Waldronville

20240214 125001 Square 10014. 14 February 2024. Hikers. Waldronville Wander. Grade 2. $5. 10km. Leaders: Phil Keene, Helen Morris.

After leaving PJ park right on time and catching up with the locals at the Estuary, 24 Hikers set out in orderly fashion back down the road towards Waldronville and crossed over into Island Park through the new gate, noting the sign ‘ no dogs allowed’. Must be to keep all the professional dog walkers out?We kept to the out of bound red markers and sought out the shade where possible; the leader found a bit of rough to get some track clearing in but this was not to the group’s liking and they found the fairway easier going.

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Across the golf course heading for morning tea – photo & caption Helen

We stopped in the far corner to muse on concrete structures and take in the bird life, the cygnets being the stars.

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On the golf course bird watching – photo & caption Helen
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Cygnets abounded – photo & caption Phil

We then followed the pathways and fairways up to near the golf clubrooms, finding shade to have morning tea.

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That was a quick round of golf, some didn’t like the rough – photo & caption Phil

As if by design the golfers started out on their ‘cross country’ game and there was some pretty good ribbing and argy bargy comment from Arnie’s Army, as players and walkers recognised each other – I thought golf was a gentleman’s game?

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Arnie’s army – photo & caption Phil

Following use of the facilities we crossed the main road into the town and ambled and shambled our way through to the Beachlands area and then our way into the dune system; the sand was soft and the heat was building now, so what shade was available was made good use of. Before the day’s ascent 2 ‘broke ranks’ and agreed to catch up on the beach for lunch. A steady but not long climb up to Blackhead Rd was achieved and then on down to the Blackhead car park where we regrouped, then down onto the beach where quite a few were quick to get the shoes and socks off and headed away agreeing to stop at noon for lunch. So much space and quietness, but for the sound of the gentle waves at low tide.

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golden sands of Waikiki? – caption & photo Phil

Probably 3/4 of the beach had been completed by lunch so the walk back around the Estuary was completed in pretty good time allowing us to head onto the Village Green by 1.15pm; this must have been a group of fit experienced trampers!

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Along the Estuary almost at the cars – photo & caption Helen

Having done 10km in 27degrees most of the drinks at the Village Green were of the cold variety! Thanks to Island Park Golf Club for the use of their facilities and to TEC Helen.

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Hi Raewyn from the Village Green – photo & caption Phil

Phil


13. 22March 2023. Hikers. Waldronville Walk. Grade 2. $5. 10km. Leaders: Heather Kirk, Diane Paterson.

After the previous day’s heavy rain and strong southerly winds, it was surprising that as many as 19 brave hikers and trampers turned up, on this still chilly damp Wednesday for a walk in lovely Waldronville (some trampers joined the hikers, as the tramp was cancelled due to bad track conditions). We parked in the usual estuary car park and by 9.30 am we were walking along Brighton Road in light showers feeling optimistic it would clear.

Morning Tea after Waldronville Street part of walk - John
Morning Tea after Waldronville Street part of walk (Photo & Caption John)

We found shelter for morning tea under some large trees and then continued along to Friendship Drive, the Island Park Reserve and down to the beach. The track was recently trimmed so we kept fairly dry underfoot.

In the Sand-dunes under Grey Skies - Raewyn
In the Sand-dunes under Grey Skies ( Photo & Caption Raewyn)

It was low tide and the sea was rough, as we walked the beach towards the Blackhead Quarry and then a short track  out onto the road.

Walk along the moody beach - Margreet
Walk along the moody beach (Photo & Caption Margreet)
At Blackhead - Helen
At Blackhead (Photo & Caption Helen)

Plenty of trucks were passing us, as we walked single file along Blackhead Road, keeping a good lookout for approaching traffic. We walked back along Friendship and Brighton Roads to the Island Park Golf Club for a loo stop and our lunch on their seats, in now improving weather. Permission having been granted to us by the Club.

Lunch in comfort at the Golf Club - John
Lunch in comfort at the Golf Club (Photo & Caption John)

Rested, we then negotiated the parameter of the soggy golf club grounds, and a few golf players, making our way to the Club’s corner gate. Stopping to admire some clever “post art” and back out onto Brighton Road.

