Speaker 0:00

Today we're heading to the nation's capital to explore half a dozen of the best walks in town. Let's talk about Wellington's six walkways.

Peter 0:08

So

Jonty 0:15

Kira and welcome to the Tramping Life, a podcast about hiking in RO New Zealand, or as we call it here, tramping. I'm ch and in this episode I'll talk about a specific track or hut. I'll give an overview and share my experience along with the highlights and some practical advice.

Speaker 0:33

Wellington is one of the best cities in New Zealand for walking. A network of well signposted routes known as the Wellington Walkways link parks, historic sites, ridgelines, bush reserves and the coast. mostly easily accessible by public transport and are an engaging mixture of the city and relative wilderness views across the harbour, the Cook Strait and surrounding ranges. In this episode I'll run through the six classic Wellington Walkways in the order that I would rank them from best to least best. So number one my top pick would be the City to Sea Walkway. This is the longest and most varied walkway with plenty of history and points of interest along with stunning views from the hills of Reserve. Number two I'd put the Skyline Walkway although it is the one I have walked the most and it's probably my favourite but it is the most epic and it is the hardest walkway. It follows undulating exposed ridges from Makara Peak in Karori to Mount Koko in Kandala with spectacular views the entire way. I'd say it's probably my favourite for views but the City to Sea Walkway has a lot more variety in terms of things you can see and do along the way. Number three is the Eastern Walkway. This is the shortest and possibly most enjoyable walkway hugging the coast of the mouth of Wellington Harbour Offering great views of ferries coming and going and includes the distinctive Ataturk Memorial. Number four Makara Walkway. This is the most remote walkway on Wellington's wild west coast with views of the South Island in the distance and many wind turbines closer by. Number five, Southern Walkway. This is probably the most popular walkway as it includes the summit of Mount Victoria and has impressively little street walking given that it connects Wellington Harbor with the South Coast thanks to Wellington's fabulous town belt. Finally, number six is the Northern Walkway, which is the walkway with by far the most street walking, but It does include great views from Te Mararoa Hill and Mount Kaukau Summit and passes through the bush of Treszure Park. I've walked all of them multiple times, and this is my experiences. So on the City to Sea Walkway, it's a wonderful day walk between Wellington CBD and the South Coast Through 14 parks and reserves, cemeteries, botanic gardens, and golf courses with plenty of history and some stunning views. It's well marked with yellow poles and overlaps with a couple of the other walkways in places. It starts at Bolton Street Cemetery, which was demarcated in 1840 when Wellington was established. It's a beautifully atmospheric place, although a significant part of it was replaced with a motorway in the 1960s, the same fate as Auckland's Simon Street Cemetery. The cemetery is home to notable New Zealanders, including John Plimmer, Alexander Turnbull, the Wakefield brothers, and the country's longest-serving prime minister, Richard Seddon. From the cemetery, the walkway goes to Wellington Botanic Gardens, which are some of the best in the country, varied and well-maintained. Despite visiting the gardens many times, this was the first time I've been in the Waterfall and Peace Garden, And arriving early, I lucked out by seeing the waterfall being switched on for the first time for the day. At the top of the botanic gardens is the cable car for the classic Wellington photo Kelburn Park was a bit of a non-event before the walkway passes through Victoria University campus. The walkway is well marked, but it's definitely worth downloading a map as it's easy to get lost at times. Surrounded by the university is the rather wonderful Mount Street Cemetery, which is a similar age to Bolton Street Cemetery, but was separate as it was for Catholics. It's hard to believe that apparently there are around eight hundred graves in this small hillside section. The walkway then passes through funky Aro Valley, home to some rather lovely houses and little parking. Central Park is a relatively little-known gem between the suburbs of Mount Cook and Brooklyn, established in 1913, and is home to atmospheric bush. A pleasant section runs through the Prince of Wales Park, the town belt, and McAlister Park with some big views and things of interest, including Government House peeking through the trees. The biggest climb and best views of the walkway follow heading