8 - Maitai Walkway and Lower Botanics

Time: 40 - 60 minutes

Area: Nelson Central

Start Location: Millers Acre Centre, corner Halifax and Trafalgar Streets.

Download the Maitai Walkway and Lower Botanics map (65KB PDF)

Route directions

Walk along the Maitai River path to Collingwood Street and continue until you come to the Nile Street Bridge. The seal on the path stops here - an arrow guides you under the bridge and then up the stairs.

* Further along the track you go out of the city and the scenery changes - ahead is one of the many swimming holes in the Maitai River, this one is 'Girlies Hole', used in the past by Nelson College for Girls' swimming sports.

Follow the track to go past the wishing well and continue along to Clouston's Bridge (on Nile Street) - go across the bridge and turn right. You are now on Maitai Valley Road. Follow for about 40 metres and turn left at the letterboxes. Follow the track and signposts to the playing field. Go up the track and to the left. Up the hill note some of the native trees - brachyglottis, mahoe, lancewoods, titoki, matai and kahikatea.

Now descend down the track out on to the Botanical Reserve. Follow the path to the right of the park towards the playground and turn right into Milton Street. When you reach Bridge Street, turn left and cross the Normanby Bridge. Cross to the right hand side of the bridge and turn hard right on to the Maitai Walkway and back to your start point.

*Wheelchair / Buggie option: Follow the river from Millers Acre Centre to Nile Street where the seal ends on the walkway. Go up on to the bridge and turn left, go across the bridge and along Nile Street, turning left into Tory Street and then left into Hardy Street East. Follow Hardy Street across the footbridge. Cross Domett and Tasman Streets and turn right into Queens Gardens - go through the gardens and turn right into Bridge Street. Go across the Normanby Bridge, cross the road and turn left into Tasman Street. Follow Tasman Street and turn left into Halifax Street East.

From here either turn right into Shakespeare Walk or left over the Collingwood Street Bridge, then turn right and follow the path back along the river to the Millers Acre Centre.