The Grampians, Nelson, New Zealand

This tough thigh burning trail run starts from The Brook, Nelson as the easy centre point. It can be run in either direction but North to South is the best way to get technical downhill. 

Heading downstream paralleling The Brook follow the road around to the cross roads with Collingwood Street. Turning uphill you are faced with your first leg grueling challenge. The top of Collingwood Street is a short but significantly arduous gradient for you to think twice. Hammering your way up the tarmac road withing 100m you reach the start of The Grampians Walk.

Starting the first section, you notice the winding path increases in angle the more you go up, the occasional bench reminding you that a quick rest would be lovely.  Sheep boarding the path looking at you with disdain for the effort you make is stupid. 

A few moments later you reach the viewing area, which looks north towards Nelson, a stunning view. Perhaps if you are nice to yourself a quick rest. 



Toiling on you find relief as the gradient decreases and you begin running on an undulating ridge line, don't be fooled the up hill is not over. Soak in the views of Richmond and Tasman area. 

Another 5 minutes you are grabbed by the realisation you are heading up hill dramatically again. you are about 360m up at this point. Pushing your legs to keep going and running between patches of tree shade you can see the radio tower summit. Up the final path that parallels the summit access road you reach the top (about 35-40 minutes). Bugger no view!! UNFORTUNATELY TOO MANY TREES. 

A quick turn around the trick here is to take a sharp left onto the path that comes off the parallel road path. Down hill now you can break into a strong run through single track down hill tree lined paths. Over a fence you can start to get dramatic views of the Richmond Forest path as the track increases to a remarkable steep gradient (warning shoe placement and strong grip needed). Heading SSW the path contours slowly downwards. 

At the first junction, turn right and keep heading down hill. Then at the next fork take the less defined path left. Carefully placing you feet as you run through the grass. 

Another sharp left, you rejoin a more defined path, this quickly leads to a wide open track then gravel road section. Not long after this the steady run leads you into a grassy valley and a beautiful flowing jog down towards The Brook. After about 20 minutes of down hill running you arrive back to The Brook and can jog to the start. Great local jog. 

For Maps and GPX map files visit here