Railway Reserve

• Nelson
• Walks & Hikes

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The Railway Reserve follows the historic railway route that once linked Nelson City with Glenhope in the Tasman District.

The railway itself was in operation for 79 years, proving to be a vital connection serving the various communities along the way, but was decommissioned back in 1955. Today virtually no evidence of its presence remains, other than the historic Spooners Rail Tunnel at the other end.

The shared off-road pathway now links the city with the township of Stoke, connecting through to Richmond via the Whakatu Coastal Pathway and joining up with Tasman’s Great Taste Trail.

The Railway Reserve is a shared off-road pathway that is hugely popular with walkers and cyclists, passing through side-streets, underpasses and over bridges along the way. Linking the city with the township of Stoke, the pathway connects through to Richmond via the Whakatu Coastal Pathway.

How to get there: The Railway Reserve begins at St Vincent Street in Victory Square (or at Orphanage Stream if you’re coming from the other direction). The pathway connects with the Whakatu Coastal Pathway, Poorman Stream, Orchard Stream and Orphanage Stream, offering plenty of access/exit routes along the way.

Photo credit: Nelson City Council.