Churton Park Community Walkers

Newsletter August 18th 2024

A Word from our Convenor:

Last week’s walks:

What great walks we enjoyed last Wednesday with the spectacular views over Upper Hutt.  There were 5 Pleasure Pacers, 28 Steady Steppers and 23 Fast Footers and many of these walkers found the coffee and some food treats an excellent way to complete the morning at the Mitre10 Mega in Upper Hutt.

On Thursday 6 walkers (plus Red, as usual) walked 6.5km around Churton Park.  The Friday group had an extensive journey from Johnsonville through Newlands and onwards to Ngaio and Khandallah.  We had 17 walkers in this group. 

A welcome to a new member:

We welcome another new member today - John McKinlay, who walked with the Steady Steppers last week. Welcome to you, John - I am sure you will enjoy the upcoming walks.

Brian Vincent
Convenor

A reminder about walking arrangements:

After everyone has arrived at the starting location, each group should confirm its leader and also nominate a ‘tail-end Charlie’.  Please remember the medical kits – there is at least one for each group – and a reminder to take photographs. These allow us to record that day’s walkers in each group.  Please forward these by email.

Finally, just a reminder to swap telephone numbers amongst those with whom you travel to the starting point each week. A handy back-up for any late changes to arrangements.

Reminder:   Please ensure that you inform your group’s leader if you leave a walk partway through.

Walk Details for Wednesday August 21st 2024. 

This Week's Walks:  Closer to home this week with all three of this coming Wednesday’s walks being based in Newlands.  Again, all walkers should be at the designated start point for a 9:20am start.

PPs:  A 3.05km loop with the first half along a good quality bush track and the rest of the walk returning around the streets.  Being Newlands, there are a few uphills and downhills, but the walk avoids the really steep streets.  You can see the walk here

SSs:  A 5.33km loop walk starting with the same bush walk as the PPs, then to and along a ridge with great views over the harbour and then a return back using the streets of Newlands.  I think all steps have been avoided.  Of course there are ups and downs on the return to the parking area, but that is what you would expect in Newlands.  A shorter walk than normal but the hills make up for that.  You can see the walk here

FFs:  A 6.41km loop walk.  Similar to the SSs in the first instance, but the return is quite a bit longer and includes a couple of additional hills.   You can see the walk here on MapoMeter and on Plotaroute here

Parking:   Parking is in the general area of the intersection of Tamworth Crescent and Cromwell Point which are both on the harbour side of Newlands.  Try Google or Apple Maps or just a normal map to get to this parking spot.  We believe that parks will be available for the whole walking group in this area as there are gaps in the housing along these streets.  (Turn right off Horokiwi Road West into Baylands Drive, left into Somes Crescent, left into Sunhaven Drive, then right into Dress Circle; then left into Tamworth Crescent and park near the corner of Tamworth Crescent and Cornwall point.)

Coffee:   We have told Simmer that a number of us will be returning for coffee.  There are a couple of other choices should walkers decide to go elsewhere.

Russell Paterson

Website

When you open the website to view your walk have a quick look at the “Home Page”  This usually has new images each week showing views 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.

Walk Schedules

You can look at the walk schedule for August 2024 here 

Photos

Walkers - please try and take a photo of each group on walking days and email them to this link.  Preferably small size (around 450kb).  It has been great to receive a larger number of photos from PPs and SSs - keep them coming, please!

CPCW Photos   

	A total of 58 walkers enjoyed the walks around the Maidstone region of Upper Hutt, including a little climb rewarded with wonderful views over Upper Hutt.  Peter Bushnell has kindly provided a selection of photos taken amongst the whole group before departure:
	And we have photos from the PPs (Mike Drain), SSs (Peter Bushnell) and FFs (Stu Lavin):
	The staunch group of Thurday walkers, who are deterred only by a Category 5 hurricane, were out and about in Churton Park this week.  Hue Ng sent in this photo - great to see Red taking a moment to smell the spring flowers!
	Finally the weather obliged and the Friday walkers were able to head out.  The walk headed out from Johnsonville, through Newlands and down the track to the bottom of Ngauranga Gorge, along Hutt Road, up through the bush in Kaiwharawhara, through Khandallah, Ngaio and then back home through Khandallah.  The walk was described - "Distance 15.1km; Total ascent only 467m; Est  walk time 3hr to 3hrs 20min."  Sounds like a doddle for the 17 walkers who headed out to stretch their legs!  Stu Lavin provided this photo of the first group when they had their Hillary moment - it was all downhill from there!
	And the second group ambling and posed (courtesy of Bill Gaudie & Gay Hoffman respectively):

  I feel as if this joke is a bit of an "own goal", but here goes anyway!

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