45 - Marsden Valley Memorial Walk

Time: 15 - 20 minutes - unsealed track

Area: Stoke

Start Location: The Memorial Walk is towards the top of the Marsden Valley about five minutes by car from the Stoke shopping area. Follow Marsden Road to The Ridgeway, cross over and carry on up Marsden Valley Road, past the cemetery on the right. The start of the track is another kilometre up the road on the left - look for the sign for Marsden Valley Reserve, Nelson Schools' Revegetation Project.

Download the Marsden Valley Memorial Walk map (51KB PDF)

Route direction

The track starts to the right of the war memorial and heads up into the new native plantings - this project was started back in 1989 and has involved almost all schools in Nelson and Richmond and many thousands of children. The main plantings in the area are ngaio, kanuka, pittosporum, five-finger and ake ake. The project has also involved controlling invasive weeds such as old mans beard which threatens much of our native bush.

The track splits and goes up to the most recent plantings.

At this stage it is a no 'exit route', but walk up nearer the top and admire the views. Return to the track by the same route.

Continuing, follow it on down until you come to another fork - take the left hand track and down to a small roadside reserve carpark. Turn right and walk back down the road to the carpark.

Options: For a longer walk turn left at the road and walk about another 400 metres to a clearing on the right and the Barnicoat Range Walkway.

There are a number of options here - either the road (which is great for mountain-biking), the walkway which goes up the face of the range, or another Nelson City Council walk which takes you in a loop past another schools' revegetation project and back to the road. To do this walk, follow the first section of the Barnicoat Range Walkway over the bridge, up the track, up the road for about 60 metres and then double back to the left along the track on the side of the hill. Keep going till you come to a creek, cross it and follow the road back down the valley to the carpark. This is another easy walk which takes about 20 - 30 minutes.

Another pleasant 30 minute walk takes you further into the valley (See walk 46 Old Weir).