Extremely strong wind was forecast for around midday, so as the 5 of us set out I was thinking about different options for our walk. We enjoyed a lovely gentle 3.5 km walk winding through the bush using switchbacks. There weren’t many bikers out but a few dog walkers trying to beat the summer heat. At the top it was pretty windy, so we didn’t worry about heading up to our morning tea stop and had a quick rest at the junction.

We then followed the track out to the ECNZ Road. We were very lucky with this road as it tucked in behind the hill on the Wainuiomata side which was mainly bush, so we were pretty sheltered. As the wind was screaming near our regular lunch stop at the viewpoint near some transmission towers, we decided to push on. The ECNZ Road rose quite a bit to start with, levelled out a little and then it was a steep grade down to the road over bridge. Along the level area we stopped to talk to some people on bikes. They told us about a new 6.5 cycle track that had just opened and led down to Waiau St. Walkers could go both ways but cyclists can only come up. I’ll definitely try this out next time.

It was really blowing at the top of the hill, so we didn’t linger but walked down the road and had lunch in a reserve beside Riverbank Road. It was then a quick 10-minute walk back to the car.

It was great to welcome new member Sharon Lysaght along and I was also joined by Denise Arcus, Shirley Bird, and Anne-Mette Kvers. We clocked up 11 kms on this walk.

Judith O’Leary