up into the wonderful Te Aro Reserve. At the top of the hill is a sculpture of the iwi chief who led his people to the Wellington region and his nephew. Back down the hillside and off Frobisher Street is the Cambodian Buddhist temple, a lovely spot with a golden stupa and views across the south coast. There are more wonderful views heading down to Island Bay with the South Island snow-capped Pakura Mountains seen in the distance. It's then a short walk to the end or start of the walkway and the southern walkway at Island Bay's Shortland Park. Onto the Skyline Walkway, which is possibly Wellington's most spectacular walk. The walkway follows the ridge from Makara Hill to Mount Kaukau, offering stunning views across the capital. It takes most of a day to walk, with bus stops within thirty to sixty minutes of each end of the track. there are also multiple entrances and exits to the track to allow it to be done in sections. It's best done in good weather, particularly lighter winds, as there is very little shelter from the elements. I live close to an entrance/exit about a third of the way along the track, so today I've not walked the whole track in one go, but I have walked from home to Makara and back and out to Mount Kaukau and back multiple times. It's a dual use track for walkers and mountain bikers, but thankfully I've never seen any issues between the two. To start at the southern end, at the second-highest point of the track, the four hundred and twelve meter high Makara Hill. This is one of Wellington's best mountain biking spots, with other world-class mountain biking parks referenced in the locations on the yellow sign at the summit There are incredible views over Makara towards the coast, and the Skyline Track can be seen tracing out to Mount Kaukau in the distance. From the summit is a steep descent down to Makara Road before heading uphill again through the most sheltered part of the track through forested areas. Makara Cemetery can be seen in the distance below. Johnson's Hill is my local, somewhere I've been up well over 100 times, never tiring of the panoramic views from the three hundred and sixty-five-meter-high summit. It's a short detour from the main Skyline walkway, but one well worth making. I usually head off the main track along one of the lesser used paths for some variety and more interesting terrain, plus great views of Karori below and the wind turbines close to the coast. Further along the track, a short detour goes to the three hundred and eighty-five meter Crow's Nest, looking out over the suburb of Crofton Downs below. Mount Kaukau seems closer than it actually is, with the climb to the summit one of the steepest parts of the track, similar to the one at Makara Hill. At four hundred and forty-five meters, Mount Kaukau is both the highest point on the Skyline Walkway and one of the highest points in the Wellington region. There are a number of benches making this an ideal spot for a lunch with a view, and slightly better views can be found from the elevated lookout platform. You can see nearly every part of the city from here, including the CBD, Porirua, the Hutt Valley, Makara, and across to the South Island. The actual summit is marked by a trig around five minutes walk away from the platform that most people stop at. Not that many people head on to the trig. It's well worth continuing though, from here, there's the descent through attractive native bush to Khandallah, where there are bus and train options back to the city. Onto the Eastern Walkway. This is one of my favorite two to three-hour walks in Wellington, offering superb views and a decent workout as it heads around the mouth of Wellington Harbor along the coast of the Miramar Peninsula. The official Eastern Walkway starts at Tarakena Bay and finishes at the Pass of Breeda. But I always start from Churchill Park, walk south to the Pass of Breeda, and then down to Tarakena Bay before returning. Churchill Park is a shorter drive. There are toilets there, and it adds on an excellent section around Breaker Bay. Churchill Park is a pleasant spot with good swimming And home to one of at least three Wahine memorials I'm aware of in Wellington. In 1968, the Wahine Wellington to Christchurch ferry sank at the mouth of Wellington Harbor in awful weather conditions with the death of 53 people. Churchill Park itself is in a rather nice part of Seaton, which is one of Wellington's most expensive suburbs. The track follows the coast up to wonderful views of Breaker Bay below. This is a great spot for watching the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries that travel between the north and south arms. The Rimutaka Range and twin lighthouses of Pencarrow can be seen on the other side of the harbor. and there are a number of gun emplacements around Port Dorset Headland, all heavily tagged. The track dips down to the road at the Lord of the Rings sounding Pass of Breeda. On one walk, I could hear the sound of brass music and spotted someone practicing their double tuba on top of the hill. This is where the official Eastern Walkway starts with another climb up to big views. The track alternates between bush and open views as it undulates along the coast before finally opening up on the stretch towards the Ataturk Memorial, which was opened in 1990. It's not overly obvious, but just past the memorial is a track running down to Tarakena Bay, and there are a number of other paths heading back up the hillside along with a loop track with good views of Wellington Airport. Onto Mackerel Walkway, which is one of the more spectacular coastal walks in Wellington. This is a seven-kilometer loop offering plenty of variety and a half day of walking. Getting there is part of the experience, heading over the hills from Karori or along Takarua Gorge from Johnsonville to arrive at the rugged Makara Beach. I've been there at least 10 times, and it's often pretty windswept and gloomy. From the car park, the track heads along the beach and around the bay with an occasional rusting relic of the past. There's usually a fair amount of bird life around. I generally get the hill out of the way at the start with an at-times steep and slippery climb up to the top of the cliffs, home to some of the best views of the circuit. Home to some of the best views of the walk. Across the Cook Strait, the Marlborough Sounds at the top of the South Island can be seen, and north along the coast are Mana and Kapiti Islands. World War II era Fort Opal is the highest point of the track, about two hundred meters above sea level and is a good place for a rest. Note that this part of the track is closed for lambing season between August and September. Looking southwest, the mighty turbines of the West Wind Farm are a feature of the landscape. From here, the track heads inland offering quite a different landscape to the coast. at the end of the steep farm road is Opal Stream and a huge pile of driftwood. The track then returns along by the beach, Which although flat, is slow going walking on pebbles. Some clambering over and around rocks is required at times before returning to the start. There's also the option at the top of the farm road to take the Opal Loop Track, which is a rougher but enjoyable loop that can be added onto the main Makara walkway. Onto the Southern Walkway. This is a wonderful half-day walk which runs from the yellow sandy beaches of Oriental Bay to the rugged South Coast bays, with three summits and plenty of views along the way. Oriental Bay is where on a good day, Wellingtonians head in their masses, attracted by a lovely beach regularly topped up with sand, cafes, and a bustling coastal walkway. The well-signposted walkway heads up the hillside past precariously perched houses with big views of Wellington Harbor. The Southern Walkway mostly follows the town belt, areas close to the city marked out on the original 1840 city plan to avoid development. There are few cities in the world with so much green space close to the center The walkway basically heads uphill until the 196-meter summit of Mount Victoria, the most popular lookout in the city. Understandable given the views and ease of access, although I think personally, I prefer the views slightly further north along the road. Its poor cousin is the somewhat underwhelming Mount Alfred, further along the walkway, almost directly above Mount Victoria Tunnel. The section passing by Newtown is rather pleasant with some well-located benches. Heading into Kilbirnie, there's a brief road section and a steep zigzag path by more difficult-to-access Wellington houses. Sir Truby King was the well-known founder of Plunket, which provides services for children. After his death in 1938, he was buried in the grounds of his home, surrounded by well-developed gardens. There's an atmospheric section of pine trees with a base of lush ferns that descend steeply before returning to the streets. Below can also be seen the distinctive Congregational Christian Church of Samoa. Heading into Melrose Park, the walkway skirts the perimeter fence of Wellington Zoo, beautifully laid out and home to a surprisingly extensive range of animals. The last big climb of the walk is to the 178-meter summit of Mount Albert, one of the better lookouts across the city. The rest is mainly downhill towards the coast through the huge, if fairly dull Sinclair Park, which is often boggy underfoot in places. From Houghton Bay Playground, there are two options. The hillier option runs inland up to Orchard Crescent Lookout with panoramic views across the