ECHO Walkfest 2011, April 16 - April 30. Check the ECHO website for updates

Enjoy over 20 great walks, all guided across the Coromandel and Kaimai areas.

With walks as long as eight hours to short one hour walks, there is a walk for every level. Everyone can enjoy exploring our great outdoors.

You are spoilt for choice with walks spread over the six major areas of Coromandel, Paeroa, Thames, Katikati, Te Aroha and Waihi.

Enjoy Connecting Hills & Oceans

Information Centres, Sport Waikato and the Department of Conservation are combining to bring you the 8th ECHO Walking Festival. Register online or book for the walks by phoning the appropriate Information Centre.

Cost: Your gold coin donation is appreciated to help us meet the costs associated with the festival.

'ROAD SAFETY IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY'

Go to the Echo website for full details on the walks and to register - www.echowalkfest.org.nz.

Whangamata Harbour Walk

Starting from the Information Centre, proceed generally north-east along Port Road through the shopping centre and past housing to the Wharf area. Turn into Beach Road and follow the harbour shoreline north past the boat ramp and game fishing club into a treed and grassed reserve. 

Follow the track up river over a small timber bridge and cross Hetherington Road onto another grassed reserve. Cross diagonally on to end of Casement Road. Go easterly onto Martyn and then further in a southerly direction onto corner of Aikin Road. Cross the rugby ground diagonally south past clubroom and netball courts to end of Lincoln Road. Proceed east along Lincoln Road to Port Road and back to Information Centre.

This is approximately a 3 km loop on a flat town course mainly on sealed paths and roads. The harbour edge was the site of early Maori occupation and fishing grounds and was also the area for initial early European settlement and sea transport activity.

Time: 40 mins
Distance: 3 kms

Whangamata Surf Club/Beach

Go south from the Information Centre up Port Road through the shopping centre to Ocean Road. Proceed south along Ocean Road past housing to Williamson Park on the corner of Lowe Street. Turn east down Lowe Street past the Surf Club to Esplanade Drive fronting the highly popular ocean beach. 

Go North along the Drive to Graham Street. Proceed west along Graham to Beverley Terrace and then north along Beverley to St Patrick’s Row. Proceed east across small grassed reserve at back of camping ground to end of Ranfurly Road. Continue easterly to Winifred and then northerly direction back onto Port Road passing Diana and Barbara Avenues. Turn south on Port Road back to Information Centre. 

This walk covers an approximately 2.7 km loop on a flat town course mainly on sealed paths and roads. The route takes in the popular Williamson Park named after an early town benefactor Philip Williamson. This reserve is also headquarters for the Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club.

Time: 35 mins 
Distance: 2 kms