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

The Bay of Plenty of Fun

Splash! The first time you fall into the sea is always a shock....

Arising early, cars loaded, we set off for the short 15 minute journey to "The Glen". The Glen being not really Glen like, but a small coastal village with a stunningly classic kiwi play ground. Upon arrival I took it upon myself to have a quick play on the aforementioned play ground, making suitable use of the zip wire.

The mornings haze was starting to burn off an knowing the intensity of the blazing ball in the southern sky we splashed on lashings of sun cream. Backpacks at the ready! We started are coastal journey along the Cable Bay Walkway.

Slowly making our way up into the hills, the first remarkable feeling you get is like being at home, nothing foreign about the sheep in the valley, the pastoral hillsides green with the morning sun... Ah, no I misspoke definitely a foreign sun ☀

Slogging up and up we climbed until the grazed fields turned into native bush. Lush green ferns, hanging vines, the cool damp air only contained by the ample vegetation. Beautiful, serene and ideal for walking. Our pace sped up as the incline eased off and we begin to plateau.

Half an hour passes, with chit chat between the humans and birds alike. The track suddenly opened up, hopping over a fence we were in wide steep grassy slopes dropping down into the blue ocean. Lazy eyed cows goggling at us as we marveled at the brilliantly blue sky and deep navy oceans. In the distance the Abel Tasman National Park, with it's Sandy beaches and deep bays.

Wow a stunning site to behold and well worth the walk.

Parched, we slurped some fresh New Zealand water (bottled from the tap at home) and headed on! Down again the path wove into the cool forest once again. Brilliant light dappling through the fern leaves. "this country just keeps throwing beauty at you" I thought as we broken into a little down hill jog, arms flailing to keep our balance.

Not to be put done by the bounty of the forest we broke into the last part of our hike, rolling hills narrowly lined with steep tracks. Gulping a generous thermos of strategically carried tea we marveled at the vista, glistening ocean, verdant hills and endless sky.

Onward and upward! Across the valley, up the hill and then we were rewarded with the site of our destination, Cable Bay

Filled with excitement we hurried down to the bay. Little known to you as the reader we had cleverly made a suitable rendezvous with our stand up paddleboards. After a lovely lunch with family at Cable Bay Cafe who had come to meet us

Fifteen exhausting minutes of pumping in the mid-day sun we had them up and ready. Donning our hats and sunnies we first had a quick go in the blue lagoon which had filled slowly with sea water.

Joy! As we spot a sting ray gliding lazily through the shallow greeny-blue water. A suitable place for a start up paddle, but we must move on!

A quick turn around and back over the land bridge and down into the pebble beach we threw the boards into the ocean. It takes a little mastery to stand on a paddle board in waves, but once your moving it is like nothing else. Effortlessly moving over the surface of the sea.

Now it is time to break for the sea as we paddled further and further away from the shore, away from anyone. Bliss and peace as we travel in the most paleo of ways, a paddle and your own power.

Suitably satisfied we headed back to shore and that is where our journey ends back on the beach in Cable bay, loading our paddle boards into the roof of our trusty car (K9), we headed back to The Glen to pick up the other car.

All in all the day was an amazing success, and we shall return to Cable Bay for more adventures for sure!

Find the GPX map file here