Walk Details
NZ Walking Routes > Great Walks > Boulder Bank, Nelson
Boulder Bank, Nelson
- Location
- Accessible from Boulder Bank Drive, off SH6. Access to the Boulder Bank is from Boulder Bank Drive (off Atawhai Drive (SH6)) or by boat from Nelson. A ferry service is available from Nelson.
- Description
A walk along the Nelson Boulder Bank is an opportunity not to be missed. The 8km walk, from Boulder bank Drive to 'The Cut' takes 2-3 hours one way. The Boulder Bank is rough, dry and very exposed, so be prepared for all kinds of weather and wear strong shoes.
The internationally-renowned Nelson Boulder Bank is a natural spit of boulders, formed of the debris of land slips from the Mackay Bluffs, swept southwards by sea currents over 10,000 years. The bank is 13km long, the last 8km forming a spit which separates Tasman Bay from Nelson Haven. It's width varies from 55 metres at high tide to 240 metres at low tide.
The shelter offered by the Boulder Bank was a major factor in choosing the site of Nelson. In 1848 a beacon was erected near the end of the bank and, in 1862, the cast iron lighthouse building that remains today. In 1906 a cut was made in the bank to allow easier passage to Nelson Harbour for shipping. 'The Cut' now separates Haulashore Island from the bank.
- Distance
- 16.0 km
- Duration
- 6.0 hours
- Level
- Medium
- Amenities
-
- Historical
- Tramping
- Source
- www.doc.govt.nz,
- Avg Rating
- 4 out of 5
- Discussion
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