A nice loop walk
March 25th, 2012 at 2:36 pm by David FarrarOne of the little secrets in Wellington is there is a very nice walking path on the east side of the motorway. While you do get the noise from the motorway (less of an issue with an iPod), for a lot of it you get to walk through some parks and bush.
I normally start at the Katherine Mansfield Memorial Park and walk south along the path, crossing under and over all the Thorndon roads that cross the motorway. You then pass down behind Parliament and cross into the Bolton Street Memorial Park. Eventually the path ends at Aurora Terrace, which is where I normally turn around and head back.
Today I carried on up the Terrace a bit and then went into the Clifton Terrace Car Park. I had noticed what appeared to be a path around the Terrace tunnel that I wanted to explore. From the car park a path follows along next to the motorway and then just before the tunnel there is a steep climbing path up to a little park on top of the tunnel. Quite a nice view from there.
Then you can move onto the west side of the motorway by a little bush track that takes you up to the Vic Netball Courts. Wasn’t quite sure the best way to get back from here so went exploring through Kelburn Park and a walkway down to Talavera Terrace. From there a walkway down to San Sebastian Road, connecting to Clifton terrace. From there you go along Tokyo Lane (a walkway) to Bolton Street, and then enter the Bolton Street Memorial Park again, going to the Seddon Memorial. From there cut pass Anderson Park to Tinakori Road, and along Tinakori Road back to where I started.
In total a 9 km walk, and some really nice scenery along the way. A few hills, but nothing tough. I might try doing it in reverse next time.
March 25th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Garmin + google maps? Been a while since I’ve been down there. I do always look at that car park in Clifton Tce which looks like an unused motorway extension, and wonder where it was supposed to go to, and why it was never finished.
[DPF: It is in fact an unused motorway extension. When the tunnel becomes double laned in both directions, it will go there.]
Vote:March 25th, 2012 at 3:01 pm
The motorway was supposed to be three lanes each direction to the basin – there were supposed to be two Terrace Tunnels and a second Mt Vic Tunnel for the two lane expressway to the airport. The pillars for the flyover leading to the second tunnel were constructed (they’re the abandoned pillars in the Clifton Carpark) but would not be able to be used today because they are not up to today’s seismic standard – they would need substantial reinforcing.
Sadly Rob Muldoon ran out of money before it was ever completed, meaning that the motorway is reduced to one southbound lane after the Terrace offramp.
Incidentally it is roughly this plan that the Roads of National Significance will follow if stage 3 of the Wellington to Levin Expressway is ever built. Construction of stage 1 would be a good start…
Vote:March 25th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Did you spot any Stag shit there David?
I’m due for a walk myself shortly and not quite certain where to go!
Vote:March 25th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=how+to+identify+deer+droppings&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=O35uT-bTN4fBiQfU9YWPBg&sqi=2&ved=0CE0QsAQ&biw=1038&bih=828
Vote:March 25th, 2012 at 4:31 pm
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Good walk DPF.
Vote:March 25th, 2012 at 5:16 pm
I just got back from my weekly hike up to the lookout at the high point on the Hakarimata Walkway
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/waikato/waikato/hakarimata-walkway/
A good walk for anyone passing through.
Vote:March 25th, 2012 at 8:45 pm
I do the northern bit of that trail as a lunchtime walk sometimes. Start with lunch in KM park, then walk down to Bolton Street before walking back to work via the Terrace/Parliament.
Vote:March 26th, 2012 at 10:38 am
“I might try doing it in reverse next time.”
that would take some skill….. might want to make a mirror hat else you’ll get a sore neck
Vote:March 26th, 2012 at 10:43 am
HA, I walked the tunnel and got a badge! Won’t be able to do that for another 30 years.
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