Ihakara Gardens give a different view

There are a lot of people walking around Foxton at present.

Most of them are up and down Main St or along the recently completed parts of the riverside walkway.

But there are other walks that can be taken — especially around the wider area. Two walks I remember taking are down to the beach and back and around the cemetery block. These of course have been improved with walkways built since my perambulations.

Of couse we haven’t got many elevated views in town but after a walk up Seaview Gardens one can see right down to the sand dunes along the coast, as well as the Tararua Ranges to the east.

Ihakara Gardens give a different view along Main St — and the walk up the hill is less strenuous! Of course the vegetation the walks go through are also enjoyable. I had a comment made recently that the Foxton sign was a reminder of the famous Hollywood one!

But along what is left of the river is where there is the best variety. Probably the first organised walkway was the Duncan House Walkway built by Dahlson Halidone.

After flood damage in 2004 I felt it should be repaired and added to, and the Te Awahou Bush Boardwalk came into being.

Upkeep on this has been spamodic but it is still worth a stroll. The riverside walkway follows that to the south. Along this are signposts the Historical Society has installed to let strollers see what used to be there, and learn something of Foxton’s past. (There are also several these to be viewed on a walk down Main St.) Part of the walk is through the Awahou Flax walk opened in conjunction with the Flax Stripper Museum.

After a stroll at the end of this, one can move down towards the transfer station and find the entrance to the Piriharakeke walkway.

This follows the river loop up to the Moutoa Floodway stopbank and along the top of this to Whirokino. I am unable to walk this, so I don’t know what condition it is in. It may be a bit of a “cross-country” expedition to get along.

At the other end of the town the racecourse is another pleasant open walk. One can add to this by strolling through Victoria Park.

So if you want to walk, Foxton is pretty good place with plenty of variety. .