Straying from our lane

Queens Drive. The name says it’s made for driving.

But our monarch is now a king.

Should we be driving the drive or using it for more leisurely pursuits?

Now that a portion is closed to vehicles as a trial, it’s a hot topic in our cool spot at the bottom of the world.

Walking it without traffic certainly is a change. There’s a lockdown vibe. People spread out and say hello. Children ride bikes, some just learning, their carers overheard expressing pleasure that they don’t have to go out to Marlow Park. Way in the distance is the sound of the city. Here it’s quiet.

Normally, there’s a perfectly good gravel track at the side of the road. Cars aren’t constant. It’s a nice walk already.

But without cars, somehow the mind is free to wander. Bush tracks beckon from the side of the road, offering today’s mapped loop walk. The bush is steep and slippery in parts but the road is tarsealed and flattish.

But this is all well and good for those who have physical independence. Signposted as a "scenic drive", the road has offered a motorised bush experience for those who don’t have the good fortune of the ability to walk or wheel themselves. Such an outing is a great pleasure. Now that this small portion is pedestrianised that experience is interrupted. It’s such a tiny section you wonder if it’s worth it. It’s annoying.

On the other hand, this new iteration provides an accessible bush experience for some normally barred from bush walks. Dunedin woman Megan Turnbull recently walked it with guide dog Annie and friends. Megan loved it. Even terrain meant being able to trust underfoot. Constant sealed smoothness meant she was able to walk independently and relaxedly, enjoying the smell and sounds of the bush. The cityside location meant quick, convenient access.

Parking’s good at both ends. At one of the closed ends is an outdoor tennis table and swingball set. Heartwarmingly, bats and balls remain unnicked, safe and sound in their bag under the table tennis table. Judging by worn down grass, the equipment is well used.

At the other end is an outdoor bar setting, deposited in full fruitiness like the festive, freaky mothership summoned from outerspace in Parliament’s 1975 funk video. Plonked on a road surrounded by parks and suburbia, it’s almost kinky. The situation is a cry for help, soliciting BYO shot glasses and contents.

Back on the road, to vocal locals for and against. One disapproves of the length of the new route home. Another used to drive along here to work but calls the inconvenience "a small price to pay". Bollards bordering the footpath used to get swiped by boy racers who would also hoon around the neighbourhood. Now the racers are absent and he and family walk centre road on their way to play in the bush.