Pine beach jetty though to the Fairfield esplanade

In the opposite direction from yesterdays post lies the newest and least known part of the Waikato River walk. From the starts of the Fairfield Esplanade opposite Riverview Terrace, turn left. Walk over around 10 meters of grass, and you'll find a gravel track that leads though to pine beach.

Taitua Arboretum in Autumn

I visit the Taitua arboretum on the western side of Hamilton on a regular basis, and as such am very familiar with the changes through the seasons. Right now, it's autumn and yesterday I took an hour to walk the full figure 8 of tracks...

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Taitua Arboretum, Hamilton, New Zealand - May 2011

Waikato Riverside Walk: Piranha Park to Pirate Island

Make that Parana park to an unnamed island - but the title does sound more exciting. Parana park, and the next door Memorial park go back a long way in Hamilton history, and represent the northern end of the main riverside track on the eastern side of the river (though there are other disparate parts on this side of the river further north).

Yesterday's walk started at Parana Park, and headed south, under bridge, past the Wellington Street beach (which was underwater), and on towards the island (which is not far from the southern end of Brookfield Street). All up, just over an hour's walk.

A few photos. I didn't take all that many - the sun tends to get in the way at this time of the evening. I do always ponder what the Hayes Paddock area would've been like if it hadn't been filled with State houses (not to say the State houses are bad, just that the area was designated as parkland and the government decided to turn it into a house estate).

Parana Park

Parana Park

Waikato River - Looking South

Waikato River



Waikato River with Ducks

  

Stairs to the Island, Waikato River

The Island, Waikato River

Waikato River - Looking North

Waikato River - Looking North

Hayes Paddock is considered an architecturally significant area for it's state housing - this house is more my cup of tea though:

56A Jellicoe Drive Hamilton

56A Jellicoe Drive Hamilton

Hamilton Lake

The weather this morning wasn't too bad, considering a cyclone has just passed over, but it was still rather windy this morning, so my walk was in a reliable place - Hamilton Lake.

Sadly, I didn't think to clear out my SD card this morning, so about 10 minutes into the 45 minute loop, I'd filled it up. Photos below however.

The wind made the lake look more like a sea, with spray all over the paths. What made things even more interesting was the Waka Ama racing which was talking place.

Waka Ama - Lake Rotorua (Hamilton Lake)

Waka Ama - Lake Rotorua (Hamilton Lake)

Waka Ama - Lake Rotorua (Hamilton Lake)

Waka Ama - Lake Rotorua (Hamilton Lake)

Ducks near Lake Rotorua (Hamilton Lake)