Winter Wander

A not-quite olympic walking event is coming soon. Our first walk will be released Monday 29 July! Sign up to receive the walks in your inbox.

We are kicking week one off with our easiest walks and will slowly build the intensity as the weeks progress. We’ll offer plenty of tips and tricks along the way to ensure you can keep up with the challenge!

Quick links

The Walks

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Register for the Winter Wander

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The Walks

Wānaka Walks

Walk 5 - Diamond Lake Loop Track

On the Wānaka and Upper Clutha side we have the Diamond Lake Loop Track.  It's typically an easy 1.5km loop track which leads to other tracks in the area. Extreme care is required in winter conditions, particularly on the other tracks. Choose your adventure on this one and take on what you can handle!

 

If you missed a walk then you can find it linked below:

Walk 4 - Little Mount Iron Track

Walk 3 - Mount Iron Track

Walk 2 - Eely Point walk

Walk 1 - Hāwea River Track

 

Queenstown Walks

Walk 5 - Jack's Point Loop

On the Queenstown side we have the Jack's Point Loop. It’s a hard, loop track that will take you around two to three hours to complete. This loop is described as a real uphill slog and you'll climb to an elevation of 474 metres to be greeted by views across the lake.

 

If you missed a walk then you can find it linked below:

Walk 4 - Countryside Trail - Arrowtown to Old Lower Shotover Bridge

Walk 3 - Bob's Cove

Walk 2 - Queenstown Gardens Trail

Walk 1 - Kelvin Heights Sculpture Trail

What is the Winter Wander?

We want to the district to stay healthy this winter and get outside  for a walk! It might be cold, but let's not hibernate!

The Winter Wander will be a series of walks starting 29 July. One walk will be released weekly and can be done at any time.

This year, we'll have different difficulties of walk and these will be made clear once the walk is released!

If you complete this walk, then let us know and you'll be entered into a prize draw (more on this below!).

Register with us to keep up-to-date!

Enter your email

How to participate

One walk will be released each week beginning Monday 29 July. 

You can get these straight to your inbox using the form above or follow us on social media where we'll publish the walks every week.

A chance to win!

We want there to be some sort of incentive to participate, so we're offering the chance to win memberships at our sport and recreation facilities. We have the following prizes up for grabs:

  • A 3-month gym and swim membership to Alpine Health and Fitness and Alpine Aqualand

  • A 3-month swim membership to Wānaka Recreation Centre

Here's how it works:

  • We'll send you a walk to complete each Monday starting 29 July.

  • Let us know when you complete each walk by either uploading a photo of yourself on the walk to #qldcwinterwander (to social media) or email Dan O'Keeffe - daniel.okeeffe@qldc.govt.nz -  the photo. If you upload to social media, make sure the post is public so we can see it!

    • We accept cute doggos and just photos of the view as well! If you don't want to take a selfie!

  • You get one entry per walk, so if you do all four available walks then you'll get four entries into the prize draw

  • The winners will be randomly chosen on 7 September and contacted via social or email depending on the entry method!

Why wander in winter?

The Winter Wander is all about staying active during the colder months when we tend to hibernate and do less exercise. It's all about maintaining, or creating, long lasting healthy habits to reap the physical and mental benefits of low impact exercise.

You don't need to sweat, there is no cost involved, it can be done at any time, in any weather and you don't even need special equipment! Grab a friend, family member, the dog, or put some headphones in and take some time for yourself.

You'll get an epic, local walk in your email each week to make sure you get those steps in and start a regular walking habit. 

Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise with some phenomenal benefits:

  • Increase and maintain your fitness and cardiac health

  • Strengthen bones and muscles

  • Improve your mood, decrease anxiety, sleep better and boost immune system function

  • Help manage and improve certain health conditions

We're looking forward to seeing everyone out on the trails this August during the Winter Wander and we hope you'll see an improvement to your health and wellbeing!