Walks in Nelson, from our front door to the Abel Tasman

Walks from the door

Leave the car parked for these. The Maitai River and the Botanical Reserve are a few minutes' walk from the house, and the city centre is about 10 minutes away.

Maitai River walkway

An off-road shared path beside the Maitai River, popular with walkers, runners, cyclists and dog walkers. Head upstream towards the Maitai Valley, or downstream through town to Rutherford Park, the suggested Nelson start of Tasman's Great Taste Trail. For a short loop, Nelson City Council's Maitai Walkway and Lower Botanics walk combines the river path with the Botanical Reserve.

• Time: as short or long as you like; the council's loop takes 40–60 minutes.
• Effort: easy and mostly flat.
• Dogs: yes. Keep them on a lead on the town stretch below the Collingwood Street bridge. Further upstream, follow the signs, as some grazed sections need a lead too. Dogs aren't allowed at the main Maitai swimming holes and their picnic areas from 1 December to 31 March.

Centre of New Zealand walk

Walk to the Botanical Reserve, about 5 minutes from the house on the same side of the river, and climb Botanical Hill to the Centre of New Zealand monument. The name dates from the 1870s, when Nelson's chief surveyor, John Spence Browning, used the hilltop as a central survey point. From the top there are views over the city, Tasman Bay and the ranges beyond. For a longer loop, carry on down the eastern side to Branford Park and the Black Hole swimming spot, then come back along the Maitai walkway.

• Time: 20–60 minutes from the reserve to the top, depending on fitness (council estimate).
• Effort: short but steep.
• Dogs: yes. The council lists Botanical Hill among Nelson's popular dog exercise areas. Follow the signs on the hill.

Queens Gardens and the city centre

Wander through Queens Gardens, the Victorian gardens around the historic Eel Pond beside the Suter Art Gallery (Te Aratoi o Whakatū). Then head along Trafalgar Street and up the Church Steps to Christ Church Cathedral. On the way, look out for the City Centre ArtWalk, an outdoor gallery of artworks around the city's streets. On a Saturday morning, finish at the Nelson Saturday Market in Montgomery Square.

• Time: Queens Gardens is about 6 minutes from the house and the Church Steps about 1 km away. Allow an hour or so with stops.
• Effort: easy, on footpaths, plus the Church Steps.
• Dogs: on a lead, which is required in Queens Gardens and the city centre.

The Grampians

The bush-clad hills behind the city have a network of tracks of different lengths and difficulty. The Grampians Walkway starts at the top of Collingwood Street, near Melrose House, about 20 minutes' walk from the house, and zigzags up to a viewing platform over the city and Tasman Bay. You can loop back down on other tracks, such as the Kānuka, Kahikatea or Tawa tracks.

• Time: about 50 minutes and 2.4 km from Collingwood Street up to the viewing platform, plus the walk across town.
• Effort: moderate, with steep sections. Wear decent shoes.
• Dogs: yes. They can be off lead under control across much of the reserve, but must be on a lead in the signposted sheep-grazed areas, even when you can't see any sheep.

Princes Drive lookout

For a longer walk with sea views, cross town and climb into the hills above the port to the lookout on Princes Drive. It has seats and a plane table (a guide to what you're looking at) over Tasman Bay. You can also start from Tāhunanui Beach on the council's Britannia Walk (see Tāhunanui below).

• Time: roughly 3.5 km each way from the house. Allow a couple of hours return.
• Effort: moderate, mostly on footpaths and streets, with the climb at the end.
• Dogs: fine on a lead on the streets.

Nelson walks a short drive away

These Nelson walking tracks are 5 to 30 minutes' drive from Bridge Street.

Maitai Valley

Follow Maitai Valley Road upstream, about 10 minutes' drive, for riverside walks, picnic spots and summer swimming holes such as Black Hole and Sunday Hole. Nelson City Council's Maitai Valley walk starts at the pipeline bridge, past the motor camp, and crosses some small fords that can be tricky after heavy rain. Further up the valley, the Maitai Caves walk passes through beech and podocarp forest to limestone caves.

