Rotorua Walking Festival just around the corner for all to enter

Walkers exploring Rotorua's forest scenery during a Rotorua Walking Festival. Photo / File

You can lace up those shoes and get moving as the 28th annual Rotorua Walking Festival hits the forest paths and pavements this weekend.

It is not too late to get involved, with registrations open right up until the moment of each event.

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 with distances of 10km, 20km and 30km.

This year there are also shorter walks on Saturday and Sunday, which will be the Parents Centre family walk on Sunday and the SPCA dog walk and St Chads walk on Saturday. All proceeds from these walks will go to those organisations.

There is also a Nocturnal Walk this evening with all proceeds going to the local botanical society.

Organising committee chairman Deryck Shaw reckons about a couple hundred people were registered so far.

"We are really looking forward to it and are taking all of the precautions you need to do these days with Covid.

"It's great to be this close to this year's festival and we look forward to welcoming people on the walks. It's a great event for those keen to challenge themselves."

He encourages people to get among the action as the Rotorua Walking Festival is a great way to enjoy Rotorua's nature landscape, such as the forest and geothermal areas.

He says for some people the festival is also about setting a goal.

There will be many spot prizes up for grabs and live entertainment each day.

"We are affiliated to other walks around the world, and most of those other events have been cancelled.

"We are very privileged to hold our walking festival here in Rotorua, New Zealand."

For more information and to enter the 2021 Rotorua Walking Festival go to www.rotoruawalkingfestival.org.nz. Enter online before Monday for early-bird entries.

- Friday, March 19: Nocturnal Walk, proceeds to local Botanical Society, 8pm at Netherlands Society Hall
- Saturday, March 20: 5km dog walk for SPCA. Gold coin donation per dog or $5 per Family. Starts 10.30am.
At 11am is the inaugural St Chads Charitable Trust walk. This costs $5 per family.
- Sunday, March 21: 5km Family Walk, entry is a $5 donation. Proceeds to the Rotorua Parents Centre. 10.30am from Neil Hunt Park.