Te AraroaTrail: Walkers take to the Te Araroa Trail for many reasons

With the Te Araroa Trail opening for the season last month a number of people are walking it for a number of reasons like playing at gigs, fund raising for a health cause, or just it was time to do a long hike. Here are there reasons:

Mickey O’Donnell and Michelle Doyle

An Australian duo walking the trail while playing gigs at halls, pubs, and festivals along the way. Michelle plays the harp and Mickey plays jazz fiddle and sings. Their journey is raising money for osteoporosis research, and Michelle took her first steps from Cape Reinga on 29 September.

Mickey broke his toe in the lead-up to the journey and will join her from Whangarei, once he receives the all-clear from his doctor.

The six-month adventure will take them through New Zealand’s major cities, rural locations and scenic mountains while their instruments are couriered to each gig.

The duo are thrilled to be releasing their debut album ‘A Walking Pace’ in this unique way and are donating 20% of the tour’s merchandise sales to osteoporosis research.

Website: www. mickeymichelle.com | Email: mickeymichellemusic@gmail.com

Dave and Baxter Murray

A Greytown father and his 14-yearold son are walking Te Araroa together this year. They left their home and headed to Cape Reinga, where they began their long walk south on 17 October.

“It had always been a goal of mine to do a long-distance hike, since I was about 16,” Dave Murray said.

“Then life got in the way and it was never a good time - with work and family commitments always taking priority.

It was actually Baxter who badgered me into taking the plunge. He was keen, and his logic was flawless. ‘It will never be a good time so let’s do it next year.’”

Website: www.walktheta. co.nz | Email: dave@ walktheta.co.nz

Brook van Reenen

An inspiring 33-year-old from Wanaka is running Te Araroa to raise money for the Mental Health Foundation.

Mr van Reenen is already on his trail journey, having left Cape Reinga to begin his run in September.

“I would like to raise money for Mental Health because some of my closest friends have been affected by it,” Mr van Reenen said.

“Running is great for my own mental health and I will be overcoming massive mental battles within myself when I am running day after day. I’m doing this because nearly 50 per cent of New Zealanders will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime, and I don’t want them to face it on their own.”

Website: Fundraising page | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ thelongrun19