Taking in stride-stoppingly impressive gardens
Mosgiel people will already know what a sweetheart the Silverstream floodbank walk is, writes Clare Fraser.
walk on
A landscape bleak and beautiful
A landscape bleak and beautiful
A landscape changes when the sun comes out, writes Clare Fraser.
Nature to the rescue again
Nature to the rescue again
What is it about walking? Primarily, it’s a form of transport. But at times of distress walking can act like a giant cradle, rocking and soothing a frazzled nervous system, writes Clare Fraser.
The pipes are calling
The pipes are calling
The best volcanoes are the ones that happened a long time ago, leaving their fingerprints for us to discover.
Where falcons fly
Where falcons fly
Thanks to social media, walking up Roy’s Peak, beside Lake Wanaka, has become a thing.
Just over the brow
Just over the brow
Just above Opoho we’re lucky enough to be able to walk across a working farm while soaking up views of hill and harbour loveliness, writes Clare Fraser.
Hereweka climb offers place for contemplation
Hereweka climb offers place for contemplation
There’s history — geologic and more recent — in a walk up one of the city’s great landmarks.
Atop a treasured place
Atop a treasured place
It’s worth getting closer than the airport car park.
Lake stroll demands slow pace
Lake stroll demands slow pace
On the one hand, housing development near the Wanaka lakeshore may seem exclusive. On the other, it’s opened up areas that used to be blocked to the public, writes Clare Fraser.
Taking it easy
Taking it easy
The Big Easy: it says it all. It goes up a big hill but it’s easy, writes Clare Fraser.
Keys to the city
Keys to the city
Some rules tighten during lockdown but why is it that others relax?, Clare Fraser wonders.
Zen is readily at hand
Zen is readily at hand
There’s therapy in walking out your woes at the end of a working week, writes Clare Fraser.
Up, over and back to the bay
Up, over and back to the bay
The brand new paves a way to the really quite old on Otago Peninsula.
The height of walker delight
The height of walker delight
Lucky Kurow has the new Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail going right through it. The town’s gained an easy-access, flatland walking track along riverbank, past vineyard and farmland, writes Clare Fraser.
A circuit beneath the Strath Taieri sky
A circuit beneath the Strath Taieri sky
Inland from Otago’s coast is a whole other world of rocks and barrenness. New Zealand’s only inland salt lake adds to the bizarre landscape. A walking track around it’s shores takes about an hour.
An approach to ancient ice
An approach to ancient ice
We have had the secret places to ourselves, and perhaps for a little while longer, writes Clare Fraser.
Peaceful walk at blue lagoon
Peaceful walk at blue lagoon
Half an hour’s drive from Dunedin is our own blue lagoon, Purakaunui Inlet.
Rising above the plain
Rising above the plain
What’s between Milton and the coast? The McNally Track lets you find out and subtly slips in a sense of wider perspective, too, writes Clare Fraser.
A loop view of the lagoon
A loop view of the lagoon
The Seasider train’s two-hour stop in Waitati is the perfect amount of time for this one-plus-hour loop around the Orokonui Lagoon. The first half is mostly flat and the excellent standard of track...
Not strictly for the birds
Not strictly for the birds
Hands up who’s never been to the albatross colony. It took Clare Fraser 50-plus years to go, but now’s a great time as there are far fewer tourists. And it turns out albatrosses aren’t the only birds to see.