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New Zealand Walks: Charity hike for Breast Cancer
Charity hike for Breast Cancer New Zealand
Every day, nine women are diagnosed with breast cancer in New Zealand. It is the number one type of cancer for women in New Zealand.
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and to help raise awareness Walking Legends is running a special, one-off charity hike, in support of Breast Cancer New Zealand, in the Coromandel from 23rd – 26th January 2023.
Walkers of all kinds are welcome, this is not just for women, this is for anyone who has had their life affected by breast cancer.
The pandemic has been tough on events-based charities, like Breast Cancer New Zealand, so as the tourism industry gets back on its’ feet, we want to help lift this great charity back up with us.
Join us in effecting real change for the health and wellbeing of Kiwi women and enjoy an active holiday while you’re doing it.
The walking itinerary will follow our usual, four-day Coromandel Explorer guided walk, with some very special extras.
We’ll wine you and dine you with great meals, delightful ensuite accommodation and show you the best hiking trails the Coromandel has to offer.
You’ll join a small, fun group led by a friendly, warm hiking guide for four days of fun, great hikes and delicious meals in the beautiful Coromandel.
Day 1: Wairere Falls, warm-up walk and ‘pink’ afternoon tea.
Day 2: Walk Tall in Pink on the Coastal Walkway – today is about having fun and looking fantastic, so bring some pink accessories or ‘pieces of flair’ to your usual walking outfit to bring some life to the trail.
Day 3: Hiking Challenge on the Pinnacles, Thames – today we tackle a challenging hike to a beautiful scenic peak in the Kauaeranga Valley. Take a moment to shout, laugh, or share a karakia at the summit, this is your personal moment of reflection. Tonight, we’ve earned a celebratory dinner at a beautiful local restaurant with a special pink dessert.
Day 4: Warm Down and Restore with a visit to the Lost Spring, Whitianga on the way home. Soak those sore muscles in a hidden oasis surrounded by lush plantings.
Our goal is to raise as much money as we can for Breast Cancer New Zealand. We’ll be running this trip at the advertised price, we’ll cover the basic costs and the rest (called net proceeds) will be donated to Breast Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.
Every walker will be most welcome to make additional, voluntary contributions if they wish!
One hundred percent of all voluntary donations will go to the charity.
After the trip, we’ll present our collective donations to Breast Cancer New Zealand.
Breast Cancer New Zealand will use these donations to support women with breast cancer, to raise awareness and educate and to fund medical research.
You don’t have to be super fit to join us but a moderate fitness level is a good place to start. We’ll be walking anywhere between four to seven hours per day. The fitter you are, the more you’ll enjoy it, so if you have the opportunity to put in some pre-trip training, including some stair climbs, then that’s never time wasted.
This is a one-off opportunity and we have limited spaces left. This allinclusive, guided walking holiday for charity is $1,850 NZD per adult, $1,200 NZD per child 15 years and
older, twin share.
For a detailed itinerary and packing list or to book a spot, email Cathy at cathy@walkinglegends. co.nz
For more information on the Coromandel Explorer walk, visit www.walkinglegends.co.nz Opposite page above: What a view from the Coromandel Peninsula.
Photo Linda Rugg Above and left: At The Pinnacles.
Roys Peak Track for outstanding Roys Peak Track for outstanding lake and mountain views lake and mountain views
We were in Queenstown for a week and discussed going to Wanaka to do Roys Peak.
It had been on our list for quite some time so we took the opportu-
By Yvonne van Eerden
nity to go.
The weather was cold but no snow at Queenstown so we thought this was the time to do Roys Peak. We had a very nice drive to Wanaka. At the carpark (eight minutes from Wanaka) we organised ourselves and started our adventure of Roys Peak. We could not see the top as there was fog but we were not deterred.
Below the low cloud the views were spectacular of Wanaka and the Lake front and the surrounding mountains. The track was in great condition zig zagging and going up up and up. We walked through tussock grass and we could not see the tops at all but continued on as we were going to make the most of the day.
We met other trampers who had already been up to the top and had left at 5 am. to see the sunrise and they assured us that the views above the fog were spectacular and to keep going. This was great encouragement for us all to reach the top.
