Most of us meet on either Fergusson Drive or Trentham Railway Station. I did get my timings slightly wrong and we could have caught the earlier train, but we were on the train at 10.05 and rode the 3 stations to Manor Park where Kathy was waiting for us. Then it was over the bridge into Manor Park where we walked along the road and joined the shared pathway that lends along the side of the golf course. 2 of us recounted a funny story where our group a few years back had walked along the golf course before this shared pathway was put in. 2 older ladies had given us a right telling off. So glad we now have a legal pathway. This path came out at the new shared Whakawhirinaki bridge (has a huge water pipe taking up half and the reason the bridge was erected) and we stopped here for a group photo. After a quick break, we walked along the river trail to the entry point to the Mawaihakona Reserve. Christine and Peter were waiting here for us. There was a sign saying the bridge was closed (should have said the track) and I should have had my ears on here, Christine! I thought since we weren’t crossing the stream we could get through, but no after a few minutes we struck a big fence and earth diggers in action, so back we went and along the river trail until we came into Moonshine Park. Then it was over the stop bank, through Barton’s Bush and back to Fergusson Drive. Some of us decided to have a coffee at Café Equinox to finish off.

It had been a good walk in overcast and sometimes a cold wind gusted through, but the rain did hold off.

Leader – Judith

Walkers – Christine, Peter, Sue, Angela, Sheila, Stephanie, Kathy, Jane, Nicky, and Lorraine