48. Seatoun to Scorching Bay

March 18

It was a really cool morning but the sun was bright and I felt like a walk along the beach. Seatoun is just a 12 minute drive from where the girls do drama and it feels like a different world. It is so relaxed and beautiful.

I started off at Churchill Park and headed along the beach. Managed to get in a little rock climbing along the way!Then I got mobbed by a swarm of mosquitoes so I headed away from the rocks back up to the street. The path doesn't stay on the beach side of the road so I crossed over to the house side. There are some really nice houses along here - so plenty to look at with gorgeous views on one side and stunning houses on the other.

At Scorching Bay I headed to the far end and sat down on the rocks to eat a piece of lolly cake (which i had bought for Emma and forgot to give her - score!). I also took a lovely photo and emailed it to Mark. Apparently photos of my amazing walk do not impress him when he is at work!

Oh well, I had a lovely peaceful time and enjoyed the walk immensely. Did feel guilty about not bringing the little man (or the big man) - for about 5 seconds. Next time!

10 000 steps

Scene of my lolly cake break

47. Battle Hill

March 15

Battle Hill is along Paekakariki Hill Road not too far from Pauatahanui Village.We did a combination of loop tracks - the wetlands, summit and farm loops.

This is a working farm so we passed through fields of lovely black cows, some newly shorn sheep, lots of noisy ducks and there were a few deer in the background.

The wetland track starts off nice and flat and then it starts to climb. I'm sure it said it was an easy track but I found it quite hard going. We then turned onto the summit track. We have been up here taking the longer winding track. This track was much shorter but also much steeper. It was kind of a hot, still day and when we got to the top I was feeling a little sick.

We took the farm track back down. It winds down the hill and through some bush. It is really beautiful near the floor of the forest and you feel like you are miles away - but the road is actually quite close. The path follows the stream back to the main area.

8 000 steps

46. Whitireia Park - Coastal Clamber!

March 14

Surprise, surprise - I misread a map! We did the usual coastal track starting at the boat club and at the far end of Onehunga we carried on walking past Kaitawa Point. This ended up being a really exciting and challenging walk. I wouldn't recommend it for young children! You also need to make sure you are there at low tide.

Once you come around Kaitawa Point there is a rugged rocky beach. Getting around the bend at the end of this was tricky. It was low tide and you still have to get into water that is knee deep and surging to get from one section of rocks to the next. I really enjoy clambering over rocks so this was fun.

The next difficult section is just around the next corner. I think at this point if we had had kids with us I would have turned back. There was gap between rocks and the cliff that you could get around by holding rocks above and to the side and doing a big reach with your legs. I am right handed and this involved using my left side, and even though I am reasonably strong, I found it really difficult. The water was a bit rougher here as well.

From here there were a lot of little beaches and caves and rocky sections to climb over and through. We thought we were getting near to the end when we came across a group of abseilers. At this point we hit a rock face that was too tricky for us to negotiate and the water was getting to deep to brave walking around (and I was wearing jeans). So we turned back.

The parts that had been tricky on the way were still tricky - the water by now was at the top of my legs, but I had given up on keeping dry and it was using the right side of my body.

 Looking at the map again, we should have turned up the road at Onehunga bay and gone along the edge of the cliffs :) Been there; done that - see Feb 5. Ended up being quite a long walk but I really enjoyed the challenge. I think we will try it from the other direction next time, and will wear more suitable clothing!

About 26 000 steps

45. Waitangi Park and Te Papa

March 11

I had promised Master 5 that I would take him to the museum, so we parked near where the girls have drama, on Cambridge Terrace. The walk to the Museum was pretty uneventful. Lots of little food shops that reminded the little guy that it must be morning tea time.

The museum was really busy. I think there was a cruise ship in town and there were a few bus loads of school kids. We hurried through - ducking in and out of exhibits - at a good pace because he only likes the interactive ones AND he doesn't like me to chat about them.

I lured him away with the promise of lunch and he chose a rather sloshy and overpriced jelly. We ate that outside and then wandered through Waitangi Park to the playground. This park has paths that meander through wetland type plantings.

Walked back to drama along the other side of Cambridge Terrace.

8 000 steps

44. Rocky Bay (in Titahi Bay)

March 6

This was almost too short to count as a walk but it is such a cool place. You park on Terrace Road and walk down into the beach. It is quite boggy down here when it has been raining. Lots of rock pools to explore.

We made our way toward the right side of the beach and along the side you see a tunnel. It is a well formed tunnel and you only need to crouch a little ( if you are 5 ft 4:D ). You emerge into another beach area.

Carry on to the far side of the beach and there is another tunnel. You have to climb up through this one although it isn't hard.  You come out this time into an area that has seen quite a bit of slippage.

We have a letterbox hidden here.

About 1 100 steps

43. Rather Random Town Walk

March 4

houses along Oriental Parade

My intention this morning was to drop the girls off and walk along Oriental parade and out in the direction of the airport. But due to my great organisational skills - I forgot to buy food for lunch - I had to change my plans.

There was no parking near where the girls had drama so I let them out and parked in the free parking along Oriental Parade. I then wandered along, dropped off some forms at the Ocean Sports place and headed to the supermarket across the road from Te Papa. In the middle of the supermarket my phone (with Radio Nowhere as my ringtone) started going off at full volume - the girls must have been playing with the volume. So anyway, Mark wanted to meet for lunch.

I delivered lunch to the girls and then headed through Courtney Central towards the Old Bank Centre. I love how busy it is walking through town. I can't decide if this is because I feel like I can disappear into a crowd or if I enjoy knowing I don't have to do this everyday.

City to Sea Bridge

Walked along Willis Street and managed to find Mark. Walked back through Civic Square and went over the City to Sea Bridge. Wandered back back along the waterfront and drove to where the girls were now doing African drumming and dancing.

About 10 000 steps

Boat sheds along Oriental Parade

42. Colonial Knob via Seven Pines

March 1

This track starts at Spicer Forest. You take the main track up to reservoir number one and just before you reach it, take a turn to the left. You climb up a short way to a ridge and go down to the stream. Not far past here there is a track to the right.

The first 3/4 of the track is uphill and reasonably steep. And there are steps - not nearly as many as the Camp Elsdon starting point - but at this stage you don't know that!

On the way up through the bush you do pass some massive pine trees. I didn't count them but I presume there must have been 7.

At the top of the bush you cross over a fence into farmland. You have a choice of taking the proper track to the right which goes through lots of gorse, or taking a slight detour to the left which is clear (we did this on the return trip).

To this point it was a windy but sunny day. As we carried on up we were surrounded by low lying clouds. It was stunning. It felt like a completely different place. I guess we might have been disappointed if we were hoping to enjoy the views that you usually get up here - but we loved it. The rest of the trip up was quite easy.

14 000 steps