28. Belmont Park - Dry Creek Loop

January 31

We started this track at the point where it intersects with the Boulder Hill track. From this point it was a nice gentle downwards track.

You come to a point where there is steep descent and you can start to hear the creek. But then the track goes back up just as steeply as you came down. And it just keeps going. You are following a 4 wheel drive path and you cant really see beyond the trees and scrub on either side so it isn't very thrilling.

The final descent is very steep and the track is very rocky. I ended up walking on the very edge where the gravel had built up just so that I could sink my feet in a bit. The walk back through the dry creek reserve area was quite pleasant - we stopped to pick a handful of blackberries.

9 500 steps (would be 13 500 if we had started at the car park)

27. Belmont Park - Boulder Hill

January 31

This track starts at the Dry Creek entrance to Belmont Park. You start in a little tract of bush but soon you turn to the right onto a 4 wheel drive track and you go up and up. Luckily it isn't a terribly steep start - just enough to warm up the legs. This climb last for almost 3 kms.

There is a nice flat section where you cross a field and then you are back onto a serious climb. This was really quite steep and because it is so dry at the moment it was a bit loose under foot. You start to get glimpses of the views as you turn each corner.

I was starting to wonder why it was called boulder hill but as you approach the top there are large rocks spread around in the long grass. At the top there is a big pile of these boulders. The views are pretty amazing - Upper Hutt, Hutt City and the harbour and out to Pauatahanui and the Porirua Harbour.

Hutt City and the Wellington Harbour

Would definitely recommend doing this on a day with cloud cover.

Porirua and Pauatahanui

8 000 steps ( would have been 12 000 if we had done a direct return)

26. Wilf Mexted Reserve, Tawa

January 30

This track is on Woodman Drive in Tawa.

It is quite a pretty walk but is really short. The trees seem quite sparse and I wonder if maybe they have been removing non-natives.

The path is a gentle slope upwards. It is a bit narrow in places which made it a bit tricky when Mister 5 wanted to hold my hand. You come out of the bush at one point and have a bit of a view over Tawa.

The path down has a few steepish parts that could possibly be helped by having steps in place. Mister 5 slipped over at least three times and I was walking very cautiously.

We came here years ago with the kids to hunt out a letterbox, and if we lived in the area I would let my kids play in there, but I don't think I would make a special effort to drive here just to do this walk.

1 800 steps.

25. Brookfield, Wainuiomata - Smith's Camp Track

January 28

Brookfield Scout Camp is one of our favourite places to come with the kids for camping. It is even worth just coming out for a day trip - they have flying foxes, kayaking and rafting, obstacle courses, bush walks and a swimming pool. Only $5pp for day or tenting, or $10pp for a cabin.

Okay, now for the walk. We had a little bit of trouble finding the start of this walk as it wasn't signposted. So, you go to the far end of camp and just before the outdoor chapel there is a 4 wheel drive path. At the very start of this there is a path to the left.

It is a pretty easy climb in the bush most of the way and the few times that you do come out of the bush you get some nice views. The path itself is pretty good most of the way but there are a few spots where you cross the stream where footing is a bit dodgy. If it was winter and it had been raining it may be slippery.

It took maybe 30 minutes to get to the little campsite which is very basic. Just a toilet and a campfire in a small clearing. It has a little stream running just down from it.

About 9 000 steps (from main camp and including our little tiki tour to find the track )

24. Lower Hutt Walk

January 24

We started at Waterloo station and headed along Waterloo Road. As you get closer to the centre of Lower Hutt, the houses and gardens get bigger and the fences get higher. But it was fun to peek through gaps and over some of the lower walls.

We took a few turns and ended up entering Civic Garden from Myrtle Street. We wandered along the stream, through the playground and cemetery and out by the library onto Woburn Road.

We crossed the bridge and went down to the Hutt River. It was Market Day down by the river and it was super busy.We carried on alongside the river, crossed the bridge near Melling Station and walked back along River and back over the Woburn Bridge.

It was another scorcher day and we really wanted to stop and get a drink, but there were no dairies! We carried on up Woburn which changes into Ludlam Ave and crossed over onto White Lines East where there was a shotput session happening. Then onto Cambridge Terrace and back to Waterloo station.

14 000 steps

23. Colonial Knob via Camp Elsdon

January 23

If you like steps then this is the track for you - 721 apparently (I was too busy catching my breath to count).

