Nelson - A Truly Admiral City

Known as one of the sunniest places in New Zealand (averaging 2500 hours a year), there is a constant battle raging between Nelson and Marlborough as to which enjoys the most sunshine hours. A true Nelsonian will always say: “It’s hotter than Marlborough” when referring to the weather! Nelson’s Maori name – Wakatu – translates into 'the prow of a canoe' – referring to its location at the tip of the south of New Zealand. Set within an enclosure of hills it is very well protected, which further contributes to its clement weather.

Unsurprising, the climate is a huge draw for visitors, including numerous New Zealanders who take their holidays here. However, there are many more reasons to make sure that you include Nelson as part of your itinerary. The city, (population 45,000) may be small – but it is perfectly formed. Diverse landscapes, beautiful beaches, gourmet food producers, a café society wineries, arts and crafts, culture – Nelson really does have it all.

Nona Jackson and her partner John lived there for six years – and they loved every moment of it. Nona well remembers her first sight of Nelson, which they approached via Blenheim by driving up a long hill called the Gentle Annie Saddle. She says: “As we drove over the top of the hill we were faced with a view of the ocean in front of us with the hills and mountains behind – then we swept around the waterfront and into the city. It reminded me of when I was a child and first saw the sea – all pretty and sparkling.”

Describing it as: “An incredibly easy place to live”, both Nona and John really enjoyed the relaxed pace in Nelson. Nona says: “We got the best of both worlds because we were living by the sea in a really sunny place with the most amazing food and wine being produced all around us. At the same time, if ever we wanted a ‘city fix’, we could take a 30 minute flight to Wellington – or a 90 minute flight to Auckland."

The centre of Nelson itself is pretty compact. Trafalgar Street, intersected with Hardy and Bridge Street, are where the main shops are, but there are also heaps of boutiques, galleries and restaurants. Everywhere you look you will find some sort of art, whether it is street sculptures, paintings on the walls of cafes or tiny shops selling hand-made jewellery. Check out ‘Mint’ for funky, contemporary New Zealand silver or the gold and silversmith Jens Hansen, creator of the ‘one ring’ for the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The replica ‘one rings' are very popular as wedding rings.

The Saturday Market, which is held in the Montgomery Square car park, is a must for both locals and tourists. Locals usually arrive at around 7.30 a.m. to buy their fruit and veg, freshly made bread and amazing, hand-made sheeps’ cheese. In the summer the queues for strawberries are 20 minutes long. The market is also full of arty stalls, hand made items and brac a brac – a great place just to wander around.

When New Zealand was initially settled and the New Zealand company was formed, Nelson was one of five towns that was established, so the whole area is steeped in history. Named after Lord Horatio Nelson, many of the roads and public areas around Nelson are named after people and ships associated with the Battle of Trafalgar, which took place in 1805. Take time to visit Founders Heritage Park, a replica historic village featuring many of the old historic buildings and artefacts of Nelson much as they were in the colonial days of the 19th century. Alternatively, the Nelson Provincial Museum will give you a fascinating insight into the history of the city.

Nelson was the birthplace of The World of Wearable Art (WOW) award show, which now has international recognition, and the museum, on the outskirts of the city, is well worth a visit for anyone interested in wild and whacky fashion. Also in the museum over 40 classic cars are on display - portraying the 'wow' factor in a different light!

With so much to see and do, taking time off to relax and spoil yourself is always going to be a welcome option. Nelson has an enviable reputation for the quality of its food and wine. As the biggest fishing port in Australasia, sea food is a huge part of life here. Every restaurant and café can be almost guaranteed to serve outstanding fish and sea food dishes – and its Golden Bay scallops are famous throughout New Zealand. One of Nona’s top tips – Haven Fish and chips on Wakefield Quay is so popular that it always has queues out of the door, so do what the locals do - have a pint in the pub next door whilst you are waiting and extend the experience, then eat your food sitting on the wall watching the sun set over the harbour.

Alternatively you may wish to eat on one of the two local beaches. The nearest town beach - Tahunanui - is split into two parts. The front part is where everyone swims and sunbathes, then there is what the locals call 'the back beach'. This is one of the best beaches in New Zealand for kite surfing because of the wind (even though other parts of Nelson are not generally windy) and it is a lovely place to visit in the early evening and watch all of the colourful kites. Many New Zealanders return here year after year for their annual holidays.

