Several members that attended last week on the 23 March 2025, now have COVID.

To find out all about COVID symptoms, testing, isolation, vaccines, and mask
please go to https://info.health.nz/conditions-treatments/infectious-diseases/covid-19

30 Mar Bus Trip

Sunday’s bus trip is going ahead.

The WRW committee confirms that our bus trip is going ahead tomorrow as planned. The weather forecast is for sunny weather. Details on the trip can be found here: Bus Trip – Petone 30 Mar 2025.

Further to our earlier message during the week, we are thinking of the 3 members who let us know they’ve been affected by Covid during this week and wish them the best for their recovery. The usual precautions will apply to the bus trip: stay at home if you’re not feeling well, normal good hygiene precautions, and anyone preferring to bring and use a mask on the bus is welcome to do so.”

Thanks,
Nigel

Runners would get dropped off first in Grenada Village. Café stop in Petone, could be any but Caffiend on Jackson Street is a good one which we have been to before.

Runners – Grenada Village to Petone (13-15 km). Runners would get dropped off first on Grenada Drive, just past the intersection with Mark Avenue (Bus stop is 3451).

Runners would head up the Grenada Grinderton to exit onto Horokiwi Road. Head north on Horokiwi Rd for about 1.5km before dropping down the Horokiwi Bridleway. This does include a steepish downhill section and likely some walking for a period and with some small streams to cross. This will join up with Bake Beans Bend where you head south to join the main track, head south and exit at Cornish Street. You then make your way to Jackson Street in Petone for the waiting Bus and Café stop.

Walkers

Walkers – Newlands Bush Trails (Approx 6.2 km), undulating scenic bush trails which overlook the Wellington harbour.  Walkers would get dropped off on Kenmore Street in Newlands (Bus stop is 3770) and picked up near the corner of Ladbrooke Drive and Woodridge Drive (nearest Bus stop is 3758). 

Walkers would head south and turn left into Glanmire Rd which then becomes Domett St.  Turn right into Waitai Lane and at the end, cross the street to join the “Te Pari Karangaranga” walkway there.  This walkway ends on Cromwell Point.  Turn left and head north, turning right down Tamworth Cres.  At the bottom of Tamworth Cres, enter the “Gilberd Bush Reserve”.  Follow this trail.  There are a number of turnoffs on your left, ignore these as they just join up to local streets.

This will ultimately take you to Waihinahina Park (Dennis Duggan Park) which is the old Newlands Tip site.  Walk through the park (after enjoying the view) to the carpark and then walk up Ladbrooke Drive to the end to join the waiting Bus.

For those wishing on a shorter walk, there is a turnoff at about 4km which will take you to the top of Ladbrooke Drive.

The Bus would then take the Walkers to Petone to join the Runners at the Café.

See attached photo of the view from one of the vantage points on the Newlands trail.

The Slower Runners can do the full Walkers route and can add sections as they so desire.

There are no toilets nearby at the start of the routes with the nearest toilets being at the Newlands Shopping Centre on Newlands Rd, just down from the New World Supermarket.

Any questions, please let me know.

Cheers

Mark Growcott

View from Newlands Bush Trails

P.S.

Just one more thing to note, in the event of wet weather, I will likely amend the running route and not end at Petone as the Horokiwi Bridleway would probably not be suitable in wet weather and will likely arrange a route around Grenada Village/Churton Park/Newlands instead.

The proposed route for the Walkers would not need to change. 

Café stop could therefore perhaps be Café Thyme in Glenside.

Bus Registration

Registration is now closed.

Bus Seats Reserved

Total Seats Reserved
23

Note 1: you may need to refresh the page to see your registration in the table.

Note: 2 There have been performance issue in the past with the forms we use.
If your registration does not appear, or it appears more than once,
please contact me on Contact Us and I will correct it.

Once again Maryanne and I made the annual pilgrimage to Westport to take part in the 42nd Buller Gorge Marathon weekend. Over the years we have competed in the full marathon, half marathon and in the latter years as part of a team doing the marathon relay. Three years ago, a 10km was introduced and Maryanne and I took part in this new event which takes part on the newly formed Kawatiri Coastal Trail. Last year owing to ongoing hip and back problems, and not being able to run 10km, I had to be content acting as support person. This year as I have managed to do a bit of running without too many issues, I thought that I would try and run about 6km and then run/walk the rest of the distance.