I was doing this walk at midday on a very hot day. During the first part of the track the sun was coming in through the trees and had like a disco ball effect on the ground. Looked very cool.

The first half of this track is not too tough. The steps come in lots of five or 10 and there are decent stretches of path in between. Then you look up and see this huge stretch of 170 (I counted them on the way back). As a platform comes into view I was thinking 'yay, I think it must be over! Wrong. Just around the corner there is the steepest lot - so steep it had a handrail.

The track comes out of the bush and just near where it intersects with the summit track there is a little track up to some seats. Spectacular view.

 About 9 000 steps

22. Bothamley Pathway

January 22

The girls were both away having fun with friends today so I took mister 5 on what I thought was going to be a short walk. We entered from the Ascot Park entrance on Warspite Ave.

This path runs through one of the less affluent areas of Porirua and at the start of the walk I thought the pathway seemed a bit neglected and there was some graffiti on fences (and trees!). But as we walked along and I relaxed, I began to appreciate how peaceful it was. There were lots of open fields that had been left to grow wildflowers and lovely wooded areas.

My favourite part was probably right in the middle of our walk where there is a bit of a forest clearing and the path diverges three ways.

Having lost my bearings a bit we decided to take the path to the right through the pines and then right again. I had hoped we would loop right back to where we started, as I didn't want to have to piggy-back the little guy, but the path took us up through Aotea (quite a well to do neighbourhood) and we walked back along the street.

about 8 000 steps

21. Te Ara Piko Pathway

January 20

Nice short walk so brought the two younger ones today. We parked at the entrance to Motukaraka Point and walked around the road to the start of the pathway. A few rather exclusive looking homes and gardens around here.

The pathway itself is a flat, meandering path around and over the wetlands - with lots of well made boardwalks. Great views of the Inlet. Would be awesome to see this path continued all the way around.

We stopped on one of the little bridges and tried to match up some of the plants and creatures that were on the information boards. But I think the kids were more impressed by a dead Pukeko and a rabbit that was along the road before the pathway.

About 6 000 steps

20. Queen Elizabeth Park - Inland Track

19 January

We did this walk as the second part of a loop, along with the Coastal Track. We started from the Raumati South end.

This track is on the inland side of the dunes and runs along side farmland. Away from the coastal breeze it was very hot! There were a couple of pretty steep patches and we were quite glad that we had chosen the direction that meant they were downwards.

On the second half of the walk there were HEAPS of blackberry bushes. We picked a couple along the way and made plans to come back in a few weeks. We were pondering why they had been allowed to grow so much and decided that maybe it was to protect the dunes.

Really enjoyable walk.

7 500 steps

 

19. Queen Elizabeth Park - Coastal Track

January 19


We started at the Paekakariki entrance to the park. The road has a loop and we parked down the bottom, in the first car park area.

As soon as you reach the coastal pathway, the views of the coastline are amazing. The path runs along the hills next to the beach. You dip down away from the beach a few times.

At the halfway point you reach Whareroa Beach (MacKays Crossing). It was a little confusing here as the paths were not marked clearly. We turned to the left and headed down to the beach and found the track there.

The rest of the path up to Raumati South was pretty much the same. Beautiful coastal views on a fairly easy path with just a few steep parts.

The brochure we had recommended allowing for a two hour walk. We took less than an hour at a moderate pace.

About 5 500 steps

18. Petone Esplanade

January 18

Korokoro Gateway

We started at the Korokoro Gateway which is the end closest to State Highway 2. You kind of walk across a reserve area and then meet up with a path at the end of the car park.

It was quite windy and not overly warm but there were still a few people braving the water with their dogs.

The walk is quite a long straight one. There is a low concrete wall that runs for ages - all the way to the playground. My kids used to love walking/running along it. The path is also suitable for scootering. Along the way you pass the pier, the yacht club and the settlers museum and some interesting art installations.

Once you get past the playground there is another reserve which has a few nice places to sit and watch the harbour. We turned back at the start of the Hutt River.

I was quite glad that it was mainly flat as I had been in the squat cage at the gym the day before - for the first time in about 6 months - and my legs were sore!

12 000 steps

McEwan Park

17. Whitirea Park - Coastal Track

January 17

Our first day of rain!

We started this track at the same place as the inland track, near the sailing club in Titahi Bay. Instead of taking the track inland you turn to the right and go around the coast.

The first part of the track is just alongside the beach and then you head over the grass. Didn't actually look around too much as I was watching my feet and the rain was threatening to wash out one of my contact lenses.

