KT and Coffee: 41 walks

Showing posts with label 41 walks. Show all posts

Completion

I'm not saying two days of turning off has moved me towards completing those nagging jobs that weigh me down, but maybe. So yes, another Sunday switched off, I spent most of the day gardening (actually more jobs that I hadn't been tackling). Here I back again on a Monday night, with achy arms and legs thanks to the gardening.

This week was birthday week and I didn't do well on my self care goals, such as sleeping, walking and drinking water but I did have a great birthday and I have wrapped up two projects, in fact I do believe I am over achieving on one of them.

While I have burrowed away a lot this year, I have read and read. Our UK trip was a pure book fest but I have kept on knocking them back. I track my reading on this site and sign up to the annual reading challenge and have reached my goal and am still going. Yay, a champion reader. My switched off day this week, I re-read this book, practically finishing it in the day, well skipping the chapter on parenting and skim reading big sections, (and that is with the gardening as well, I'm still not quite getting the lesson but it's coming).

My 41 walks project that I started on my 41st birthday has taken a while but yes indeedy we are done. It wasn't the walking so much, it may have been the blogging, but actually, let's be honest, maybe it was the lack of walking. I want to tidy up the list a bit and add some more photos but there you have it. Only 3 years. Let's just say I haven't come up with a birthday project this year (yet).

Walk 41

[The below post was written way way back it seems, but I had intended it to be the post that wrapped up this little series. I haven't changed it at all and as I face my birthday in 2015 I do find myself wondering quite a lot]

Back at my birthday October 2014. So while this series took a little while to finish, this is the way to wrap this series up has to be here. This walk. That has so many memories. From Hahei beach to Cathedral Cove. My first birthday in New Zealand was spent here. I stood happy with the place to ourselves as the sun set, dusk came and we realised we'd better move it to get back before dark. We kayaked back the next day as my birthday treat. Coolest thing. We visited in the summer and had to share the beach, but we swam and snorkelled. We brought friends on the walk and then we brought my mum. It has been a place that my mum has always wanted to visit and when the hopes of her getting to NZ under her own steam (or funding) faded the realisation that some things just had to be done grew. We got her to Oz for the christening of her goddaughters son, then those amazing friends brought her to New Zealand. There was no question we'd come here. She came and went by boat. One of the best days ever, swimming with my mum in the sea at Cathedral Cove.

So birthday 2014, back to the Coromadel in the van. Camping joy, swimming in the sea very early at Hahei, then ignoring the weather forecast (but packing for it anyway - it turned out sunny) we walked again.

I stood with the happy memories that make me smile and cry at the same time. Wondering how many more times will I walk here. Watching life around me, when we don't know what will come from left field. Can we know how long we can keep walking. That pleasure of mine, that I take for granted but have tried to capture here. In what was meant as a year long project to celebrate my 41st birthday has seen me dawdle along till 2015. Now 43, but still walking.

The van happy in it's spot at the wondrous Hahei campsite

Just thinking and paddling at Cathedral Cove

Now time to rest

The feet that I am so grateful for, that and the legs that keep going. Thank you for being able to walk

The first and last site of the beach at Cathedral Cove

Walk 40 - Cornwall

Cape Cornwall

Mousehole

Round The Island at St Ives

Exploring around Cape Cornwall

Mousehole

Barbara Hepworth Garden, St Ives

Searching the country lanes

Finding Stone Circles

Walk 39 - Akaroa

Possibly several walks but I think that's just a technicality at the moment. A few days away to a new place, tagged onto a work meeting in Christchurch.

Akaroa has this most fantastic leaflet on walks around the town, we which kind of morphed into our own version.

We walked every day from our little home along the beach road into the towns two main areas. We walked along the piers, along the shore, up the hill to the wondrous Giants Garden.

These walks were about exploring a new place, taking a break from work and being away from Auckland. We rested and recharged but kept those legs moving, and ticked off another of the lighthouses (I can feel another series coming along).

Walking into town

Walked up the hill to the Giants Garden

Walked along

And along

and along the piers.

to the lighthouse

Walk 38 - Rotorua

Ahh yes, still on that weekend away which was now 2 weekends ago, but that is how I roll. Little in the way of photographic proof but my new obsession (really, I need to review a few things here) can help, if it is evidence you are after.

We started off by strolling the lush grounds of the museum and the steaming pools just dotted around. Then heading to the lake side we followed the pathway round sulphur bay and onwards. This brings you to the city lakefront, with the play park, coffee, market and boats. All you need really.

Yes, I am a fitbit fan. It has produced some interesting insights into my lifestyle. Not that I didn't know I wasn't active enough but as a visual learner seeing a graph makes it more meaningful

Enough of that chatter, time for the goodness of a weekend away, the lovely lake

A happy man feeding the birds at the end of the walk.

Walk 37 - Redwoods

A weekend away. A walk. Sunday morning we headed to Redwoods. Oh my. Many memories of the New Forest. Trees, sunlight, walking. Got out of breath, considerably. A good uphill walk for me. Good pace and a wonderful coffee at the end. Why do I always manage to find coffee. Various walks to choose from and we did't even pick the easiest walk. A map paradise, but I controlled myself, though we would definitely visit again when we are around this area.

Walk 36 - Hahei

They were two autumn beach days. A crystal clear sea that we swam in, a warm sun that we slept in and a walk.

On the southern end of the beach is Te Pare Historic Reserve, which was once the site of two māori pā, Hereheretaura Pā and Hahei Pā.

You can take the route through an ancient pohutukawa grove to the pa sites or as we did and stroll along the beach and up the steps onto the hill. It was a warm afternoon and we sat taking in the views all around, allowing our minds to wander as we watch the sea and the clouds.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Hahei

Walk 35 - Waitakere Dam Walk


I don't know why, but I do find a dam rather fascinating. It may be the dam buster in me!

In the long long weekend we did manage some walking. Not so much as you'd notice or that the clothes are any looser, but let's not think about that just now. I wanted a walk that wouldn't kill me or depress me. I know I'm out of shape - no - I am a shape, I'm just not very fit at the moment. We are (as I frequently mention I know) blessed, there are walks for all sorts at our fingertips. So off west it was. Here to be precise. A road down, then heaps of steps, then along the old railway track. Quick stop for tea and cookies, then an amazing 'oh my I'm having an Indiana Jones moment' end of the track. Actually not the end of the track - we could have continued along for several hours. No, the turn around point for us. The steps up killed me - in that good way - the way that you know you are doing yourself some good but the end is in sight. The road up was a long and winding road. I kept my head down and kept breathing. Hurrah. Out of breath, soaked up the scenery. I think about 6km. I know, but it's better than the couch. Oh and it was so nice to be out walking midweek.

On the dam, it caught my eye, there were loads and it said 25 on all of them...what does it mean

The dam through the forest. Rather hard all this green.

There is really little need for a map on a walk like this, but it's a habit. I'm not apologising, I'm proud. I always have a map.

My autumn leave obsession.

The Indiana Jones moment

The bridges reminded me of our Otago Rail Trail adventure, but these were more slippy.

There is that dam again, less green this time.

Walk 34 - Brick Bay

OK, a little backtracking, this was our Easter Sunday outing. The autumn call to Brick Bay Sculpture Trail was answered. The rain held off until the end of the trail so we could concentrate on taking photos. I seemed to more interested in leaves than sculpture. There you go.