We were eventually above the fog and to our amazement there was clear blue sky and the peaks Above left: Kishor, Yvonne and Jane at the start. Below left: Kishor showing the way! Above: On the way up. Below right: Taking in the view. on the way to the lookout. Opposite page below right: The sty where Kishor left his flask to pick up on way back. Below left: At the lookout.
of the mountains were all around. The views were out of this world. It was such a great feeling to have reached the lookout, I thought that was our target for the day but my mate pointed out the trig further up (which we could not see at all earlier on the walk up due to the fog, which was probably a good thing!) and said that is where we need to go, I honestly thought she was joking but no, we had to go further.
We took so many photos of the views and had a drink and some nibbles and a quick break before continuing on further to the top. Some other trampers insisted that we should definitely
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go further as we were here now. We continued on at our own pace taking step after step and getting closer and closer, what a enormous achievement to have reached the top.
We were all so proud of our ourselves.
We took many more photos and then moved to a lunch spot and admired the views, you just could not get tired of looking around.
After lunch we headed back down and this went quite quickly but you had to take care as it was still steep in places.
The fog had cleared completely so we had 360deg views. What a fantastic incredible experience to have achieved Roys Peak.
Of course we were proud of ourselves and headed to Cardrona for a well earned drink. What an absolutely worthwhile tramp with the unreal views. We had done it!
Above: Lake Wanaka from the track.
DOC photo Below left: Spaniard in the fog.
Fact file
Roy’s Peak is a mountain in New Zealand, standing between Wanaka and Glendhu Bay. It offers a full-day’s walk with views across Lake Wanaka and up to the peak of Mount Aspiring / Tititea. The track zigzags steeply up the side of Mount Roy through thick grass until the ridge to the summit
How to get there
The closest town to Roys Peak is Wanaka (6km) but you can also easily get there from Queenstown (68km). From Wanaka you drive five to 10 minutes on Mount Aspiring Road till you reach the Roys Peak Track car park, where the hike starts.
The climb is over eight kilometers and hikers must climb a whopping 1578 meters to the summit of Roy’s Peak. This one way journey takes most people around three hours. The trail is steep and follows switchbacks relentlessly until you reach the top. After, hikers must return via the same trail.
Ouch! Sore feet while walking?
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The adventures of Derek – volunteer extraordinaire
If you have climbed South Canterbury’s Little Mt Peel via Deer spur on a Sunday, then there is a good chance that you have met Derek Holmes.
Come rain or shine Derek has been tramping up Little Mt Peel fortnightly via Deer Spur for the last four years.
Derek’s regular climb of Little Mount Peel was a way to maintain a good level of fitness, but now the volunteer work that he delivers on the mountain is the key focus of his fortnightly trips.
Having a regular visitor to Little Mount Peel and the Tristram Harper Memorial Shelter is valuable and Derek notifies DOC of any issues that need attention. It’s great having a set of eyes out on the track regularly as Little Mount Peel is a popular destination for day visitors.
“It’s all about giving back. I have some great memories of time spent in DOC huts and on DOC tracks so it’s good to contribute in some small way on my local maunga,” says Derek.
Initially the key focus of Derek’s volunteering was to keep an eye on the track and shelter, and to cut back flax and vegetation. Soon after he signed up as a volunteer, several visitors sustained injuries on the boardwalks above the bushline due to ice in the winter months.
Derek dedicated several hours of work to these boardwalks and helped keep the boardwalks free of water and ice during the winter months. Many broken boards have also been replaced over the years thanks to Derek. Spare boards are flown to the Tristram Harper Memorial Shelter when work is carried out, and then he can easily replace these as needed.
“People seem to appreciate the mahi I do, especially on the boardwalks.”
Derek is very versatile and has carried out a lot of different tasks on the mountain. He recently painted over the graffiti on the inside of the shelter, helped to place a door guard to prevent water entering the shelter and has helped to measure and install a new tank lid at the shelter.
“Every trip up there is different, the weather, the light, the people I meet along the way, it’s never boring”. In more recent times Derek’s core focus has been to establish the trap network on Deer Spur which he now maintains alongside fellow volunteers and Blandswood locals Greg and Vivian Wilkinson. The volunteer trapping is carried out on behalf of Project Peel.
“Running the trapline adds another purpose to my fortnightly trips. I try to educate people I meet, especially kids on why we have to kill some creatures to save others.”
Since 2020, Derek has helped to establish a trapline of 16 DOC 200 traps, six flipping Timmy possum traps and several A12 possum traps.