Once we got around to Onepoto Bay the rain had eased back but the wind was still quite strong. There was a large bunch of people out with their kite surfers so we spent a good few minutes watching them. Unfortunately my phone wasn't impressed with the weather and I didn't get any good pictures.

We left via the inland track.

10 000 steps

16. Porirua Stream and Raiha Walkways loop

16 January

Porirua Harbour

Porirua Stream

This isn't an official loop track but it made sense to me to do them together. I started at Whitirea Polytech and walked along harbourside toward town centre. I think the stream walkway begins at the side of the Pak n Save. The walkway dips under bridges at a few points. Quite a pleasant walk considering you are walking between the rail tracks and the back of warehouse type buildings.

I carried along the road and turned up Raiha Street. At the top of the hill you come to a little track that takes you back over to Porirua. It was quite a bit longer than I had imagined. You wind through industrial area, bush, behind Bishop Viard College and eventually out at Te Wananga O Aotearoa. The path is in good condition and it looks like they may be starting to do some work on it.

From here I carried on up Titahi Bay Road and back to the Polytech.

Raiha Walkway

Raiha Walkway

10 300 steps

15. Fairy Door Trail, Titahi Bay

15 January


Heard about this walk in the local paper and thought it might appeal to the kids. You can find out about the doors here.

We chose about seven off the map around the beach area in Titahi Bay. We drew a pretty rough map and set off. We parked near the playground at the South end of the beach where the first one we were after was. There was a guy mowing the grass so we decided to do that one last.

Our map was not good. We couldn't find five of them. We did manage to find the one by the old cafe and some other little kids showed us where a bonus one was. Walked back to the park a little discouraged but did manage to find the one at the playground.

Post Fairy

When we got home we checked the map and went into satelite view and think we will go back and have another go. We will add others as we find them.

Bonus

5 800 steps

door with a view

14. Redwood Bush

January 13

This walk starts on Achilles Close in Tawa. It is a short walk into a bush that kind of wraps around the houses. So while you feel like you are away from it all, if you look through the trees, you can still see houses.

It is a kind of gentle slope upwards then a fairly flat walk along the top. We hid a letterbox here in about 2006 - if you want the clues look here. We were going to check if it was still there but we had forgotten where we had hidden it and hadn't brought the clues.

You keep walking in a general left direction and eventually you come out into a big field with a swing and seesaws at the end.

We walked back the same way and just took a bit of a side trip up a path that didn't really go anywhere. It looks like it once linked up with Colonial Knob via farmland but it is closed to the public at the moment.




6 000 steps

13. Spinnaker Lookout

12 January

Started on Leeward Drive and walked along part of the Whitby Walkway, to the path up to the Lookout, on Spinnaker Drive.

The first part is an easy uphill zig zag. Just as you start to think it is a really easy walk it gets a bit steep and gives the lower legs a good workout.

Lovely view over Pauatahanui Inlet and over to Porirua Harbour.

I went back via the Mercury Lane exit and walked along the street back to Leeward Drive.

4 900 steps

12. Tane's Track

January 11


We missed the turn off the first time as I had forgotten the name of the area we were headed for. So, as you head out of Upper Hutt you are looking for the Tunnel Gully turn off which is on the right hand side.

We had accidentally chosen the weekend that a dog group descended on the park. Mister 5 was very happy - lots of people to talk to!

This was a really easy walk - flat almost the whole way. Beautiful though. Lots of really big trees - Rimu, Tawa, Kahikatea and Matai. Hopefully I'll be able to identify them soon.

We took the quick detour up to Mangaroa Tunnel. Very glad that someone had told me to bring a torch as it was really dark and long - 253 metres.

About 6 000 steps

11. Otari Bush to Karori Cemetary

January 10

We entered Otari Bush from the carpark off Churchill Drive. This is a lovely, flat path that follows the Kaiwharawhara Stream (same stream that runs through Trelissick Park). There is a picnic area with free barbeques and a toilet available.

We took the path that carries on alongside the stream towards Karori. Nice forest cover for a hot day. There are a couple of bridges that you cross on the way.

About 15 minutes from the picnic area there is a bridge crossing the stream to the right. From here it is a good climb up to the cemetary. Karori Cemetary is big. You could spend a good hour or so wandering around looking at graves. We meandered for about 20 minutes and then headed back along the same route.

About 9 000 steps