Moving slightly out of town, food and wine lovers will appreciate a visit to Upper Moutere. Originally a German settlement, it is now a popular stopping off place for visiting Neudorf, one of New Zealand' s most outstanding family owned vineyards. You will also find the Neudorf Dairy here, where you can buy delicious sheep' cheese. Quite a few artists live in and around the village and one of the most interesting ones to visit is the potter, Katie Gold. She lives in a grand old homestead with beautiful gardens and has turned one of the downstairs rooms into a gallery where you can buy amazingly colourful sculptural work. Her husband is also a potter and he sells quirky bowls and plates.

As Nona points out: "The thing about Nelson is that whether you visit galleries, studios, vineyards or gourmet food producers you are very likely to actually meet the person behind the product. You are not just buying something to take home, you are getting a story that goes with it."

Visitors to Nelson shouldn't leave without making sure that they visit
Abel Tasman National Park. The smallest national park in the country - and one of the youngest, it was only set aside as a national park in the 1940s. At the southern end of the park, which is the gateway to the coastal tracks (Marahau) the vegetation is still regenerating, but as you progress the forest becomes more mature, denser and original. By the time you each the top, known as Totaranui, it is incredibly mature and lush with really beautiful examples of native New Zealand trees and ferns and mosses. Waterfalls, lagoons and streams as well as pristine beaches all form part of the stunning scenery. Sea kayaking, sailing and other water-based activities are understandably very popular activities in this region.

Because The Abel Tasman is primarily a coastal walk it's a really easy trek, and you don't have to take a lot of gear with you. You can just do a one-day walk - or take up to five days. There are lots of well-maintained huts and lodges where you can stay en route, with a comfortable four-hour walk between each one.

This is one of Nona's favourite places to go. As she says: "It is only about 1½ hours drive from the city and although it is incredibly accessible now by water taxi, sailing boat or by foot there are many times you can find yourself to be alone on a golden sandy beach staring out towards the Marlborough Sounds. One of my favourite things to do is to hire a yacht for a couple of days with friends and just sail up and down the coastline or moor up in Anchorage which is a popular mooring spot for local boaties. Quite often you will find that half the population of Nelson Yacht Club are over there for the weekend, which sounds like it's terrible busy, but it's not!"

To get a real taste of the Abel Tasman National Park take a trip with a company run by locals - for example Wilson's Abel Tasman Experiences who have been operating in the park for many years and have real knowledge of the park, the flora and fauna. They have two waterfront lodges where their visitors can stay - one of which used to be the family bach (home) built by the parents of the current Managing Director.

Alternatively, why not try Awaroa Lodge - an eco hotel at the top of the park, which is a destination in itself. Only accessible by water or by air, it has architecturally designed suites which overlook regenerating wetlands.

Two other national parks in the region which are not as well known but are real favourites with New Zealanders are Nelson Lakes National Park and Kahuranga. Nelson Lakes is very popular for walking and boating and, apart from during the height of summer, it is relatively quiet. This is home to 'The Antiques and Classic Boat Show' which is mostly attended by locals. The Kahuranga, meanwhile, stretches along the west coast and encompasses an enormous range of landscapes ranging from alpine tussock downs, caves and natural arches through to nikau forests. Some of the Lord of Rings footage was shot around this region.

Another popular place to visit is Farewell Spit - a sandbar, which looks like a long kiwi beak sticking out to sea, stretching out 35 kms from the very northern tip of the South island. This a bird sanctuary of international significance and is home to over 90 species including gannets, bar tailed godwits, knots, curlews, whimbrels and turnstones. Farewell Spit Tours, located in Collingwood, provide daily eco-visits as well as tours to the lighthouse and the Barchan sand dunes. As Nona says: "You feel like you are standing on the edge of the world as you look out over the Tasman sea. On a really clear day it is possible to see Mount Taranaki on the North Island and it looks like a tiny triangle hovering above the horizon."

Brook Waimarama Sanctuary, meanwhile, on the outskirts of Nelson city, is a large area of native forest that is being fenced off to try and attract the native bird population back into the city, and over the coming years it is likely to become an increasingly important feature of Nelson.

If you are looking for an exhilarating experience then make sure you visit Happy Valley Adventures, just a ten minute drive from Nelson. This is home to a world first - the Skywire. Suspended up to 150 metres across the forest and 305 metres above sea level in an open-air 4-person chariot, you fly 1.6 kms across the native forest valley - and then return backwards!

Whatever you decide to do in and around Nelson, one thing is for sure - you will wish that you had allowed yourself more time to experience this truly admirable region of New Zealand!