Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Walking New Zealand

The Pike29 Memorial Track dedicated to the 29 men killed in the Pike Mine disaster and is named in their honour was officially opened on 17 February 2024. The 11.6 km dual mountain biking and walking track connects the Paparoa Track Great Walk to the Pike River Valley. The new track was created in partnership between DOC, Ngāti Waewae and the families of the 29 men who died as a result of the Pike River mine disaster in November 2010. “The opening of the Pike29 Memorial Track is another step towards the Pike River Families’ dual goal of creating an enduring memory for their family members lost in the Pike River Mine disaster and creating long term sustainable economic benefits for those West Coast Communities impacted by the Pike River…

New Zealand Walk Walking the Quarry Rim Track at Halswell in Christchurch offers a unique experience with scenic beauty and historical significance. This walk takes you on a tour of a dramatic quarry face. It is believed to have been the oldest continually operated quarry in Australasia. Stand atop the historic Halswell Quarry and you can enjoy the stunning views of the mighty Southern Alps in the distance. The trail encircles the old Halswell Quarry, providing panoramic views of the surrounding landscape while showcasing the area’s industrial past. Paths around the park are stony (light gravel) but pretty accessible for buggies. It takes walkers through various sections of the quarry, allowing them to explore its history and appreciate its natural surroundings. The atmosphere can be described as peaceful and serene,…

Walking Festival “As we come together for the 21st annual Echo Walking Festival, we can expect to take a journey of exploration, adventure, and community,” says Vicki Lambert chair of the ECHO Walking Festival, from the Coromandel to the Kaimais. “For over two decades, this festival has been abeacon for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike, offering a platform to connect, discover, and revel in the beauty of our natural surroundings. “With 29 guided walks on offer across five regions from the Coromandel to the Kaimais, the chance to get amongst our beautiful back yard is just a registration click away,” says Vicki. This year the festival is taking place from the 8th to the 21st of April, registrations are open, and walks are filling up fast. What can you…

Auckland short Walk Lake Panorama Walk is a beautiful walkway that meanders around the edge of Lake Panorama in Henderson, Auckland. The walkway offers rolling pathways, flowering lilies, and vibrant birdlife. Walking around the lake takes an average of 20 minutes to complete the approximately .7 km long walk that features a boardwalk section, a picnic area, and spectacular lake views along the way. Good walking paths connect the entrances at Sapperton Drive, Wychwood Avenue and Lake Panorama Drive. Walkers can enjoy the picturesque scenery and the peaceful environment while walking around the lake. There are some picnic areas where visitors can relax and enjoy the view The lake is home to a variety of bird species, including ducks, swans, and pukekos. You will need to find parking on the…

Nestled in the heart of Tawa, just a short hop from Wellington, lies the enchanting Redwood Bush Loop. This 2.5-kilometre trail promises a vibrant escape into the embrace of native New Zealand forest, offering tranquility, diverse flora and fauna, and stunning views. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a casual nature enthusiast, the Redwood Bush Loop has something for everyone. The journey begins near the play area on Brasenose Place. As you embark on the trail, towering tawa trees and podocarps create a verdant canopy overhead, filtering sunlight and casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Breathe in the crisp air enriched with the earthy aroma of damp leaves and decaying wood, a symphony of chirping birdsong acting as the soundtrack to your walk. This can be a walk through…

Wula Gura Nyinda has added to its collection of experiences with the World Heritage Walking Tour, a three-day walking expedition between two national parks in the World Heritage listed Shark Bay region in WA, Australia. This is the only walking tour in the area. Walkers explore the coastline and hear ancient stories of Francois Peron National Park (Wilybidi) and Dirk Hartog Island (Wirruwanna), an eight-hour drive north of Perth/Boorloo. Walkers also learn about the local Aboriginal Australian culture, spot Aussie wildlife, view sunsets over the Indian Ocean, explore natural landscapes, and sit under the stars listening to the ancient sounds of the didgeridoo. The World Heritage Walking Tour includes meals, boat transfers, marine safari, the Didgeridoo Dreaming Night Tour and one night’s accommodation at Dirk Hartog Eco Lodge.…

New Zealand Walks The Hemi Matenga Scenic Reserve is located near Waikanae and offers sweeping views of Kapiti Island, This 330-hectare reserve with a large remnant of native kohekohe forest, forms part of an ecosystem network that links Kapiti Island with the Tararua Ranges. This reserve offers sweeping views of Kapiti Island and Waikanae Estuary. The reserve features three beautiful bush walks with both gentle and demanding tracks, including a walk to the summit. The reserve is accessed from Tui Crescent on the hillside of Waikanae. It is a popular destination for nature lovers and hikers, offering a range of walking options through stunning bushland. The best time to visit the Hemi Matenga Scenic Reserve is during the warmer months of the year, that are from October to April. During…

New Zealand Walk The Tumanako Loop Track is a scenic walking track in the Boundary Stream area located 60km north of Napier. The track is approximately 1.8 km long and takes around one hour to complete, and offers stunning views of the surrounding forest and streams. Walkers can also spot native birds and wildlife along the way. The track is well-maintained and suitable for all levels of fitness The Tūmanako Loop Track is also great for children as it offers a variety of forest types, birdlife and viewpoints with evidence of pioneer logging history and subsequent natural forest recovery of kāmahi, tawa, tawhairaunui/red beech and tawhairauriki/black beech forests. Keep your eyes open for wētā motels along the track. Rare plants such as neinei, yellowflowered mistletoe and ngutu kākā/ kākābeak may…

