New Zealand Walks: Wairarapa Walking Festival a

Wairarapa Walking Festivala showcase for best known walks

Stunning geological formations, food & wine, and working farms are some of the walks on offer for November’s Wairarapa Walking Festival.

The Wairarapa is well-known for its diverse history and landscapes, and the festival aims to highlight its best features through walking, storytelling, and exploring.

Festival convener Celia WadeBrown says, “We’re excited to showcase some of the Wairarapa’s best known walks, as well as some hidden gems that aren’t normally open to the public.”

The festival runs from the 11th - 20th November, and is the first Wairarapa-wide walking festival of its kind. Festival-goers can choose from over 40 walks which feature local flora and fauna, rich cultural history, farmland, coastlines, and the food/wine industry. Thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers the majority of walks are free, although prior registration is required.

The Tararua Tramping Club will lead a four hour loop to the Putangirua Pinnacles, featuring amazing rock formations on the Wairarapa’s southern coastline, made famous in the third Lord of the Rings film. Or join the Ruakōkoputuna Chasm Walk through another spectacular geological feature with fossils, stalactites, a waterfall, and wildlife.

The Wairarapa has a strong farming history, and walkers have the opportunity to visit Kawaiwai Dairies, an award-winning dairy farm with a focus on environmental improvement and climate change adaption. The walk will visit wetland development, deliver an overview of South Wairarapa history, and discuss the workings of a modern dairy farm.

For those wanting a gentle walking option, there are a number of events that are ‘more talking than walking’. These highlight local public art, historical buildings, cultural sites, an organic food forest, and much more. Yoga instructor Karina Gough will lead breath awareness and a standing yoga session through some of the best mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest in the Tararua Range.

Although the festival is promoting walking, accessibility has been a key consideration. Celia says, “Most of our walks in town are wheelchair and pushchair friendly. We are also able to offer free buses to a number of events, thanks to Metlink and Tranzit sponsorship, which will reduce carbon emissions but also get people to places where they haven’t been before because they don’t have access to a car.”

Most walks are family-friendly, however the festival has some specific events for kids. Preschoolers can use their eyes, ears, noses, and mouths with a guided sensory walk through native forest at Fensham Reserve. The Wairarapa Library Service is hosting a StoryWalk®, where pages from a children’s book are installed along a local park.

Celia says, “Our festival values are learn, explore, and connect. Ako, hōpara, hono. We want to offer people the opportunity to learn about our history and our physical world. Explore new places. Connect with people we haven’t met before. It’s a festival for both visitors and those who have lived here all their lives.”

Register or purchase tickets: www. cartertonec.co.nz/walking/

Keen to volunteer? Email info@ wairarapawalkingfestival.com, facebook.com/wairarapawalkingfestival

Above: On the lookout on the Mt

Holdsworth walk Photo Jet Productions. Below left: Putangirua Pinnacles. Photo

Destination Wairarapa Below right: The Tararara Forest Park one of the Wairarapas most popular

Hogs Back Track from Castle Hill Village

By Yvonne van Eerden

Hogs Back Track in the Craigieburn Forest.at Castle Hill Village was on our tramping programme for mid winter.

The weeks previously had been very wet in Christchurch with a lot of snow on the mountains, so we were watching the weather forecast very closely and our leader made the decision that everything looked good for us to go and so we made the 100km plus drive to Castle Hill Village to do the tramp.

When we arrived at the carpark the ground was frozen solid but the sun was shining with blue sky and a little cloud and no wind at all, it was going to be perfect weather. We organised ourselves and headed on our way.

We thought there could possibly be some snow on the track and there sure was snow in places which was rather exciting for everyone. The views were just amazing with all the snow on the mountains and snow further on the track. A tramp that you do not usually experience.

We had our morning tea at the usual spot with the picnic table and the very old fallen down tree which has started to disappear after all the years it has been sitting in all weath-

Above: On the trail with snow capped moutains in the background. Below left: The group pose for the camera.

ers. This is a great spot to walk to if you do not want to walk the entire track. As we ventured further we had some places where the snow was knee deep, so we just walked in everyones foot steps and it went quite smoothly really. The snow was not soft so it was easy to walk in the crisp hard snow. We made good progress to the stream that we had to cross and we all helped each other to make it across safely. No one wanted wet boots!

We came to the beech forest and yes the snow was on the track, and the green of trees stood out and our surroundings were so beautiful.

This was such a different tramp for us all, something that we had not done for many years, walking in the snow.

We had lunch at the picnic area at the top soaking in the views and taking many photos. The white crispness of the snow around us was so bright against the clear blue sky.

We made our way back through the Beech forest and headed back along the trail enjoying every view around us. We were in no hurry as the weather was perfect for us all.

An absolutely amazing day on the trail with the snow. We were all very happy at the end of the day at what we had achieved. Above top: In real snow. Above: Nice to sit down at this morning tea spot. Below left: Last push up to the lunch spot. Below right: A river to cross here.

Above left: A great winter scene. Top right: The renges viewed through a canopy of trees. Below right: A group stop to admire a rippling stream. Photo by DOC

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Hogs Back Track-challenge

The Hogs Back Track with canopies of beech tree forests, spectacular ridgeline views, bridged creeks, traverses and 360 degree views of the Craigieburn forest is 110 kms west of Christchurch.

This dual mountain biking and walking track connects Castle Hill Village with Craigieburn Forest Park.

This track has an interesting combination of beech forest and open tussock interspersed with stunning views of the Craigieburn Ranges.

This 7.8km track is well formed but is for the more adventurous hikers due to the challenging undulating ground. The trail elevation gain is 441m. Allow just under four hours there and back.

The Hogs Back Track was developed in partnership with the Castle Hill Community, who also maintain the track.