Some Popular Longer Walks / Hikes in and Around Nelson & The Region (2 hours upwards)
The Barnicoat
Drive past the Marsden Valley Cemetery on Marsden Valley Road and park in the car park. The walkway is well signposted.
The hill is named after John Wallis Barnicoat an early Nelson surveyor.
The walk starts in the car park and leads off across a footbridge joining a four-wheel drive track. After about 10 minutes the walkway diverts off to the left up a steep slope. Continue through the pine forest, which provides good views over the former Ngawhatu Hospital buildings, and on to Jenkins Hill, an area popular with paragliding enthusiasts. The effort is rewarded with great views of Mt Richmond Forest Park and Tasman Bay.
Distance: 6 km, Duration: 3.0 hours, Level: Medium
Dew Lakes (Dun Mountain)
Drive along Maitai Road approx 11km up the Maitai Valley. Cross the Maitai Forks Bridge where the dam reserve starts. Begin walking on the track from the footbridge 100m down the road from the gateway into the reserve.
The Dew Lakes (a collection of bogg ponds) walk is an extension of the Rush Pool walk and continues uphill on a steep, uneven track. The walk takes you through beech forest and the area's mineral belt. Return the same way.
Duration: 6 hours, Level: Medium
Maitai Caves
Near the end of Nile st east, turn into Maitai Rd and head 11km up Maitai Valley. Cross the Maitai Forks Bridge to the start of the dam reserve. Track begins at footbridge 100m back down the road from the gateway into the reserve.
Please note: follow the signs to Maitai Caves – DO NOT take any of the Dun Mountain Routes.
The Maitai Cave walk takes a southern turn into the limestone area of the mineral belt. The limestone has been tilted to vertical by earth movements, making channels for water that carve out cave formations. These have their own unique insect and plant life including a rare limestone kowhai.
This is well worth the walk-the last 45 minutes is close to a mossy creek and the limestone cave entrance is wonderful to explore.
The Maitai Valley to the east of the city is a popular recreational area with numerous picnic and swimming spots.
A good challenging walk with a few slippery scrambles!!
There is an uphill climb to the cave entrance - take a torch!!
Duration: 3 hours return, Level: Medium (some inclines and can be uneven but still well marked. Wear strong footwear).
Rush Pool and Maori Argillite Quarry
The track starts over at the gate at the far end of the Maitai Dam reserve. Near the end of Nile Street east, turn into Maitai Road and head 11km up Maitai Valley. Cross the Maitai Forks Bridge to the start of the dam reserve. Track begins at footbridge 100m back down the rd from the gateway into the reserve.
Follow the Dun Mountain fork.
A lovely invigorating walk through open country and pine plantations- leading to the man-made Rush Pool and Dew Lake. The quarry face is just above Rush Pool (see if you can figure out why the pool is called this!!)
In the quarry look for the black-grey argillite-early Maori mined this sharp-edged metamorphosed mudstone, for their own tools and as a commodity. Look for all the stone chips that litter the area-more than likely they are offcuts from tools!!
There are also treeless areas of reddish-brown rock known as ultramafic, this is part of Nelson's mineral belt!
Follow the 4WD road up the hill from the gate. Take the right fork to another 4WD road at the next signpost-follow the road following any turnoffs. Watch for the signs. Return the same way.
Duration: 3 hours, Level: Medium (A challenging uphill walk so wear strong footwear).
Whispering Falls / Chromite Mine (Mt Richmond State Forest Park)
Travel south on State Highway 6 through the large roundabout and after about three kilometres turn left into Aniseed Valley Road. Carry on to the foot of the hills then turn left for a short steep climb; keeping an eye out for approaching traffic. This sealed road takes you as far as the Hackett picnic area, where it then carries on unsealed for a further five kilometres to the Nelson City Council's waterworks reserve.
The Whispering Falls Walk starts from the Hackett Carpark in the Aniseed Valley (about 20 minutes drive south from Richmond). It is a nice easy walk through forestland, crossing over and wandering alongside the Hackett Stream up to the waterfall. You can extend your walk by visiting the Chromite Mine Workings Track (the site of an 1860’s Chromium Mine) which starts near the waterfall itself.
Once you reach the base of the waterfall, the track takes you through the waterfall itself, and the water flows over a large deposit of travertine (limestone). This is apparently one of the best places in New Zealand to see limestone in it’s natural state, and it is beautiful.
From there you follow the track up onto a grassy hill which is above the falls…it’s a steep climb, but well worth it! A great place to enjoy the scenery and have a picnic lunch, before re-tracing your steps for the journey back to the car-park.
It’s a nice walk for families, and dogs are also allowed on this track. It can get very warm in the summertime, and there is plenty of opportunity to cool off in the river as you are walking along the track.
This reserve has numerous picnicking spots, a toilet and dressing shed. There is a large pool under the footbridge, marking the entrance to the Mt Richmond Forest Park. The pool is deep, but also suitable for small children where you enter the water.
Distance: 8 km, Duration: 3 hours, Level: Easy
Kingsland Court Motel - Tahunanui, NELSON
WHERE YOUR STAY IS MEMORABLE