New Zealand Walks Eastwoodhill is a property beyond Ngatapa, 37 km from Gisborne. This location is remote relative to most of New Zealand. In relation to the rest of the world it is very remote. As the National Arboretum of New Zealand its location is hardly well planned with regard to access. National arboreta in other parts of the world, of comparable size to Eastwoodhill, such as Westonbirt in England, the National Arboretum in Washington DC, and the new Australian National Arboretum in Canberra, are only a short distance from the centre of major cities. They therefore have high visitor rates, such as half a million a year in Washington DC. By contrast, in the last year Eastwoodhill had 8,000 visitors. This is a satisfying increase from earlier years, but…

Photo Contest…

New Zealand Walk It’s early February here in Kaikoura and the southerly storm from the previous day has now finally passed through and the sun is now out to reveal a beautiful cloudless, near perfect day to walk the Kaikoura Peninsula track. Today we will be starting from the South Bay entrance as there is plenty of parking and it’s only a short 10 minute drive from Kaikoura township. Alternatively you may want to start from Point Kean and complete a shorter walk along the coast and back along the cliff top. Today’s walk will take me from South Bay up and along the scenic cliff top track to Point Kean and back along the beach and then up and over back to South Bay which is about 7.5 km…

Event Race day is under two months away and the 2024 Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon already has half it’s expected field signed up. In 2023 the Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon entered a new era with a new sponsor, a new venue, a new course and almost 4000 participants. But in 2024 entries for the April 21st race day are more than 25 percent ahead and well on its way to then goal of 5000 starters. “It really is very heartening,” says race director Chris Cox. “First and foremost, we have always organized this event for the community. So to have the community return that support is always gratifying.” Established in the late-1970s, the Christchurch Marathon was inspired by the 1974 Commonwealth Games, which this year celebrated a 50th anniversary celebration. Those Games…

Walk talk The Kauri Cascade walk in Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges, has reopened in January after six years of closure due to flash flooding and the spread of kauri dieback disease. The track, located in the Waitākere Ranges, was closed in 2017 but has undergone a six-year restoration process, including the installation of new boardwalks and preventative measures to protect against kauri dieback2 This reopening is a significant milestone in the conservation efforts to save the kauri trees, which are a vital part of New Zealand’s native flora The reopening of the track is a cause for celebration for the public, but it also comes with a sense of caution as efforts continue to protect these precious trees from the devastating effects of kauri dieback.…

With its underground geothermal action bubbling close to the surface, it’s hard to avoid the unique aroma of Rotorua. But those sulphur fumes oozing through the thermal landscape are quickly forgotten while eyeballing entertaining belching mud pools and ambling through apocalyptic landscapes. Of course, the adventure city also offers plenty of adrenaline thrills and spills, but if the family needs an outing that won’t jangle the nerves, here are five nature walks to explore. Te Auheke Track / Cascades Track | Lake Ōkataina Offering some of the best forest bathing in Rotorua year-round, this 10m-high waterfall becomes even more swoon-worthy after a heavy downpour when cascading waterfalls drench the moss-covered cliff, creating shallow pools beneath lush native ferns. Linger after dusk to watch the unassuming cliff face five minutes along…

Overseas Walk The Republic of Fiji is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It has 322 islands. The most important is lands are Vanua Levu and Viti Levu. There are about 844,330 people in Fiji. The official languages are Fijian, English and Hindustani. The capital dty, and the dty with the most people (95,000), is Suva. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch and the British explored Fiji. It was a British colony up until independence in 1970; British occupation lasted almost a century. Chances are many of you have been to Fiji, especially to escape the New Zealand winter. There is no truly bad time to visit Fiji. The best weather is from June to September, when skies are sunny and temperatures hover in the high…

Oversea Tour “I discovered the walk in French and Italian Alps from Briancon to Sainte Etienne-de Tinee when I was fifteen and to this day, many years later and many intrepid travels on, it is still one of the most beautiful experiences in my life”, says Deborah Lindsay, organiser of an eight day tour of the area from June 12-21, 2024. “I am passionate about different cultures, natural environments and especially protected areas and places. I am passionate about this walk,”.says Deborah. The tour starts in the heart of the French Alps (Hautes Alpes), in the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Briancon and finishes in the southern French alpine town of Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée (In the Alpes Maritimes and only two hours from the sparkling blue Mediterranean Cote D’Azur coast and…

Ōpōtiki’s spectacular walking and cycling trails are all the better for extensive planting and predator trapping. When you walk or cycle Ōpōtiki’s Dunes Trail, you’re travelling along a coastline that has in recent years witnessed major efforts in environmental protection and restoration. Alongside much of the trail, since 2015, more than 30,000 trees and plants have been dug in, mostly by volunteers. Since 2021, an active predator trapping programme has seen dozens of stoats and weasels, plus hundreds of rats, removed from the rolling dune-lands. Almost 12 years have passed since the Dunes Trail officially opened. The popular trail is part of the Motu Trails, one of 23 Great Rides that make up Ngā Haerenga, Great Rides of New Zealand. The Dunes Trail starts at the northern end of Ōpōtiki…

Event Hundreds of people got a close-up look at the construction progress on Te Ahu a Turanga during the Walk the Highway event on Sunday, 21 January. The new highway will replace the Manawatu Gorge road (now closed) linking Manawatu to the Tararua district and beyond. The walk was a fundraiser for the Woodville Lions and Woodville School, who organised, managed and promoted the event, with some support from the project team. This year’s walk, the fourth since the project was announced, was the biggest ever, with tickets selling out in advance and more than 1500 people taking part. The event raised about 40,000, with all of the funds going back into the community. To start the day, participants arrived at the Woodville end of the project and took a…