• Time: about 1 hour for the valley walk. The caves walk is about 10.5 km return.
• Effort: easy, but wear sturdy shoes for the fords. The caves walk is mostly flat, with a short climb (about 10 minutes) to the caves.
• Dogs: check the signs. Dogs aren't allowed at the main swimming holes and their picnic areas from 1 December to 31 March. They also aren't allowed in the Maitai Water Reserve, which protects Nelson's water supply.

Brook Waimārama Sanctuary

About 10 minutes' drive up Brook Street, this 690-hectare native forest sanctuary sits inside a 14.4 km pest-proof fence. The Loop Track is a gentle, wheelchair-accessible walk, and about 15 km of tracks lead further in, some with steep sections and river crossings. Birds here include tūī, korimako (bellbird), kererū and the rare kākāriki karaka (orange-fronted parakeet). The sanctuary isn't open every day, there's an entry fee and last entry is at 3pm, so check the sanctuary's website before you go.

• Time: about 45 minutes for the Loop Track; longer if you add the other tracks.
• Effort: easy on the Loop Track, harder further in.
• Dogs: no. Pets aren't allowed, to protect the sanctuary's pest-free status.

Dun Mountain Trail

The Dun Mountain Trail starts on Brook Street, a 5-minute drive or about half an hour's walk from the house. It follows the route of the Dun Mountain Railway, New Zealand's first railway, climbing gently but steadily through native forest. Stop at the picnic table at Bullock Spur for views over Nelson, or keep going to the Third House shelter at 660 m, which has a picnic table and toilet. Listen for tūī, bellbirds and weka. It's part of the Coppermine Trail and shared with mountain bikers, so watch for riders.

• Time: 11.5 km and about 3 hours one way to Third House. Bullock Spur makes a shorter outing.
• Effort: moderate: a long, steady climb.
• Dogs: no. The Coppermine Trail map says no dogs.

Tāhunanui Beach and the Back Beach

Nelson's main beach, about 12 minutes' drive away, has 1.75 km of sand to walk along. You can also follow the 1.5 km shared path and boardwalk between Tāhunanui Reserve and Parker's Cove, with views across Tasman Bay to the Western Ranges, and loop back along the Back Beach. From the beach car park, the council's Britannia Walk climbs to the Princes Drive lookout.

• Time: as long as you like. The Parker's Cove path is 1.5 km each way, and the Britannia Walk takes 1½–2 hours.
• Effort: easy and flat on the beach and path; the Britannia Walk climbs.
• Dogs: not on most of the main beach (the eastern two-thirds). Keep them on a lead on the Parker's Cove path. They can run off lead on the Back Beach.

Cable Bay Walkway

This walkway crosses private farmland and patches of native forest between Cable Bay (about 30 minutes' drive north-east) and The Glen (about 15 minutes). It has views of the Boulder Bank, Nelson, and Kahurangi and Abel Tasman national parks. There are toilets and seats near the airstrip, about halfway. At The Glen end there's no parking at the start of the track, so park before the Airlie Street turnoff.

• Time: about 3½ hours one way (around 10 km) for the whole walkway, so arrange a lift at the other end. From Cable Bay it's 1 hour return to the top of the first hill or 2 hours return to the forest edge. From The Glen, the round trip to the airstrip takes about 2 hours.
• Effort: moderate, steep in places, with stiles and gates. Wear strong shoes.
• Dogs: no.
• Closures: the walkway closes every year for lambing, from 1 August to early October, and when the fire risk is high.

Boulder Bank

This 13 km natural bank of boulders shelters Nelson Haven. Start from Boulder Bank Drive, off Atawhai Drive (State Highway 6), about 10 minutes' drive from the house. From there it's about 8 km along the spit towards the Cut, with a historic lighthouse near the end that has stood since 1862. Banded dotterels, white-fronted terns, red-billed gulls and little blue penguins nest on the bank, so give birds plenty of space.

• Time: 2–3 hours one way on an unformed route.
• Effort: hard going. You walk over large boulders, and the bank is rough, dry and very exposed. Wear strong shoes and take water and sun protection.
• Dogs: on a lead from Boulder Bank Drive towards the Cut. They aren't allowed at all on the 4 km nearest the Cut from 15 August to the end of February, during the nesting season.

