohutukawa, rimu, totara and kaihikatea trees. Forest & Bird has placed some tree identification signs. There are also many nikau palms and ferns. The track has good boardwalks and steps through the steepest parts. At a large swimming hole there is a rope from a tree to swing…

New Zealand Walk The Waikato River Walking Track walk begins at the Huka Falls carpark about eight kilometres north from Taupo and ends at Otupo Flat and the walk takes about an hour return. Most people have probably crossed the bridge over the falls and walked along the other side of the Waikato River, but the Waikato River Walking Track walk offers a different prospective of the falls. Five minutes down the track there is a grassed area with a good view back to the Huka Falls. From here there is a short steep climb up to a road then the track drops again to the river and ambles along through a variety of terrain and vegetation. There are several short side tracks to points of interest along the way.…

Overseas Walks We recently spent a couple of days in Albany at the extreme south of Western Australia. It wasn't nearly long enough to do justice to the wealth of walking and exploring in the area. This town has such a fascinating history. Our accommodation was near Middleton Beach, so all the walks were close by. Our first wander was around Lake Sepping, a tranquil spot with a circuit walk under shady trees, beside wetlands full of birds. Over 100 species of birds visit here and there are several lookouts and a bird hide. From here we wandered on to Middleton Beach. It extends about 4.5 kms from Emu Point in the east to Ellen Cove at the western end. It is a truly beautiful beach - wild flowers on…