[Carey]

As I sauntered down a pretty little footpath today with my little boy, I was wondering if anyone from UK misses rural footpaths? They are quite unique I suppose and just the job when you want a stroll in the country. Where does one do the same in NZ? Not a full scale tramp but a wander you can do with small and medium kids.

[thezorbster]

This is one of the things worrying me about our impending move. We are surrounded by footpaths and bridleways here, we can walk from our front door in many directions up hills, valleys, paddle in streams etc and I am going to miss them like mad. Have been looking into this and there do seem to be quite a few 'walkways' in NZ - not necessarily long day tramps but smaller routes but they do not seem to cover the country in the same way the UK paths do. Definitely need to find a few shorter walks local to us when we move as our little girl won't be up to the longer tramps for quite a while!

[Carey]

On our reccie we did lots of short walks on Scenic Reserves or Domains but they were usually in out of the way places, not near to towns or even scattered houses. So are there even paths in towns; we hope to live in a more populated area, strange as it sounds, as we are too isolated here in rural Suffolk for the kids to have any friends nearby that they can walk to...but in towns are there paths that cut through 'estates' as they would here? And on outskirts of towns , is there a footpath equivalent?

[Sam B]

At first this is something we really missed, but as time has gone on, we have found more and more footpaths quite close to where we live, and they are all wonderful. We have bought a book of 500 day walks in NZ which has been helpful, but we have also just stumbled on many more.

In the UK there are footpaths and ancient rights of way everywhere, and it is not like that, but once you get to know an area, you will not feel cheated in the walks department, I promise. And ther is a lot less dog poo to negotiate, and a lot less people on them too. And they are all generally stunning.

I really worried about things like this as well as missing British birds and wildlife, wildflowers etc. But I needn't have bothered. All the best British birds have been introduced (actually wish they hadn't now I'm here) as have many mammals inc. hedgehogs, weasels, etc. The wildlife is plentiful and lovely and there are lots of wildflowers too. I haven't had a spring yet, but someone told me it is lovely in Spring, lots of flowers. I'm looking forward to that, and trying not to dwell on the fact that May in Cornwall is my favourite month with all the bluebells and campion in the hedgerows...

[katandbob]

I have not noticed a lack of them - infact in Invercargill there are loads of walkways, through Queens Park, Thomsons Bush etc...Here this will show you http://www.icc.govt.nz/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=653971C5-A5B0-282B-E5EA-E195DF035AFD&siteName=icc

Out in the sticks as we are - I just walk out my gate;) then go onto the beach....I could walk all the way to Bluff at Low tide, - about 10mins at 100k in the car?

Most Reserve walkways are suitable for children/pushchairs(all terrain type maybe)
The walkway at Greenpoint - down the road from me, although you need to drive to it - it has a picnic area, parking and also the walkway is Wheelchair friendly.

Bluff Hill has steps (Rachel didn't realise and they did the 150+ steps with Cole and the pushchair - they were shattered at the end - But cole thought it was cool:laugh
But the walkway around the edge from Stirling Point is flat and easy to negotiate, Bluff residents use them for training/walking etc

We also Have Sandy Point - I recon it would take me the next 5 years to do all the walkways there!

Kat

[ruthyroo]

Local councils are good places for info on walking paths and cycle tracks around the area.

[incredible hulse]

Funny we were discussing the same thing last week. We have 2 young ones and are struggling to find places to walk (with pram) and usually end up on the beach. My general impression is that there are lots of long walks for walkers through great countryside and really off the beaten bush, but not the general access small walks that you can find in the UK with footpaths, etc. We've seen a few tracks marked on maps that when you get there do not appear to exist.
The other thing that is quite restrictive is walking areas where dogs are allowed (even on lead). Most DOC land appears to prohibit it from our experience and again the beach is the usual destination when in their allowed times.

[Debbie P.]

We also found that when we were there. There were walks but they were harder going than footpaths in the UK - more muddy, slippery and steep, and more fallen treetrunks to negotiate. Not that I'm a wimp, but I'm not a very hardy walker either, and I wouldn't have liked to take a toddler on some of them.

[Moorf]

I'm with Kat, not noticed a lack of walks at all, on the contrary, but then I'm not totally sure what you mean by English pathways! :o You mean paths surfaced with something?

[Debbie P.]

I was thinking of national trails, e.g. like the South West Coast Path. I suppose the issue with them being easier-going is related to them being more heavily-used and therefore more worn and clearer to follow.

[speckythecky]

We like to do a 5 - 8 miles walk most weekends just to keep a bit of the fat off and get the kids away from the tele. Its good to know that there are walks around, and that you can buy books of walks.
We got 1000 walks in England for Christmas and have told the kids that we can't go to NZ until we have done them all.

[benandclare]

[QUOTE
We got 1000 walks in England for Christmas and have told the kids that we can't go to NZ until we have done them all.[/QUOTE]


Trying to do the Shropshire way with Daughter, who is doing gold DoE, before we go :)

[Sam B]

There are a mixture of paths here, some surfaced, some not. There are more hills though, so none of them are that easy going I suppose. Near me, the Waihou river walk near Putaruru is very gentle, and the walks around Maungatautari are very well surfaced. It varies, and the longer you're in one place here, the more you find.