South Coast. The alternative takes you to Houghton Bay along by the rocky coastline. The Esplanade offers flat walking past quirky houses with views of Taputuranga Island off the coast of Island Bay. The Southern Walkway finishes or starts from Island Bay's attractive Shortland Park. From Island Bay, the regular number one bus can take you directly back to the CBD, or for a really big day of walking, you can Walk- the longer and harder City to Sea Walkway, which starts, finishes here and heads to the CBD along the other main ridgeline. And finally, the Northern Walkway. So Northern Walkway runs from the Botanic Gardens to Khandallah. Although it has probably the most pavement walking of all the walkways, there are plenty of opportunities to disappear into the bush and escape the city. It joins up with the Skyline Walkway at Mount Koko if you want a particularly epic day combining the two walkways back-to-back. There are also good public transport connections at both ends of the walkway if you wanna walk it in one direction. one of the most beautiful parts of the city, Wellington Botanic Gardens is home to a huge variety of plants and landscapes in its twenty-five hectares. Established in 1868, it's home to the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, the Begonia House, Treehouse Visitor Center, and the cable car runs through it. It's one of the few places in Wellington where the change of season can be seen, as most of the city is evergreen bush. From here, the walkway crosses Glenmore Street over to Te Aro Tangihia Hill, formerly known as Tinakori Hill, and into thick bush along a well-formed dual-use track. Oddly, the best lookouts are not on the walkway, but it's worth the detour to the excellent Stelling Memorial Park, and the not quite as good Te Aro Tangihia Hill lookout for panoramic views of the city. At the northern end, the bush opens up at Queen's Park, providing expansive views of Centre Port and up the harbor towards Hutt Valley. The Henry Stadium, which was formerly known as the Sky Stadium or the Westpac Stadium, opened in 2000 and is nicknamed the Cake Tin. from here the walkway heads down through Wadestown, past some cool street art. It returns to the bush to cut across Tressid Park in Ngaio Gorge through which Kaiwharawhara Stream passes. This is the last stream in Wellington City that naturally runs into the sea rather than being built over. After which, there's a bit of a slog along the road to Ngaio, passing more street art and passing through Cummings Park, or at least attempting to, as it was blocked for construction work on the playground when I last did this walk. There's a way into the bush from here, which I missed, and headed along the road to Kendala. The northern walkway branches at this point, so both points are viable paths to take. Kendala Telephone Exchange from 1921 is quite an impressive building across the road from the Simla Crescent Train Station. Along Simla Crescent is an entrance to Kendala Park, one of the oldest parks in the country. The dense bush is atmospheric and filled with bird life before opening up at the summit. After a decent slog, the walkway reaches the summit of Mount Koko. But I've yet to walk this section as there was greater appeal by returning home via public transport or walking along the Skyline Track. So Highlights. There's wonderful diversity, and it's a great way of understanding Wellington better, walking these walkways. Even if you've lived here for years, I pretty much guarantee that most of the walkways will have sights new to you. They're easy to access with good public transport links other than Mackrell Walkway and the Eastern Walkway, and many of them link up. So for example, the City to Sea and Southern Walkway or the Northern Walkway and the Skyline Walkway, so you can turn them to pretty epic day walks. To finish with some practical advice, the routes are generally well signposted, making them relatively straightforward to follow even when they pass through urban areas. But the maps available from the Wellington City Council are well worth downloading as they highlight the sites along the way with informative history. Wellington's weather can change quickly. Some of the walkways, particularly the Skyline Walkway and Mackrell Walkway, are very exposed, so calmer weather and lighter winds make for a much more enjoyable experience.

Peter 16:08

So

Speaker 16:11

Thank you so much for listening to the Tramping life. If you've enjoyed today's episode, please follow the podcast in whatever app you use. Tell a friend about it and consider leaving a rating or a review. It really helps more people discover the show. you have any questions or feedback, I'd love to hear from you. Drop me an email at the tramping life, one word@gmail.com.