West Harbour Recreation Trail

West Harbour Recreation TrailBuy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery

I left the peninsula and made my way back across to the western side of the Harbour. There was still a considerable amount of the day left, the sun was shining and I felt I hadn’t yet done enough steps in the day to earn my 4pm (ish) beer. 

On the western side of the Otago Harbour a considerable amount of money was spent beautifying the area, turning it into a recreation trail complete with picnic areas, fitness equipment and paths for walking, running and cycling. The trail currently extends some four kilometres to a point called St Leonards, however eventually it’ll continue all the way to Port Chalmers (a total distance of around ten kilometres). Upon arrival at the trail, it wasn’t hard to see why it is so popular. On a still, calm day like it was, a nice peaceful walk along a path that casually wound its way along the waterfront with the peninsula as a backdrop seemed quite delightful. Setting off in good spirits, it wasn’t long before I discovered that I wasn’t the only one who had decided to enjoy the sunshine. I hadn’t gone more than twenty steps from my car when I came across a group of shirtless young men who seemed to be imitating the Persian Ibex that live in the European mountains and claim mating rights by slamming their heads together. This display by the young men was for the benefit of the equally skimpily dressed group of young ladies who were not too far away. When the area of the West Harbour Recreation Trail was opened by then Mayor Dave Cull, I wonder if he knew he was opening the West Harbour Pleasure Garden and Pick-Up Joint! Dunedin already had one ‘pleasure garden’ and that disastrously closed one hundred and fifty one years ago!

5 thoughts on “West Harbour Recreation Trail”

  1. Very interested in the ODT ” The Mix” article and the West Harbour Walks Group. Is there any way to make contact with the Group/

  2. They’ve got to mate/meet somewhere apart from the local boozer😂. The walk must be lovely on a sunny day lovely view across the harbour

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