February 19 Newsletter

Churton Park Community Walkers

Newsletter 19 February 2023

Group Trip to Somes Island Wednesday 1 March

Everyone is invited on this trip although we may have to limit numbers.

Details:

Ferry departs Queens Wharf 9.15am, arr. Somes Island 9.40am.

Return: Departs Somes Island 12.05pm, arr. Queens Wharf 12.30pm.

Ferry travel time is 25 minutes each way, time on the Island is 2hr 25min. Ferry holds 99 passengers.

East By West Ferries advise obtaining tickets 30 minutes prior to sailing, this includes Gold Card holders. People will need to be at their office on the wharf by 8.45am. Adult return fare is $12.50. Gold Card are free. Bring drink and snacks ensuring that food is in sealed containers.

Transport options. Please note you need to make your own transport arrangements.

Train departs Raroa Station 8.17am, arr Wgtn 8.38am. Parking in Raroa Park off Burma Road.

No.1 bus departs Melksham Drive at 7.45am with the usual stops through Churton Park, arr Wgtn 8.25am.

Gold Card cannot be used on public transport before 9am weekdays, however the Government subsides are in place.

The return train to Raroa goes every 30 minutes, dep. Wgtn 1.02pm, 1.32pm. The No. 1 bus from Wgtn Stn dep. every 30 minutes, 1.06pm, 1.36pm.

Please click here if you are interested in coming along.

Somes Island: Introductory talk by DOC staff and bag check, then people are free to roam the island at their leisure.

Here is a link to information about Somes Island.

Note the usual Wednesday walks will still be available.

Last Weeks Walks

Unfortunately Wednesday’s weather was not great meaning that all Wednesday’s walks were cancelled. The weather cleared later in the day which allowed some of us to wander around the local streets. Thursday night was good enough for 5 Thursday Explorers to head around Churton Park using the tracks, walkways and streets. Fridays weather was also OK allowing 16 Friday Walkers to head to Karori and take on (walking) the mountain bike tracks of Makara Bike park. (Safe as 95% of the usual bikers are at work.)

This Weeks Walks

We will try Khandallah again. All three walks are new walks but do include areas that we have walked before perhaps except for a recent track that is included in the SS’s walk.

PP’s: A 3.46 loop track around the streets of Khandallah and Ngaio. Generally flat and the few hills are reasonably gentle. You can see the walk here.

SS’s: A 5.46km loop taking in a recently constructed bush track with the balance around the streets. This bush track includes gravel on a reasonably steep slope and quite a few downhill steps. This track can be avoided should any walkers want to by taking Iwi Street (off Awarua Street) and the walkway leading off it and turning left onto Fox Street and coming back down to Awarua Street. A little longer if you turn right onto Fox Street and head back via Amapur Drive. You can see the walk here. Study the map for alternatives if you decide not to take on the newish track at the end of Awarua Street. If you feel you are a competent walker take on the track.

FF’s: A 6.66km loop taking in a recently constructed bush track with the balance around the streets. It does include some climbs. You can see the walk here.

Parking

As per usual the parking for the Khandallah Walks is the carpark of Nairnville Park and also has to include the nearby streets.

Coffee

Back at Simmer. We have told Simmer that a good number of us will be calling in for a coffee.

Website

When you open the website to view your walk have a quick look at the “Home Page”. This usually has a new picture each week generally showing a view from one of our walks.

Cancellation

If the walks are cancelled an email will be sent out as early as possible but definitely before 8:00am.

Happy February Walking
Russell Paterson

Koha

Every week we leave a note about Koha in the newsletter. We have no idea what private sharing arrangements are in place regarding getting rides but we trust that those who don’t regularly bring cars do make up for it in some small way, be it buying a coffee for the driver or by making some small cash donation.

Walk Schedules

You can look at the walk schedule for the rest of February here.

Photos

Below are some photos from the week before last. Walkers please try and take a photo of each group on walking days and email them to peter@jville.kiwi preferably small size (around 450kb).