Derek has also volunteered further afield as a feed out volunteer with the kākāpō teams on both Whenua Hou/ Codfish Island (2018) and Pukenui/Anchor Island in Tamatea/Dusky Sound, Fiordland (2022).
“Volunteering stints on Whenua Hoa and Pukenui with the Kākāpō Recovery Project Team has been a fantastic fulfilling life experience. I hope I have a few more breeding seasons left in me.”
Having a volunteer as dedicated and passionate as Derek is an asset to the wider DOC team and we hope he will continue to volunteer for many years to come. Above left: Derek servicing a trap on Deer Spur. Photo
by Tim Exton Above right: Derek holds a kākāpō chick on Pukenui.
Photo Oscar Thomas. Below left: Derek servicing another trap on Deer Spur.
New book on the life of a
Park Ranger land book written by a park ranger, though there have been two books
For those of you who have penned by forest rangers (ex-NZ dreamed about life as a park ranger, Forest Service) and one by a wildlife and those of you who have a percep- ranger (ex-NZ Wildlife Service). tion of what that life might involve, In this 264- page book, John tells a new book written by a retired park of the routine work the staff of the ranger may surprise you! Huia Ranger Station carried out, and
John Walsh was a ranger in Waita- also reveals what it’s like dealing kere Ranges Regional Park, on Auckwith serious motor vehicle accidents, land’s wild west coast, for 38 years whale strandings, search and rescue and has recently written a memoir of (he took part in 250 operations), his years of service. This is, to the best forest firefighting, suicides, cannaof his knowledge, the first New Zea- bis plantations, motorcycle gangs misbehaving, and homicides. John opens up about the pros and cons of living “on the job” and reveals his involvement in bizarre, humorous, and tragic encounters with users of one of Aotearoa’s busiest piece of parkland. Price $40 The book, “So You Want to be a
Available at some Northland and North Park Ranger” is available for $45 (inShore Bookshops or contact Jean at: cludes postage) by contacting John goldschmidt@farmside.co.nz on email, at huia8118@gmail.com.
Ouch! Sore feet while walking?
Buy online or at selected stockists
For more info visit www.hikerswool.co.nz
Making the most of
Day hikes are a great way to boost your fitness and satisfy a sense of adventure while discovering new places in the Auckland region. From mountain views to sweeping beaches, some highlights can only be reached on foot.
If you’re new to hiking, here is a guide to staying safe and making the most of hiking in Auckland
What to pack
Go prepared for anything, including changes in the weather and having to spend more time on the trail than expected. Here are a few
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Making the most of Hiking in Auckland
essentials to take in your day pack:
A waterproof jacket
Your mobile phone, fully charged
Warm clothing; make sure you take a warm jumper and base layers that aren’t made out of cotton
A sun-hat and a warm hat
Sturdy footwear; even on shorter trails it’s important to have good shoes
Enough water and food; take at least two litres per person of water, and more snacks than you think you’ll need - just in case.
Above: Ātiu Creek Regional Park.
How to plan your route
Auckland has hiking trails for all abilities. As well as regional park trails, there are scenic options that will challenge your fitness without you even needing to leave the city.
For coastal hikes, try the Māngere Bridge Foreshore Path or the Beachlands to Maraetai Path. Or to escape into native bush, tackle the Hunua Cossey Dam Path. As you build up your confidence, you could try the Ōmanawanui Track at Whatipu.
When choosing where to hike, consider your ability and the skills and fitness of everyone in your group. Look at how long it will take, and plan to have enough time to complete the track before dark.
Check the terrain to prepare for any steep climbs or stream crossings, while also checking for anything else that might affect the walk, such as tide times. You should also read up on any alerts that might be in place, such as track maintenance or closures due to kauri dieback.
What to know before you go
Always check the weather before you go. Search specifically for the area you’re going to – forecasts can vary from coast to coast and the city forecast isn’t always accurate for regional areas.
Before you head off, tell someone your plans. Mobile phone coverage isn’t always available on Auckland’s trails, so it’s important someone knows where you are.
There are 28 regional parks in Auckland, and many more city parks and reserves, all of which offer great hiking. Get active and discover Auckland’s hidden gems on your next hiking trip.
For more information on staying safe while out and about across the region, take a look at the Outdoor Safety Code online.
