Churton Park Community Walkers
Newsletter 8th December 2024
Last week’s walks:
Forty-six walkers enjoyed a walk around Linden on Wednesday. There were 6 Pleasure Pacers, 27 Steady Steppers and 13 Fast Footers walking 5.1km, 5.4km and 6.9km respectively. On Thursday evening 8 walkers went around Crofton Downs and Ngaio completing a walk of 6.6km. Then on Friday 10 walkers took in the Whareroa Farm Loop.
Friday Night Drinks etc:
We had a good number at the final drinks/meal get together at Sprig and Fern, Tawa. Our next visit there will be on 7 February 2025 (as we do not book a January date). We have requested the same monthly dates throughout 2025 at the same times and these will be advised in the newsletter as each month comes around.
Christmas and New Year – a reminder to take care and stay safe.
Shortly we shall be advising everyone about walking arrangements in January. As the festive season gets closer we are aware that there will be many gatherings to celebrate with family, friends and colleagues. As there appear to be a lot of colds and other viruses, as well as ‘covid’, in the community, we wish to remind members to take care during this time. Our health and safety policy, as set out on our website, advises members not to attend walks or other gatherings if they have symptoms of any form of infectious disease.
Brian Vincent.
Convenor
A REMINDER:
Away Walk - Methven November 5th to November 9th 2025:
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The away walk for 2025 is to Methven for four nights, arriving Wednesday November 5th and departing Sunday November 9th. Mid-Canterbury is a part of the country that CPCW has not visited previously. There are great walking opportunities near Methven: in the Canterbury foothills, a number of small bush reserves, at Lake Coleridge and in the Rakaia Gorge. We have reserved all 25 rooms in the lodge at the Southern Cross Lodge which also has a dining room where we can meet. The rooms are ensuite and the rate is $135 per day which includes a continental breakfast. The rooms can either be configured as double or twin.
When we have been to the South Island in past years, many people have chosen to take their own vehicle. For those not wishing to do this, flying to Christchurch and hiring a vehicle might be an economical option. Methven is 96km from the airport and Google says this is a 1hr 18min drive.
For trampers, Arthurs Pass National Park is nearby. I am suggesting Mingha - Deception. This is a one night/two day tramp, but staying for two nights at Goat Pass Hut would give the opportunity to walk/scramble up to Lake Mavis on the day in between. It is an ambitious tramp so we might decide on something less adventurous, depending on who is interested, as there are lots of other choices in Arthurs Pass.
A deposit of $50 per person is due by 31st December 2024.
Please pay to the CPCW account (02-0524-0233091-00) with your name and ‘Methven’ in the reference field. At the same time can you please send me an email to let me know you have paid - David.Pegram.nz@gmail.com I am happy to answer any questions - either in person or by email.
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Christmas Lunch Photos:
The link to these photos is available here The photos on this site will be available for a limited period, so please take a look and download any that you would like to keep for yourself asap.
Walk Details for Wednesday 11th December:
This Week's Walks: We are walking in Island Bay this coming Wednesday. Normally, commuting traffic is quieter mid-week, so we are cautiously optimistic that we will all get to the start line without major problems. Allow a bit of extra time and keep a contact number handy for another member of your group in case you get held up.
All walks are due to start at 9:20am from the starting point.
PPs: A 4.34km loop - generally very flat, although there is one not too steep hill. The walk is all on footpaths. You can see the walk here
SSs: A 6.57km loop walk taking in a mixture of the residential and shopping areas of Island Bay. The walk has one fairly long hill with the rest being downhill or flat. You can see the walk here
FFs: A 7.01km loop walk that uses several of the Island Bay tracks and also a few on the Island Bay hills with some steps just before the end. You can see the walk on Mapometer here and on Plotaroute here
Parking: The parking for all three groups is in the same general area. We will need to spread out a little to accommodate the usual number of cars. Thus we have the PPs and the SSs parking in Reef Street. but some will need to park around the corner in The Esplanade. The FFs can use the parking on The Esplanade with all parking areas generally based on the streets that surround Shorland Park (Island Bay). The approximate areas are shown as start points on the walk maps.
Coffee: Nothing booked or organised, but there are three or four cafés within Island Bay itself and others nearby. Of course there are many on the way home and back at Churton Park.
Enjoy your walks
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 December 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
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There was a surprisingly large group of walkers out on Wednesday on a morning of low cloud and threatening drizzle. Walks were spread around and about the Linden/Green Acres suburbs, including some off-road walking in the Wilf Mexted and Woodburn Reserves. The hardy spirit of CPCWalkers is demonstrated by their attendance on such a gloomy morning!
Thank you to Dianne Parker and Rosemary Mackintosh for providing two photos of the PPs this week and thus ensuring everyone was displayed:
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The SSs and FFs were captured by Paul Alpe and Gay Hoffman - a sky more bland would be hard to imagine!!
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On Thursday evening there was a group of 8 who ventured out on an evening that has a sky which contrasts markedly with Wednesday. Two photos this week from Jennie Thompson and Hue Ng:
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Friday's walk was led by Brian Alderson. A total of 10 walkers headed up the hill from Whareroa Farm at McKays Crossing and then a circuit was followed back to the cars. Walkers were hosted by friends of Brian's who provided morning tea and a chance to hear and see something of their conservation work on their property. Here are two photos taken by Brian. The photo on the left is quite unusual as FFs are rarely pictured sitting down and out of the environment in which they are naturally found - this may be worthy of further investigations and a David Attenborough episode...
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