Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

As a keen (but relatively slow) cyclist and walker, Sideline Sid often takes advantage of some of the myriad of walking tracks and cycle ways in our fair city.

Early city fathers showed foresight in creating plenty of recreational green space that is in constant use.

In recent years, a number of dual use walking/cycle tracks have been put in place and maintained at a high standard.

The base of Mauao has had a walking track for many years which is complimented by the tracks to the summit.

Well before physical fitness became fashionable, local Mount residents took advantage of the outstanding views on offer to walk around and up Mount Maunganui.

Another of the early tracks put in place a number of years ago is the Daisy Hardwick walkway, which provides a heart pumping ten kilometre walk or cycle around the Waikareao Estuary.

Just minutes from the hustle and bustle of the city, one seems many miles away from city life when circuiting the estuary.

Living on the extremities of Waihi Road, my favorite tracks are within the confines of the Gordon Carmichael Reserve.

After leaving the well maintained boardwalk accessed from Waihi Road, there are a number of options to get the blood flowing through your veins.

My favorite is to cycle up Carmichael Road, before hanging right at the roundabout to get back onto the reserve.

There are plenty of other variations, such as doing the loop from Bethlehem School around past the shopping centre and back to the school gates.

Another route is to leave the Carmichael Reserve and go into Princess Road and back past Otumoetai College and the Brookfield shops.

The development of The Lakes has opened up another myriad of tracks and cycle ways.

With easy access from pavement to walkways, there are plenty of options in the 60 odd acres of greenspace and housing development.

Taking centre stage is the man-made lake which provides a number of options to traverse.

The most panoramic views on the Tauranga City side of the Harbour Bridge are provided by the shared cycle/walkway, which stretches from the reserve by the Otumoetai causeway all the way to Fergusson Park (and beyond).

The ever-changing harbour views on a fine Western Bay day project the sheer beauty of our own slice of heaven.

However, the shared walk/cycle paths are creating some problems, with plenty of comments on SunLive from time to time about the dangers posed by either side of the argument.

Walkers complain that cyclists sneak up and frighten the wits out of them, while cyclists protest that the pedestrians walk three and four wide impeding their progress.

As someone who both walks and cycles four and five times a week, all it takes to make both sides happy is a little awareness and cooperation and a smile when passing.