Two Weekend Walks

Saturday 21 April

The annual 1500m walking race was heldat the Caledonian  but sadly I had a funeral to attend so missed out with competing. However when I saw the times of the first five walkers I would have struggled to get a place.

I arrived in time for the main pack to walk along Butts Rd, through the track that runs past the cemetery. Once at the Ahlambra-Union rugby ground, it was down Opoho Road to North Road. We went up a flight of steps towards Pinehill. Once at the top it was down a road back to North Road. We walked along towards Baldwin Street (but not up) and went up Deleny Street which was extremely steep. When we got to Signal Hill Road it was all downhill past the cemetery back to Butts Road. The walk took 1 hr 15 mins and was 6 kms long.

Sunday 22 April

Craig and I drove to Brighton and parked in McIntosh Road. It was a steady climb all the way around to Scroggs Hill Road. It was downhill all the way to the Main Road and then a shortish walk to the car. The 9.6km walk took 1 hr 50 mins.

A Walk Tinged With Sadness

I met my mate Craig at the Railway Station as it was my time to choose the walk. I had planned on a 10km course but last night another mate, Dave rang to put me in the picture regarding his wife dying in Madrid and the subsequent trials getting her home. As I wanted to see him and prepare food, Craig and I did a shorter 6.5km loop. We went up High Street, down Glenpark Avenue and Glen Rd to near the "old' Carisbrook" site. We walked up South Road onto Princess Street. We did a couple of turns until we hit the railway station. This walk of took around 75 minutes. The walk up High Street was challenging but good for the heart rate.

A Fast Paced Saturday Afternoon Walk

Another good sized crowd turned up for the club's weekly Saturday afternoon walk. Three groups were formed and I joined the fast pack. It was a casual stroll down to Green Island Bush Road. Halfway along this road a faster group took off and I was in the middle of the pack. The walk up Blackhead Road was also fast paced. When we got back I completed the walk under 99 mins which meant a 9km/hr pace for the just over 11kms course. We have so many able walkers in our club at present so the pace is always on.

Lawyer's Head

On Easter Saturday I was asked to take the main pack for a walk as Kieran, our walking leader was away. There would also be a slow pack operating. Both packs started together walking down to the St Clair Esplanade. The slow pack deviated to Second Beach while our 10 person pack walked over the fields to the start of John Wilson Drive. It is about 3kms long to Lawyers Head at the end. I was delighted that we made it there in one hour.

We continued at a good pace back along the drive, down Prince Albert Road and along Macandrew Road to the steps going alongside the Frances Hodgkins Retirement Home. Once again we made good time but the walk up the steps and up Easther Crescent to Middleton Road and back to the clubrooms was challenging. However we did the 12km walk in 2hrs 10mins. The weather was delightful during the entire walk.

http://www.mapmywalk.com/routes/view/80309135

Back to Sunday Walking

It has been a while since Craig and I have done a Sunday morning walk. It was changing back the clocks after daylight saving and we agreed to meet at the North Ground at 9am.

The weather was glorious as we walked north along the one way past the Gardens, all along and up North Road till we reached the intersection with Upper Junction Road. It was around 6.5kms to our end point and we managed it around 75 mins. I felt we made good time for the first half of our walk.

As we descended down North Road there was significant traffic on the road, probably the greatest volume I had ever struck. We reasoned it was our later start. It was noticeably hot and we were a bit longer on the second half. It was good to have two good walks in two days.

Opening Day

Yesterday was the Opening Day for the Caverham Harrier's Club Walking Group. Conditions were ideal for the proposed 75 minute walk. We started earlier as there was the official opening to attend to. Once again there were a good number of walkers split into two packs - main and slower pack. Around 40 of us did a circuit starting at the clubrooms, going dowm Corstorphine Rd, Sidey and Cole Streets into the Caversham suburb. We walked down South Road, along David Street and Forbury Road to St Clair Beach.

It was pleasant walking along the Esplanade with a lot of people basking in the sun. From here it was virtually uphill to the Clubrooms. As we climbed up Cliffs Rd and Aberdeen Street I decided to really go for it testing my fitness. Once on the flat Isadore Street it was a fast walk back to the clubrooms. The 6.83km walk took 70 mins and I was the 5th walker home.