Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2024 i Walking New Zealand

Walk talk Twelve years ago, one of the Outdoor Access Commission (OAC) regional field advisors (RFA) attended a community meeting with Wenita Forest to discuss access to its Otago forests. The company owns land that is adjacent to popular tramping routes across Dunedin City Council Water Catchment land and Department of Conservation land. Wenita was planning to introduce a permit system for members of the public who wanted access to its property. The OAC RFA and others at the meeting advocated that trampers should not need a permit to walk above the treeline, on land where there are no commercial forests. The first person to propose this elegant solution was David Barnes, who subsequently also became an RFA. Wenita agreed to this, and, as can be seen from this photo…

It's time to tread the boards! When rain clouds are on the horizon or a deluge has left puddles in your favourite park, there's no need to let the weather stop you from enjoying the best of the region's outdoor environments. Auckland has many great walking trails designed to adapt to our rainy climate, with beautiful boardwalks that allow you to explore the outdoors while keeping your shoes dry. Boardwalks also improve accessibility, allowing wheelchair and pram access to parts of our parks, meaning more Aucklanders can enjoy nature. Boardwalks also protect our vulnerable environments to diseases such as kauri dieback. One of the most beautiful things about Tāmaki Makaurau is the lush landscape created by our unique wet climate. These five boardwalks will help you explore these outdoor jewels,…

The Waipawa to Waipukurau Loop Trail, nestled in the heart of Central Hawkes Bay, offers an invigorating experience for walkers and cyclists alike. This scenic route, meandering through picturesque landscapes, charming towns, and vibrant natural beauty, promises a delightful adventure that showcases the region's unique charm and cultural heritage. Trail Overview The Waipawa to Waipukurau Loop Trail spans approximately 17 kilometers, making it a manageable yet fulfilling walk for those seeking to immerse themselves in the tranquility of the Hawkes Bay countryside. Typically, the trail takes around four to six hours to complete, depending on your pace and the time you spend savouring the sights and sounds along the way. Starting Point: Waipawa Your journey begins in Waipawa, a quaint town known for its rich history and welcoming atmosphere. Before…

New bridge It was with great excitement and a long wait of many months that my sister Dale and I finally made the walk across the magnificent new 1.2 million towering 100 m long suspension bridge stretching across the Manganui Gorge on Mt Egmont. A fine but cold grey Sunday morning we joined many other curious groups of people who had also been waiting to do the same. We were not disappointed. The construction of the bridge began in November 2023 and was completed in May 2024 and part of the Taranaki Crossing project, a collaboration between government agencies and Taranaki iwi. Bridge architect Dan Crocker said it was a community led project and Ngati Ruanui brought a cultural narrative to the design. It was unveiled showing a statue of…

Work is about to begin to refresh the popular Esplanade walkway in Sumner. From 8 July 2024, Christchurch City Council is restoring the rock seawall between the walkway and the beach, and updating the walkway seating on the seaward side of the concrete seawall. The Council is also investigating putting an accessible ramp from the walkway to the beach. Rupert Bool, Acting Head of Parks, says the changes are coming as a result of a 2019 assessment of the seawall. “We found that about half of the seawall – some 600 metres – had eroded and needs to be topped up with more rocks to get it back to its original height, which will mean better protection from swells and storms. “All the bench seats are in an average to…

New Zealand Walks The walking tracks in the Maitai Valley Dam, 11kms from Nelson are all very well marked. We started along the Copper Mine Trail walking through kanuka and along the Maitai River before turning off onto the Maitai Cave Trail through beech forest and along the Sclanders Creek that you have to cross as there is no bridge. This was not hard for us to cross as the water was shallow and so very clear, our boots got a little wet but this was OK. The beech forest and the bush was just so very, very green even though it had been a dry hot summer in the region. We had a bit of a scramble now and then up the hill but it was worth every step…

