Newsletter 3rd November

Churton Park Community Walkers

Newsletter 3rd November 2024

Last week’s walks.

My apologies for decisions around cancelling the Wednesday walk and, in particular, my apologies to those who turned up at the start of the walk having read only the first of my messages. Hopefully my decision-making will get better over the next two years. Thankfully the changeable Wellington spring weather did allow the Thursday and Friday walks to go ahead. There were 5 walkers on Thursday evening who tackled 6km, mainly on tracks, in Churton Park. On Friday 16 people walked in a lower section of Belmont Regional Park, completing the Dry Creek Loop before splashing their way up and down the waterfall track. Despite numerous stream crossings, slippery rocks and an uneven stream bed, water was the only thing that fell and all the walkers stayed upright and wet from only the knees down.

My best wishes to all those on the Away Walk in the Wairarapa next week and also to Brian Vincent for a speedy recovery after his accident.

David Pegram
Deputy Convenor

And a notice from our Convenor, Brian Vincent:

Hello everyone - I just want to express my thanks for all the kind messages and assistance that I have received following my unfortunate accident at Auckland Airport on our way to South America. My wrist was broken in two places and last week I had an operation to insert a plate into the wrist to repair it. My thanks, also, to David Pegram for stepping in to look after things in my absence. I will be back walking in due course, however in the meantime there is the Christmas Function on 27 November to look forward to.

Regards and thanks,

Brian Vincent
Convenor.

Places at our 2024 Christmas Function on

Wednesday November 27th are filling up fast!!

This will be held at The Pines once again with a similar menu for the festive season lunch as we enjoyed last year.

The cost of the function is $42 per person.

Over this past year we have built up a good reserve of funds and accordingly we can now fully subsidise the return bus trip on this one occasion. Please note that this subsidy will only apply for this occasion - unless we are again in a position to do so in the future. Early bookings for the function are welcomed as this assists our planning and schedule for the event.

Please make your payment to CPCW account:

02-0524-0233091-00

noting your name(s) and in the reference field please write ‘Xmas’ or ‘Xmas& Bus’ if you wish to travel by the bus.

Pick-up and return times will be advised shortly (but will be similar to last year). We need to know how many will be taking the bus to ensure we book the correct size transport (and also so that we know we have everyone ‘on board’ before departure).

An update from Brian Alderson who is co-ordinating the bus transport:

Christmas Lunch free bus transport to The Pines and return.

Bus departs CP shopping centre 11.25am, boarding from 11.15am. Arrives at The Pines midday.

Departs The Pines 3.40pm, boarding from 3.30pm. Arrives CP 4.15pm.

The bus holds 51 passengers and it is first in first served. When making your Christmas meal booking put 'Xmas & Bus' in the reference field if you wish to travel by bus. If you have already paid and omitted to indicate that you wish to take the bus, please email me: briannz567@gmail.com

Avoid the hassle of driving to and from The Pines and take advantage of the free bus.

Our Sponsors:

We have several sponsors which we list on our Home Page and in our Newsletter. In recognition of the generosity of our sponsors, the committee wish to highlight a sponsor each week in our newsletter.

This week we have chosen Light House Cinema as our featured sponsor:

Light House Cinema is an independent and locally run Wellington business providing a great movie experience at three venues across the Greater Wellington region. A range of the latest movie offerings are presented together with opera, ballet, theatre, arts and film festival movies. All this in cinemas providing comfortable “lounge-like” seating with high quality audiovisual gear and the opportunity to partake of quality food and beverages from their cafés. Light House Cinema are generous supporters of CPCW and we appreciate their continuing support of our group.

Light House Cinema:

Petone 52 Beach Street, Petone 04 939 2061

Pauatahanui 3 Paekakariki Hill Road 04 234 6770

Cuba 29 Wigan Street, Te Aro 04 385 3337

Walk Details for Wednesday 6th November 2024

This Week's Walks: As a good number of the walkers are away in the Wairarapa this coming week, we have kept the Wednesday walks to two Churton Park walks; one for the PPs and one that can be used by both the SSs and the FFs. Walkers should look to meet at the New World carpark at 9:00am for a start at 9:20am. However, walkers can decide instead to make up their own local walks if that is their wish. The two walks provided are just options.

PPs: A 3.54km loop that takes in the valley track with the rest on streets. A couple of gentle hills. You can see the walk here

SSs and FFs: A 5.00km loop that includes the valley track and also the more recently constructed hill track. The walk only shows the hill track figuratively as it is not a gentle curve and it zigzags quite a bit. (The walk is probably a little longer that the stated distance.) You can see the walk here

Parking: The parking for all three groups is in the New World carpark, southern end.

Coffee: It is walker's choice for coffee. Nothing is reserved. Simmer is the obvious choice.

Russell Paterson

Reminder

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

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.

Walk Schedules

You can look at the walk schedule for November 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).

CPCW Photos

		On Wednesday morning the weather was promising one moment, downpour the next - spring is fickle! But Thursday evening was obliging and 5 walkers were out in Churton Park. Photos are provided by Gillian Mills and Hue Ng.

		16 walkers faced a pleasant spring morning to enjoy parts of our extensive Belmont Regional Park in the vicinity of Dry Creek. Gary Dick plotted an initial route on a loop around the hill and then added an interesting diversion up a stream to a waterfall to finish. Photos are courtesy of Sue Fish & David Pegram: