Whakatane River Walk - a 3km section between the Information Centre and the Rowing Club

Earlier in the week I decided to walk along a section of the river trail in Whakatane.  I was there for the afternoon/evening doing a few chores and to hit the flicks (movie cinema for those without kiwi slang knowledge).  I had done some research on google maps to figure out how long I would need for the walk - it shows online as only going as far as the Whakatane Rowing Club, beside the Whakatane River bridge (where state highway 30 enters Whakatane).  I started at the Information Centre in down-town Whakatane, which was approximately 3 km from the bridge, intending on walking to the Rowing Club and back, at total of about 6km.  I was also curious to see what lay beyond the Rowing Club, as there seemed to be only wild riverbanks from what google showed.  Note: if you head east from the information centre to the Whakatane River Heads, you include a good length of the Bronze Kiwi hunt route that I've previously posted about here.

Whakatane Information Centre

After walking westward from the Information Centre, with the river on my right, I eventually reached a small playground in a larger park, just north of the Mitre 10.  At this point there was a sign, proclaiming this to be the Warren Cole Walk & Cycleway.  Already I had experienced one of my pet peeves (see previous post) - cyclists coming up behind me without warning and zooming by very close.  Not only were there cyclists, there were also small motorised scooters that did the same.

A miniaturised railway that was closed for the winter

Just beyond the park was a camp ground which had a, what seemed to be pet, rabbit nibbling the grass just beyond a cabin.  I feared for its life, as already my other walking pet peeve was evident - those dog owners who don't keep their dogs on a leash.

See the bunny?

On the left side of the path, after the camp ground, was a long thin reserve then  after that, houses.  I focused on the right hand view until there was a break in the housing and some rough looking paddocks appeared, housing a few horses in the background.

I took this photo on a different day when the horses had moved location

Luckily there was a reasonably wide expanse of path and riverside grass here, as I kept encountering off-leash dogs and had to veer widely to keep at a distance that I almost felt safe with.

Three Pou, perhaps, just before getting to the bridge (and my fingertip)

Just past the bridge and Rowing Club, the paved path ended and a fence and gate crossed in front of me, but beyond the gate was a gravelled path continuing along the river.  I had not really allowed the time to explore too much further, but I decided to continue on a short distance.  Unfortunately, within a few hundred metres, there was a woman with three off-lease dogs ahead walking of me at about half my pace and, when I had approached close enough for one of the dogs to realise I was behind them, I turned on my heel and retreated, making the return journey.

Another rabbit, this one not a live one though

When I had returned as far as the children's playground on the return trip, I headed away from the river to do some of the chores I had to do.  While it was a pleasant and non-taxing walk on a warm sunny mid-winter's day, the number of off-leash dogs around is reason enough for me to probably not walk this again, even though I do want to explore that gravel path to see how much further it follows the river.