This year there were no ferry issues, but we had to go on the 2am Bluebridge crossing as Interislander cancellations owing to bad weather in January meant that more people had booked on the Bluebridge and all what was left were the early morning sailing which was cheaper than at the normal daylight times. We made it to Nelson and stayed with friends and then travelled to Westport on Friday morning. After picking up our race packs we then proceeded to Carters Beach to our accommodation for the weekend.

In 2024 a new Race Director and committee were in place after a disastrous event the previous year. Things certainly were completely different right from race numbers pick up through until the completion of the prize giving. Again, this year the numbers were down on previous years for all races with just under 900 entrants. In the full marathon there were only 103 finishers (plus four that did not make the cutoff time), half marathon run 467 and 104 in the half marathon walk, 34 marathon relay teams and in the 10km, 187 runners and walkers.

Race day was sunny and warm with the temperature forecast to get up to 22 degrees around lunchtime – not an ideal temperature to be out running a marathon. The start time was again 9.30am and the course change for the last 1.5km of the 10km which kept the runners and walkers off the main street of Westport and alongside the Buller River before crossing a bridge over the rail lines before entering Victoria Square and the finishing chute was used again for this year.

The prize giving was well run, even though it started about 15 minutes later than the advertised time. There were a good number of major spot prizes drawn though our group weren’t lucky enough to strike one of the major spot prizes.

This year I managed to run the whole way (albeit slowly) and only walked over the swing bridge both ways and up over the bridge that goes over the railway lines by the finish. My finishing time was 1:28.40 and Maryanne completed the 10km run in 1:14:29. Also taking part this year from WRW were Liz Morrison 1:24:59 and Carole Douce 1:31:51. All finishers received a finishing medal this year.

Next year is the 43rd running of this event and is to take place on Saturday 14th February 2026 (Valentines Day).

John Palmer

Sunday runs and walks have resumed since Sunday 19 th January, from our usual Matairangi room 8am at the Akau Tangi Sports Centre. The summer weather seems to have finally arrived, great for getting outdoors. Welcome back to all our existing members and we look forward to some new members joining us too.

A few notices below to let you know, and a short account from the walkers:

Otari Bush BBQ – Sunday 2nd March

Again, we aim to hold runs/walks and a BBQ at Otari Bush while the summer weather holds. We would meet in the Otari Bush car park at 8:00 AM, with the BBQ about 10:AM in the clearing with BBQ facilities by the stream. If needing to cancel or defer due to forecast bad weather, we’d plan to send a notice out on the prior Thurs/Friday and then meeting at the Akau Tangi Sports Centre as usual. Please note the planned date is a week later than the earlier date on our 2025 calendar.

The 2025 calendar is now updated.

Easter – Sunday 20th April

The Akau Tangi Sports Centre is currently unavailable to us on Easter Sunday. Current provisional plans are to arrange a trail walk/run, which we’ll likely notify in late February. This would require our own transportation.

Bus Trips

We will again be planning bus trips for this year as they always prove to be successful. The 5 bus trips last year have been popular, with favourable feedback from those who have been, including note of the wonderful routes and maps arranged by Mark Growcott. Should any members have new ideas of where we should go, suggestions would be much appreciated. Such suggestions can be made at any time to Committee members.

Seeking a member with Facebook advertising expertise

The WRW committee is seeking any member with expertise to help us with Facebook advertising of the club. Last year Emily Daly successfully updated aspects of our website and created a Facebook business (Meta) page. Emily will only be occasionally available to help us this year, due to her other work. We are keen to start some advertisement for the club. Please email the committee or speak to one of us if you may be interested or know of someone able to assist.

Sunday walking group – Walk on 19th January, from Sheryl Vibert

We only had a small group, around 10 persons, as was Wellington Anniversary weekend. Sybil was our leader for this walk. We travelled from ASB Stadium to Shelly Bay Road and walked up into the bush. Passed the Miramar Fairy Village, a group of hand-built fairy houses and fairies, lovely. Back onto the car road to the top of hill. Then into Centennial Reserve Bush Walk. A lovely area, but sad did not see any birds or animals. Out of bush onto Nevay Road back down to Park Kitchen, where we indulge in a Hot Chocolate or a coffee, and of course a scone.

Also posted to:

• Wellington Runners and Walkers Facebook public page
• Wellington Runners and Walkers Facebook members’ page
• Instagram
• Meetup

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