We started at Riccarton House. The house has tours and Taste Restaurant and its grounds include a historic cottage and fenced remnant of kahikatea forest. The bushwalk takes about 10 minutes. Getting buggies through the double gates (to keep predators out) is a little tricky but managable. To the west the grounds exit to Ngahere St. We then followed Totara, Kahu, Tui and Weka St which are full of both old and new houses and gardens well worth a squiz! Across Straven Rd is Royds St, at the end of which is a path into a small park which has an aging playground. The park opens onto Harakeke St, at the end of which is another path which leads out onto Fendalton Rd. It is only a short walk eastwards along Fendalton to the entrance to Mona Vale. The driveway runs alongside the Waipara Stream with good views of more impressive houses and gardens. Mona Vale Homestead has an excellent cafe downstairs. There is an outdoor area which has space for buggies (and where you don’t need to feel so self conscious about noisy little people) and they provide table service. They have drinks, muffins etc as well as menu items and the price is very reasonable considering the upmarket atmosphere. To get back to Riccarton House from here there is pedestrian access across the railway line to Matai St West and then along the edge of the Christchurch Boys’ High grounds to Kahu Rd.
This walk had a great mix of urban, natural and park settings. It is fairly long – about and hour and a half, but with two cafe options and a playground en route it can easily be broken up if required.
