Wairarapa people with a sense of history are being invited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rimutaka Rail Trail by walking it in the company of a celebrity, Governor-General Sir Jerry Mataparae.
The anniversary walk will be held on Saturday November 3 with an open invitation issued jointly byGreater Wellington Regional Council and the Department of Conservation.
Those who take part will walk the gently graded 10km trail from Kaitoke on the Hutt Valley side of the old rail incline, gathering at the summit for speeches and cake at 12.30pm.
They can then either walk back to Kaitoke or continue on down to the remnants of the old Cross Creek railway settlement in rural Featherston, that was home to the Fell engines until the Rimutaka Rail Tunnel opened in the mid-1950s.
The regional council's parks manager Amanda Cox said the walk was a unique opportunity to walk the entire trail ending at Cross Creek without having to organise transport back to Kaitoke.
"For just $6 you can catch a shuttle from Cross Creek back to your car." Ms Cox said those who wanted to go on the walk would need to book and confirm seats for the shuttle before November 3 by telephoning 04 830 4041 or emailing bookings@gw.got.nz
The Governor-General's participation reproduces the walk of the late Sir Paul Reeves, who undertook the journey when the trail opened 25 years ago. Now about 36,000 people a year do the trail either as walkers, runners or cyclists.
