Newsletter - 18th January 2026
Photo of the Week
Each week we will post an image taken by one of our walkers of a scene they spotted on a walk. Generally these images should not include photos of any walkers. Please send any images to info@cpcw.co.nz noting photo of the week in the subject line.
This week’s photo was taken by Bill Gaudie on the very first Friday walk of 2026. It is taken on the hills to the west of Churton Park looking across to Linden/Porirua with Transmission Gully in the distance.
A word from...
Happy New Year Walkers
Although this is the first newsletter, the CPCW year is well under way and there have already been two Thursday and Friday walks and I believe two informal Wednesday walks. The coming week sees 23 walkers, in two groups, paying an overnight visit to Matiu/Somes Island. Fingers are crossed for fine weather.
I have been asked if walks other than CPCW walks can be recorded on the walking logs. The answer is No, Yes, and Yes & Yes.
No: Only Wednesday, Thursday and Friday walks and any special walks such as the Away Walks can be recorded on the walking logs if you wish to record your progress through the year with a pin on the map
Yes: You could use the log to record all your walking throughout the year, but you won’t get a pin on the map!
Yes & Yes: Why not run two logs, one for CPCW walks and another for your total walking.
The first opportunity to put your pin on the map will be at coffee after the walk on Wednesday 28 January. The first of the spot prizes will also be presented. There will be opportunities to update your progress on the map every few weeks. If you need a paper or an electronic copy of a walking log let me know. I can also tell you the distances of any walk you might have done already.
Best wishes for your walking in 2026
David Pegram, Convenor
Walk details for Wednesday January 21st.
This Week’s Walks: Welcome back walkers. Hopefully you are all still walking fit. We start the organised walks for the 2026 year with three old walks, all starting at the Alex Moore Park carpark – all start from here at 9:20am.
PPs: A 4.83km loop walk that was prepared by Peter Nalder some years back. It takes in roads and walkways. It can be shortened at quite a few places if walkers decide they have gone far enough, but hopefully all walkers will try to complete the whole walk. Most of the walk is an easy walking grade. You can see the walk here.
SSs: A 5.83km loop walk that has a bit of uphill near the start, but is mainly a gentle grade for the rest of the walk. The walk is on streets and tracks. Possible to shorten, but keep it quiet if you do! You can see the walk here.
FFs: A 6.98km loop walk that heads south along some of the main Johnsonville streets, then crosses into Broadmeadows and onto and into the residential areas of western Johnsonville and then back to the start. No short-cuts allowed. You can see the walk on Mapometer here and Plotaroute here.
Parking: Parking is in the Alex Moore Park carpark.
Coffee: As this is the first organised walk for the year we have no idea of our numbers so nothing is organised for coffee. However, between Simmer and Thyme, there should be no problem just turning up and getting a coffee on completion of your walk.
Happy walking.
Russell Paterson
Walk Schedules: You can look at the walk schedule for January 2026 here.
Reminder: Please ensure that you inform your group’s leader if you leave a walk partway through.
Cancellations: If the walks are cancelled an email will be sent out as early as possible but definitely before 8:00am.
Calendar of Events
| Wednesday 21st January | First Wednesday Walk 2026 |
| Tuesday/Wednesday 20th/21st January | First Matiu/Somes Island Sleep-Over |
| Wednesday/Thursday 21st/22nd January | Second Matiu/Somes Island Sleep-Over |
Our Sponsors
CPCW are very grateful for the support of a number of generous sponsors. They are listed at the end of the newsletter and, periodically, we will highlight them through a profile in the newsletter.
This week we have chosen Little Monkey as our featured sponsor:
LittleMonkey are a Churton Park company who some of you may have seen located next to the Churton Park Community Centre. They are a creative developer of Web and Mobile Phone applications. They very kindly host the CPCW website at no cost to our group.
Address: Churton Park Village, 99B Westchester Drive
Phone: 0800 356 783
Website: https://littlemonkey.co.nz/
Hours: Mon – Fri 8.30am – 5.00pm
CPCW Photos
Please try and remember to take a group photo and send it to info@cpcw.co.nz
Friday Walkers
The first Friday of 2026 saw a small contingent of the Friday group off to a quick start (aren’t they always!) on January 2nd with a walk led by Keith on the hills around Churton Park.
On their second walk of the year, the Friday group followed Clint as he led them up and around Seatoun Heights and the hills southwards to the coast. Inevitably there were many ups and downs between the start and the finish.
Thursday Walkers
Thursday’s group headed out on January 8th for their first group walk of 2026. Thanks to Gillian Mills for the photo which appears to have been taken in the new playground in Rochdale Drive, Churton Park. Christine Binns’ dedication to walking is demonstrated by the fact she had arrived home 15 minutes before the walk set off. She had travelled all the way from Maungaturoto in the Brynderwyn Hills north of Auckland to Churton Park in the one day!! Fresh air and leg-stretching was probably great therapy after a journey such as that!
This week's humour courtesy of SWMBO:
