Time: 1 hour and 50 mins point to point (cycling on an electric bike)
Distance: 20.3 km
Start of section: Southern end of the Esplanade, Sumner
Finish of section: Pages Road Bridge, New Brighton
Date: Friday 9th October 2026
Warning: Best done with the gpx handy (can be found here)
Not a soul to walk with today, so what better thing to do than cycle the 20 km Estuary Marshes Section of the Christchurch360 Trail on my electric bike (does this count?). The Christchurch360 trail circumnavigates the city and originated in the 1990's as a "Meurky Walk" - the "brain-child" of local botanist Colin Meurk. You might have seen the distinctive logo out and about town:
- Godley Cliffs
- Estuary Marshes (today's walk)
- Dune Wetlands
- Brooklands Mouth Section (see FW blog post here)
- Waimakariri Braids
- Avonhead Gardens
- Heathcote Divide
- Sugarloaf Hills
The gpx and a detailed track description of each segment can be found at the official website: Christchurch360 Trail.
Actually, for today's segment, I am cycling in reverse (is this allowed?), i.e. starting in New Brighton at the Pages Road Bridge (because it's easy for me to get to), and finishing in Sumner nearish the clock tower. Apart from garden parks and estuary margins, I will be sampling a good cross-section of Ōtautahi suburbia - namely deciles 1 to 10. I start the tracking app, cross the bridge and I'm on my way - carefully bypassing two Canadian geese who are standing directly on the path.
The first bit is through the Bexley Wetland Red Zone. The cycle path is a bumpy affair right alongside the Avon River/ Ōtākaro. This area was once Pacific Park, the site of about 5000 homes for fine upstanding Cantabrians. Liquifaction in the 2011 eathquakes put an end to that. But in recent times a rather large community comprising campervans, buses, cars, and tents has sprung up. Rough sleepers, homeless and/or possibly tourists. I can see them all across the way but don't want to take photos. The council reckon they are going to move them all on. But to where? There are possible plans in the pipeline for a caravan park.
I cross busy Anzac Drive then cycle through Bexley Park. This brings back semi-unpleasant memories of watching cold winter school soccer games. The route goes in front of Ngā Hau e Whā (four winds) national marae. I recognise Hobson at the entrance seated next to a rangatira, and read later that the rangatira is representive of three Ngāi Tahu chiefs who signed the treaty. The twisty manaia between them symbolises continuing debate surrounding the treaty.
The gate at Softball Lane is locked so I find a gap and cycle around Cuthberts Green until the trail marker indicates I should climb an electrified stile. Not remotely possible with the bike. And besides, a passerby tells me there are a herd of cows in there somewhere. I backtrack and wing it for awhile, somehow managing to pick up the trail again on the other side in Linfield Park (more unsettling soccer memories).
I'm now passing through Memorial Park Cemetery and then Ruru Lawn Cemetery. Despite all the dead people, the cycling is very pleasant and I am throughly enjoying the ride. After negotiating the busy intersection of Linwood Ave and Dyers Road I'm finally in the native trees of Charlesworth Reserve. I have to check the map a couple of times through this stretch. Mostly I have been able follow the well placed trail logos, but sometimes is a bit like playing Where's Wally. I'm thankful to have the gpx handy on my phone.
I finally get to the main Heathcote River and the Heathcote Towpath (see FW blog post here) which runs down the back of the Ferry Road industrial area. The tide is out and I can see Canadian geese in the distance. The path is mostly one lane here and there are a few people out and about (school holidays), biking and walking, so I am riding carefully.
Back on Te Ara Ihutai I put my foot down and go for it all the way out to Sumner. This is decile 10 suburbia and people are in their designer gear picking up designer dog poohs that have come out of the bottoms of their designer dogs. A far cry from the homeless in Bexley. I reach the end of the Esplanade which also happens to be the end (or start) of the Estuary Marshes segment. I turn off the tracking app and enjoy a decile 10 flat white and a chocolate brownie at Scarborough Fare. Then it's time for the return journey involving lunch with an eclectic and eccentric bunch of engineers. But that is another story which I choose not to divulge on this forum.
