Durie Hill Ramble

Start at the Anzac Parade entrance to the Durie Hill Elevator (opposite City Bridge, with car parking adjacent).  Take the elevator up the hill, $2 adults, $1 children.  From the hilltop viewpoint, walk past the World War One Memorial Tower to Maxwell Avenue and the Durie Hill Garden Suburb (see map in leaflet).  Go as far as the church then take the footpath signposted through to Durie Street.  Go up to Fife Street and along Stark Street where there are a number of old houses.  (There is a dairy at the end of Durie Street on Portal Street which sells ice creams.)  Walk back down the footpath marked Taylor Street which leads to a zigzag; go on down Taylor Street to the Red Lion Inn (refreshment stop) and back to the car park or cross the river to town.

St John’s Hill Ramble

Park at Virginia Lake and walk to the Band Rotunda that you will see above the lake on the right side.  Either go around the lake or follow the boardwalk by Great North Road and then go through the entrance gates and walk up the path until you see the sign for the Band Rotunda.  Walk down to the Rotunda; be sure to look for the foundation stone on the back side. Walk back up to the footpath that leads down to Brassey Road; the first tea kiosk at Virginia Lake is the old house by the footpath.  Go up Brassey Road, turn right on Oakland Avenue and follow the road around past Jane Winstone retirement village, built on the Sacred Heart Convent site.  Abingdon retirement complex with the Burnet home is further down Oakland Avenue and the old convent chapel can be seen on the right.  When you reach Great North Road, note St Chad’s church opposite; much of the land on that side of the road was once owned by John Ballance and his second wife Ellen.  Follow Great North Road back to Virginia Lake where there is a café for drinks and ice creams.

Riverbank and Kowhai Park Ramble

This walk starts on the left bank of the Whanganui River, going from the City Bridge along to the start of Kowhai Park.  You can walk through the arboretum, drop off at the Kowhai Park store on Anzac Parade for an ice cream or drink, then visit Glen Logie Rose Garden before crossing back to the children’s playground.  At the end of the playground take the footpath back up to Anzac Parade and cross the Dublin Street bridge.  On the other side of the river, there is a café across the Cornmarket Reserve.  You then follow the riverside footpath/cycleway back to Moutoa Gardens and the boat sheds including the Riverboat Museum where you can book for a trip on the Waimarie paddle steamer up the river.