On the golf course with John and friends - Helen
On the golf course with John and friends (Photo & Caption Helen)
John trying out the wooden bike sculpture on the walk through the golf course Photo & Caption Margreet)
John trying out the wooden bike sculpture on the walk through the golf course (Photo & Caption Margreet)

It was still fairly early afternoon, so we crossed the road and went over the stile and walked a track back onto the beach.

Track finding - Helen
Track finding (Photo & Caption Helen)

The plan was to come back  along the beach to the estuary near our cars. But due to king tides and heavy rain the previous day our exit was flooded at the estuary.

Water level in estuary to high to safely attempt to get back to cars ! - Jill Dodd
Water level in estuary too high to safely attempt to get back to our cars! (Photo & Caption Jill D)

So, as we weren’t keen on swimming!, we had no choice but to back track and headed quickly along the edge of the Gun Club driveway to safely reach our cars, just before 2 pm after a 12km walk.

Many thanks to Diane and Raewyn for their invaluable help to make the walk possible. We enjoyed it!

Heather


12. 23 February 2022. Hikers. Waldronville. M.  Leaders: Raewyn Keene & Shona Munro

33 hikers met at Waldonville (the suburb of streets bearing aircraft names) at the estuary carpark.
We walked along Brighton Rd to Friendship Drive, where we had morning tea at a grassy area on the roadside.

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Morning Tea (photo and caption Raewyn)

Leaving there, we followed a beach track, walking single file…

2 Raewynne Single file through the sand-dunes 1000
Single file through the sand dunes (photo and caption Raewyn)

…until we reached the beach…

3 Raewynne A seal enjoying his sand-bath 800
A seal enjoying his sandbath (photo and caption Raewyn)

…and onto a formed track up to Blackhead carpark area. Carefully heading halfway up Blackhead Rd, we turned left into the scrub onto another track (unmarked and a little overgrown in places) through the sand dunes single file again, back to Friendship Dr. Then a brisk jaunt along to the Island Park golf course for lunch, while watching some golfers in action.

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Lunch overlooking the golf course (photo and caption Raewyn)
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Brown’s cows ready for tee-off and afternoon walk (photo & caption Ady)

After lunch, we made a circuit of the links…

20220223_125005 Helen Golfers and walkers sharing the course 1800
Golfers and walkers sharing the course (photo and caption Helen)
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Setting out on the golf course (photo and caption Raewyn)
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Reflections (photo and caption Helen)

…prior to splitting into two groups with some heading back to the car park. The remainder crossed the road, climbing a stile , and making our way back over the road and tracks back to the beach and wandering around the water’s edge back to the cars.

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The home stretch (photo and caption Raewyn)

Coffee followed at Agnes’s in Green Island (private room )
Distance 11kms approx
Shona


11. 27/2/2020 Hikers/Ramblers E Leaders Raewyn and Judy

It was a nice calm morning when 22 hikers set out along Brighton Road to the morning tea stop in Friendship Drive. 3 Ramblers set off at the same time to have their own adventure. Another 3 hikers decided not to do the Blackhead part of the circuit & ventured off along the Speedway road. The main group turned into an unknown track to many, one on which the ‘little yellow digger’ had already played a part in widening, but those weekend horses had stirred everything up!

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Photo and Caption Clive – “Through the sand dunes.”

Branching off to follow a narrow pathway through the sand dunes, we were soon out on the beach and walking towards the Blackhead carpark (after taking a few photos of the young seal basking in the sun).

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Photo and Caption Clive – “Narrow track to the beach.””

Then it was up the road to another secret entrance and downhill to where the ‘little yellow digger’ had completed his construction.

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Photo and Caption Clive – “Not a lot left of blackhead”

The ‘Blackhead Loop’ was completed at Friendship Drive and a short walk around the streets took us to the Island Park Golf Course for lunch & toilet stop.

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Photo and Caption Clive – “Lunch at Waldronville.”

There we found our 3 other hikers waiting as arranged (plus an extra!). A lovely view over the golf course for lunch, and after watching four golfers ‘tee off’ (and making sure we weren’t in the firing line for stray balls), we set off and circumnavigated the golf course.

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Photo and Caption Clive – “Island Park Golf Course.”

By then the sun was out and the heat of the day was beginning to take affect. At this point, some opted to leave the walk, but 14 continued on. With a little bit of a detour in the shade, we were soon out on the beach again and walked around the Estuary back to the cars. 11km was achieved (a bit of variation between apps), so refreshments at the Village Green were most welcome. A beautiful day weather wise, with good company.

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Map Raewyn

Raewyn & Judy


10. 21/8/2019.  Ramblers. Waldronville. Beach. E. Leaders: All.

Wslftoville walk
Walk route, courtesy Ian.

Four Ramblers met at the Kaikorai Estuary and walked part of the beach before stopping for a cuppa. Did a bit more, then turned back and took a route through the sandhills and stopped for an early lunch by a road frequented by surprisingly many lunchtime dog walkers of all shapes and sizes, (the walkers not so much). We eventually followed their route and came out through the paved streets and houses of Waldronville to reach Brighton Road and complete a circuit back to our cars. Close to 6 km in all. A good day and good company topped off with coffee at Sunnyside. – Ian.


9. 26/4/2017. Hikers. Waldronville. Beach. Easy. Leaders: Dot, Chris.


8. 22/6/2016. Hikers. Waldronville. Beach. Easy. Leaders: Dot, Chris.

Waldronville Beach route map.
Waldronville Beach route map of the day’s walk.

The sandbar across the mouth of the Kaikorai Lagoon was innocent of the usual streamlet across it, giving us the opportunity to  walk south dry-shod to ‘morning-tea’ at the 2 km mark on the map.

Consequent  to that, a steady 3.5 km walk back north brought us to a lunching-spot under Blackhead quarry. This 3/4 hour easy walk along the flat wide low-tide beach saw our 23-strong group strung out in little clusters of twos and threes, all happily engaged in social intercourse – yes, social, – a perfect illustration of the oft-repeated aspect of the Club’s “Recreational” side.
Back south again and at the 7 km mark we turned off the beach to find ourselves in the Island Park Recreation Reserve at the rear of the Beachlands Speedway. At this point the leaders took us south behind the sandhills on a route they had only recently discovered on their recce.  Unfortunately it was blocked by a red flag at the back-gate entrance to the Dunedin Clay Target Club through which our walk had been intended to go. There had been no public notice given on their website that this was to be a shooting afternoon.
What to do? A frustrated recconoitre of alternative routes of interest in the surrounding area left the leaders with no option but to find a way back out onto the beach instead, and complete the remaining 2 km back to the cars that way. Which we did. And all ended well.

A good 10 km day out (as measured by this  reporter’s nike app), but inflated (!) to either 11, – or 12 km, by other measuring devices present). Take your pick. (Huff!). – Ian.


7. 16/9/2015. Hikers. Waldronville. Easy. Leaders: Dot, Chris.

Route map
Route map of the day’s walk.
The leaders reversed the usual route this time, starting from the Beachlands Speedway entrance. So for the 28 of us, it was back along Friendship Drive, across Brighton Road and down Wavy Knowles Drive to reach the Kaikorai Stream backwater at its end. Then downstream alongside the water, into the Island Park Golf Course and across it to a morning tea stop well-sheltered by pines from the cold wind.
Morning Tea (John pic)
Morning Tea (John pic)
The leaders had gained permission to cross the course, and cooperated crossing the course before play started.
After morning tea, we were relieved to find the wind had abated, and continued  on along the edge of the course, out onto Brighton Road, along to the Lagoon, along it and down to the beach. Once on the beach the extent of the sand dunes’ erosion due to recent high tides was impressive.
We walked. Nearer Blackhead we stopped for lunch…
Lunch panorama. (John pic)
Panorama pic of lunch by large fallen rocks. (John pic)
…and then returned to one of only two exits…
Struggle
Struggling up the beach access track carved out of the eroded dune’s steep bank. (John pic)
…that had been carved through the high steep dune banks. Now outside the fenced perimeter of the Beachlands Speedway, our leaders took us into a new (to this reporter) interesting track that looped off Friendship Drive and led us…
Loop track (John pic)
Loop track along the back of the properties.  (John pic)
…along behind the backs of properties (that fronted Viscount  Road at their other ends), before reemerging back onto the Drive and on out to the cars.
A well-planned day, and helped by weather that turned out much better than feared. Much thanks to Dorothy and Chris. – Ian.

6. 18/6/2014. Hikers. Waldronville. Easy. Leaders: Dot, Chris.

GPS of Waldronville route
GPS of Waldronville route. Moving time: 1hr 57.39mins; fastest 4.19 km/hr; slowest 3.86 km/hr.

The route start was the carpark by the Kaikorai Estuary road bridge. A newly built path along the Brighton Road conducted us safely to the foot of the Island Park Golf Course. Fortunately for us, if not for the club, the greens were deserted in honour of the funeral of one of the club’s members. We skirted the edge between the greens and the stream. Of interest to this reporter, partway up was a small embankment on our left dividing two stretches of water. Which, or where, was the stream?

Two Kaikorai streams?
Kaikorai stream backwater

From the above pic, it appears that both were, creating an ‘island’ really. The nearer channel was crossed with three embankments linking the ‘island’ to our side. We were at the lower one. The middle embankment formed the end of Wavy Knowes Drive, where we were to stop for morning tea, and there was a top one as well, as you can see from the above map.

Enjoying the morning tea stop, in the sun, at the end of Wavy Knowles Drive.
Enjoying the morning tea stop, in the sun, at the end of Wavy Knowes Drive.

While at the stop, a goat entertained itself and us by perching precariously on the wires of the supermarket trolley.

Goat on supermarket trolley
Goat on supermarket trolley (John, pic)

The leaders took us out to the other end of John Knowles Drive, along the Brighton Road a little bit and down Friendship Drive, past the entrance to Beachlands Speedway …

Beachlands
Beachlands Speedways Sign above the entrance to the Reserve beyond. (John, pic)

into the Island Park Reserve.

Island Park Reserve Notice
Island Park Reserve Notice (John, pic)

The track took us along the back fence of the Speedway and through the dunes to the beach. The tide was only halfway out, waves blocking the beach below rocks beyond, so the leaders resolved on an 11.30 a.m. lunch stop, a bit short of the beach end at Blackhead.

Lunch on beach
Lunch on beach (John, pic)

After lunch, we enjoyed returning the length of the beach back to the estuary mouth, up through some dunes and back to the cars.

Estauries
An ‘Estuaries’ notice explaining the significance of the environs. (John, pic)

Thank you to the leaders for another enjoyable outing together in this familiar area, but still new to recently-joined members. We numbered 29, now becoming a regular total for the hikers. The coffee hounds resorted to Blend Espresso for a further get together. – Ian.


5. 16/1/2013. Hikers. Waldronville. Easy. Leaders: Lex, Elaine.

We parked by the estuary, walked the beach to Blackhead, stopping for a cuppa on the way, returned along Blackhead Road to Waldronville and back to the cars via the golf-course. Distance: abt 8 km. – Ian.
Preparing for lunch at corner of Blackhead Road.
Preparing for lunch at corner of Blackhead Road.

4. 6/7/2011. Both. Waldronville, Beach walk. Easy. Leaders: Chris, Dot.

We were ably led by Chris and Dot from the Brighton Road bridge over the Kaikorai Lagoon, where we parked our cars.  We started down the edge of the Kaikorai Lagoon to the beach.
The lagoon is the habitat of black swans and spoonbills, and apparently, according to Wikipedia is home to to two species of small shrimps (mysids).
Then it was north along the beach, to a tea-break stop by a beach access track. From there, it was up the track, alongside the Brighton Road for a short distance and across to skirt the Island Park golf course, having to negotiate a couple of troublesome fences by the estuary on the way. We exited on the Wavy Knowles Drive, enjoying the variety of large houses to be seen. Left onto Brighton Road again, across and right, took us along Friendship Drive and into the Island Park Recreation Reserve and out onto the beach. We lunched just by Blackhead. An early afternoon low tide gave us a wide beach to ourselves. Woollen hats and gloves had given way to sun hats for a mild lunch spot. A weather forecast for rain later in the day and a few lowering clouds failed to deliver any wetness. The leaders let us return south along the beach to our cars in our own dribs and drabs time. Thank you, Chris and Dot for a very pleasant winter day’s tramp. – Ian

3. 14/7/2010. Hikers. Waldronville, Kaikorai Estuary. Easy. Leaders: Peter and Wendy.

2. 29/3/2006. Hikers. Waldronville and golf course. Leaders: Dot B, Jim & Thelma
1. 12/3/2003. Hikers. Waldronville, The Beach, Blackhead. Easy+. Leaders: Dot T, Betty.

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