Rotorua Walking Festival 2020 has plenty of reasons to get involved

Participants enjoying the scenery during a previous Rotorua Walking Festival. Photo / File

People can take the chance to challenge themselves, work on their fitness, enjoy the local scenery with people from all over and raise money for good causes in one place next week.

The 27th annual Rotorua Walking Festival is on March 14 and 15.

Day one involves walks in the Whakarewarewa Forest with distances of 10km, 21km and 42km.

On day two walkers will see Rotorua's unique parks and urban environment displayed, walking past cafes, through the lakefront and around the Government Gardens with distances of 10km, 20km and 30km.

This year there are smaller 5km walks - an SPCA dog walk on Saturday for gold coin entry and a Rotorua Parents Centre family walk on Sunday which costs $5.

They start at 11am at Neil Hunt Park and the proceeds go to the charities.

Organising committee chairman Deryck Shaw said it was nice to have a local charity connection.

He said the festival had always had a great relationship with Rotorua SPCA and had raised funds for it before.

"The Rotorua Parents Centre does a great job with families and they are a great local group to support.

"It's nice to be able to have the Rotorua community come and support these centres."

On March 13, 8pm there is also a nocturnal walk through the forest with a local guide which costs $5. Proceeds go to the Rotorua Botanical Society.

"The festival's been going for 27 years and has done lots of things for organisations, and we like to be able to support these."

Rotorua Walking Festival organising committee chairman Deryck Shaw. Photo / File

Shaw said the festival was a great opportunity to meet with other people from around New Zealand and the world.

"Locals can walk and share our great forests, lakes, reserves and geothermal areas with them.

"There's always a great sense of camaraderie on the walks and if you want to challenge yourself the longer distances are a great way to do that."

He said some people from China and Mongolia withdrew due to coronavirus travel precautions, but there were still people coming from around New Zealand and the world, such as Russia, United States, Australia and Europe.

"It's pretty cool we can bring these people from around the world specifically for this event."

He said the Rotorua Walking Festival had established international credentials around the event becoming a member of the IML Walking Association and IVV, which made it part of an international calendar of walking events around the world.

Rotorua SPCA centre manager Sue Kinsella said the centre was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the festival organisers.

"It will be a great family event and the dogs will have a wonderful time.

"We rely on generous donors to be able to do the work we do in the community. Every cent helps," she said.

"The Walking Festival showcases how our region has some of the best short walks in the country and visitors from across the world come here to enjoy the scenery and facilities that as locals we can enjoy every day.

"It really is a great place to live and work."

Rotorua Parents Centre president Danielle Auld said the event was a great fundraising opportunity and a way to appeal to and engage members.

She said fundraisers like this was great for the centre because it was money they could spend on anything they needed to.

She said a lot of local businesses had supported their event by providing spot prizes. It will be a family-friendly, gentle walk where you can enjoy the Redwood forest.

For more information go to www.rotoruawalkingfestival.org.nz.