Cable Bay Walkway

  • Nelson
  • Walks & Hikes

A coastal paradise unlike any other, the ruggedly beautiful landscapes of Cable Bay and Glenduan are showcased along the entire length of the Cable Bay Walkway.

A 3.5 hour walk (one way) across rolling pastures and through coastal forest delights walkers with spectacular views of the Boulder Bank, Nelson City, Cable Bay, the Horoirangi Marine Reserve and the Western Ranges. The vistas of the Cable Bay inlet are particularly scenic, and early evening usually sees sunset-chasers scrambling up the hillside as the sun descends into the horizon, casting purple and pink hues over the undulating landscapes of Pepin Island.

Cable Bay has a unique history as New Zealand’s first cable connection with Sydney in 1876, when an international telegraph cable was laid between the two sites.

It’s a steep and challenging ascent to the hilltop on both ends of the track, but once you reach the summit the remainder of the journey is relatively flat. Following the ridgeline from Cable Bay, you’ll see the rugged boulder cliffs that drop sharply to the ocean floor, creating a unique boulder reef environment inhabited by various marine life in the Horoirangi Marine Reserve. Rolling meadows and open farmland transcend gradually into an inland forest, dusted in red bark and shaded by a dense green canopy, before sloping back down the hillside to Glenduan.

Unless you want to walk all the way back, it is recommended that you have a car parked at each end of the track.

How to get there: You can access the track from Airlie Street in The Glen, or from the left-hand side of the Cable Bay causeway at the end of Cable Bay Road.

Photo credits: (1) @cjmaddock, (2-3) www.nelsontasman.nz, (4-5) Pepin Island Farm.

Address

Cable Bay Walkway

Cable Bay Road
Atawhai
7071 Nelson

Phone
+6435482304
Visit website
Email
visit@nelsontasman.nz
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