Rabbit Island (Moturoa)

About 25–30 minutes' drive west, past Richmond, Moturoa / Rabbit Island has a long, pine-backed sandy beach, made for an easy, flat walk. The Great Taste Trail runs through it too. It's open in daylight hours only, and the gates are locked each evening (the time is on the signs at the gate). Inland forest tracks can close when the fire danger is high or for forestry work, so check Tasman District Council's notices before you go.

• Time: as long as you like.
• Effort: easy and flat.
• Dogs: no, but dogs are welcome on neighbouring Rough Island.

Day trip: the Abel Tasman Coast Track

The Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of New Zealand's Great Walks. Mārahau and Kaiteriteri, the gateways to the park, are an hour to an hour and a half's drive from Bridge House. You don't need to walk the whole track: walk one section and catch a pre-booked water taxi back, or take a water taxi up the coast and walk back. There's no fee for day walks.

• Mārahau to Anchorage (12.4 km, about 4 hours): cross the Mārahau estuary on a causeway, then walk through open country and forest before dropping down to Anchorage Bay, a scheduled water taxi stop.
• Anchorage to Bark Bay (8.4 km and about 3 hours via the Torrent Bay low-tide crossing, or 11.5 km and about 4 hours on the all-tide track): the low-tide crossing can be made within 2 hours either side of low tide. The all-tide track around the estuary gives access to Cleopatra's Pool, a natural rock pool, and this section also crosses the 47 m Falls River suspension bridge.
• Bark Bay to Awaroa (13.5 km, about 4½ hours): if you're carrying on to Tōtaranui, you can only cross the Awaroa Inlet in daylight, from 1½ hours before to 2 hours after low tide.

Water taxis run all year from Mārahau and Kaiteriteri, with scheduled stops at bays including Apple Tree Bay, Anchorage, Bark Bay, Tonga Quarry, Onetahuti and Awaroa. Book ahead, and check pick-up times and DOC's tide tables before you go. Dogs aren't allowed in Abel Tasman National Park. For water taxis, kayaking and more ideas, see our Abel Tasman day trips from Nelson.

Walking with a dog

Up to two well-behaved pets are welcome at Nelson Bridge House. The backyard isn't escape-proof, so please read our pet policy before you come, especially if you have a small dog. For quick outings, see our dog-friendly walks near Bridge Street. On the walks in this guide:

• Good with a dog: the Maitai River walkway, Botanical Hill and the Centre of New Zealand walk, the Grampians, the Back Beach at Tāhunanui (off lead) and the Boulder Bank (on a lead, and not on the stretch closed for nesting birds).
• No dogs allowed at Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, on the Dun Mountain Trail, the Cable Bay Walkway and Rabbit Island, or in Abel Tasman National Park.
• Always carry a lead: Nelson's dog rules require you to carry one in public places, even where dogs can be off lead. Pick up after your dog, and follow the signs, as rules can differ by season.

Tips for walking in Nelson

• Weather: conditions can change quickly on the hills and the coast. Take a warm layer and a rain jacket, as well as sunscreen and a hat, because the sun is strong.
• Water: carry plenty, especially on the Boulder Bank and longer tracks. In summer, watch for toxic algae warnings before you swim or let your dog into the Maitai River.
• Tides: check tide times before you walk the Boulder Bank or explore the shore at Cable Bay. The Boulder Bank is about 55 m wide at high tide and 240 m wide at low tide. LINZ publishes official tide tables for Nelson.
• Track closures: tracks can close after storms, for slip repairs, for lambing (Cable Bay) or when fire danger is high. Check Nelson City Council's alerts and notices and DOC's Nelson/Tasman alerts before you go, and follow any closure signs.

Nelson walks FAQ

Stay within walking distance

Nelson Bridge House is a renovated two-bedroom holiday home in The Wood, a few minutes' walk from the Maitai River and the Botanical Reserve. It sleeps four, has a washer and dryer for muddy gear and a garage for bikes and storage, and welcomes up to two well-behaved pets. Book direct: the minimum stay is two nights, and stays of 7 nights or more get 10% off.

Check availability

For beaches, wineries and rainy-day ideas, see our guide to things to do in Nelson. Planning around a festival? See what's on in Nelson.

Track times and distances come from Nelson City Council, DOC, Heart of Biking and the operators. Walk and drive times from the house are approximate. Rules and track conditions change, so please check before you go.