Track facts:
- Location: Halcolme (a small rural community in the Manawatu)
- 2.3km loop
- 30mins
- Easy walk
- Kid friendly
- No dogs
- Open 9am-5pm
✨ Hello 2021✨ we are soo ready for you! This year mikey and I have a whole lot (21, naturally) goals. One of the most exciting is to do 21 day hikes. (Which we will define as 30mins+ and off road). This was hike number 1 for 2021. And it was a goodie. Especially if you like hidden little gems and forest bathing (see: shinrin-yoku).
My Lee’s Reserve is located at 199 Ngaio Road, Halcolme. A 45 minute drive from Whanganui, or 20mins from Palmerston North. To get there, travel along state highway 3. On the stretch of highway between Bulls and Sanson there is New Zealand Police weigh station. Here there is also a turn off on to Wilson Road which you want to go down (there are some faded signs to Mt Lee’s Reserve). Travel around 4km, then turn right on to Ngaio Road. This turn off is at the NZDF transition station (you will know what this is when you see it) and when we went the street sign was down and we didn’t spot it (just FYI). If you get to the one way bridges (or Halcolme road like we did) you have gone to far. The reserve is easy to spot on the right hand side. There are two entrances so if the first is closed, head to the second one!
The reserve carpark is beautiful and worth a trip just to have a picnic if you’re not one for walking. (I believe you can camp here? It would make a great freedom campervanning spot!) There are picnic tables, swings, a crab apple plum tree (yum!), toilets, a grass tennis court, and drinking water available. There is also a beautiful historic homestead which has been turned into a B&B where you can stay!
Now for the walk: The track is beautiful and well kept. Information told us that the track/ Reserve was previously a private garden, but is now a community project and is maintained through community groups, including prisoners. The track goes around the outside of the reserve, but there are also several small loop tracks within the bigger loop. It’s near impossible to get lost, and you just follow your nose! at the end you come out to the road, just turn left and walk 100m or so on the grass back to the carpark.
My favourite thing about this track was the variety in the forest. You travel through different ecosystems as you walk through native New Zealand forest, eucalyptus forest, redwood forests and bamboo groves. There are trees labelled throughout with species info (which I LOVE), a cute wee lookout (but FYI the view is of tree tops) and plenty of interesting things that catch the eye.
Overall, a peaceful and lovely little walk that feels a world away. My friend who I went with (who has lived in Halcolme for years and never knew the place existed) announced she would bring all her visitors to explore in the future. That’s review enough. 🙂
Happy Hiking
Xx
Moochelle