15 - Stepneyville Walk

Time: 1/2 - 1 hour

Area: Port Hills

Start Location: The Basin Reserve carpark on Rocks Road, opposite Connolly's Quay fishing platform.

Download the Stepneyville Walk map (159KB PDF)

Route directions

Cross Rocks Road and head north beside the water, past Fifeshire Rock (also called Arrow Rock), Haulashore Island and a couple of great Nelson restaurants.

There are many seats along the waterfront where you can stop and admire the view. Cross the road (which is now Wakefield Quay) when you get to The Boathouse and start going up Poynters Crescent. Turn left into Harbour Terrace and then right up the steps of Stepney Lane.

Much of the walkway is in the shade and quite mossy so take care if the path is wet. Follow the walkway up to Queens Road and continue to the left.

At the top where Queens Road and Victoria Heights meet is the Queens Road Reserve. There's a seat here to catch your breath and look out over Tasman Bay before taking Victoria Heights over the brow of the hill. On your left is a view of Nelson's hilly backdrop, the Grampians, the city centre, and the Centre of New Zealand.

Continue along Victoria Heights and turn right into Britannia Heights. At the top of Britannia Heights is the Songer Tree, Sequoiadendron giganteum, a North American Californian native that was planted on Arbor Day 1900. At night this tree is lit up with bud lights.

Follow Britannia Heights down and at the crossroads, turn right into Richardson Street and go down the hill to Rocks Road or take Stafford Walk which is off to the right. Turn left into Rocks Road and back to the Basin Reserve.