Over Easter weekend 2010 Hibiscus Hospice will again be organising a three day 40km overland trail from Riverhead to Puhoi.
The overland pilgrimage trail starts at the Hare Krishna temple in Riverhead and visits the Buddhist Temple, the Historic Settlers Church in Wainui and ends at St Peter and Paul Church in Puhoi. Most of the pilgrimage trail is over private land and the walk includes a range of terrain and countryside, and views that are normally closed to the public.
The three day walk is called ‘Hidden Treasures Trail’. The event takes place from Friday through to Easter Sunday. This fundraising event is organised by Hibiscus Hospice with all proceeds going to support people with life-limiting illnesses and their families in the region.
Each day is different:
day one (13km): ‘medium’
day two (10km): short but with a number of steep ascents and descents in the morning
day three (17km): more challenging.
Participants need to be comfortable walking four to five hours a day over a range of terrain. Each day is different and the journey will appeal to people who are fit and keen walkers and/or have some tramping experience.
The walk covers some beautiful countryside with magnificent views of rural and coastal Rodney. Some views are ordinarily closed off to the public. Stop-over points include the ’cathedral’ and the ‘Remembering Jennie tree’ as places of remembrance.
Each day participants meet at a central point where there is safe and secure car parking. A bus takes everyone to the start of the walk, or meets everyone at the end of the walk and returns them to the car park. Meeting places and meeting times are provided on registration and accommodation can be arranged for out-of-town participants.
The Hidden Treasures Trail is supported by more than 20 landowners between Riverhead and Puhoi who have opened their properties in support of Hibiscus Hospice.
Visit their website to register for updates on the 2010 walk and view some photos of the April 2009 walk.