New Trail The construction of phase one of the Christchurch City to Sea Pathway is due to start in July. The $7.6 million contract has been awarded to Corde, who expect to complete the work early next year. The City to Sea Pathway is an 11-kilometre walking and cycling path following the course of the Ōtākaro Avon River from the city to New Brighton. Due to its length, the Pathway will be constructed in three stages, with this portion running from Fitzgerald Avenue to Snell Bridge. The Avon Park project (currently in construction) will continue the Pathway from Snell Bridge to Porritt Park. Construction of the eastern portion of the Pathway is expected to follow, starting next summer. This portion of the Pathway includes connections to the surrounding neighbourhoods via…

New Zealand Walk The Pukemokemoke Bush Loop Track is a great Waikato walking trail, boasting over 300 native plants including matai, totara, kauri, kanuka and kahikatea, great picnic spots and stunning views of the wider region. The 40ha Pukemokemoke reserve, just 29 minutes north of Hamilton, includes nine sites of interest, which are marked along the track; these include a log hauler site, the kauri grove and the lookout. The lookout at the summit of the track provides stunning 360 degree views of the region, with the Hakarimata Ranges, Mt Te Aroha and more all visible on a clear day. From the summit the track loops back down the mountain to the log hauler site, a large clearing perfect for a family picnic in the sunshine and further exploration of…

New Zealand Walk The historic portside suburb of Lyttelton, is just 12 km east of Christchurch and it is a great place for walking and exploring the harbour, it's hills and its history Todays walk will take me up the historic bridle path along the summit road track through the mount pleasant reserve and returning back to Lyttelton which takes about three hours and is about 9 km long Once you have parked your car, take the time to enjoy one of the many great cafes in Lyttelton and for those in need of sweet treats there are always glamour cakes serving their famous donuts before heading off on the walk After an easy five minutes of walking you will be at the start of the very steep bridle path…

Walk talk In 2018, the Overseas Investment Office required Higgins Contractors to consult with the Outdoor Access Commission to determine what public access could be provided over Higgins land acquired beside the then-named Tauherenikau River. The Outdoor Access Commission recommended public walking access to the river, and that walkway now exists. They have recently registered it as an Access Strip Easement. The owners have built a small carpark, a stile and fences to help people get down to the river and erect a sign. Interestingly, since the first opened this case, the river has changed its name to the correctly spelt Tauwharenīkau River. This follows the enactment of the Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki nui-a-Rua Claims Settlement Act 2022. Tauwharenīkau was the original name given by Haunui a Nanaia, who…

New Zealand Walks There's a simmering hotbed of geothermal activity beneath State Highway 5. And with scientists suggesting that only 16 kilometres of terra firma separate your car tyres from bubbling magma, it's tempting to get a little heavy-footed. But, despite its location on a geological hotplate, this 80-kilometre section of the Thermal Explorer Highway stretching from Rotorua to Taupō shouldn't be rushed. So, ease off the accelerator and take a more leisurely drive between the two geothermal townships. The culprits behind the region's bubbling mud pools, geysers and soothing mineral waters are two immense tectonic plates colliding deep within the earth's crust. This collision field has created the 350-kilometre-long Taupō Volcanic Zone stretching from Mount Ruapehu to Whakaari/White Island. Active for two million years, and despite being only 50…

New Zealand Walk If you are looking for a short walk in a stunning landscape, the Sutton Salt Lake offers an easy way to enjoy the tranquility and natural history of the Otago hinterland. This is New Zealand's only inland salt lake which goes through a constant cycle of filling, evaporating and refilling. The shallow lake is only filled by rainwater, dries up during periods of warm weather with strong winds and little rain, and has no outlet. The water is about half as salty as seawater. The lake's salinity is derived from marine aerosols in rainwater and concentrated by the repeated evaporation and refilling cycles in the lake depression. Interestingly, these aerosols are forced into the air by wave activity in the sea that is about 50 kilometres away.…