The Rameka Track

The Rameka Track: More Than Just Gravity

I spend a lot of time encouraging people to explore the lesser-known outdoor routes around Nelson (city in Tasman Bay , top of the South Island, New Zealand). Every now and then, though, a more popular track pops back onto my radar.

When that happens, it’s usually because the place is quietly offering something much bigger than its “headline” reputation.

The Rameka Track is one of those places.

Most riders know it as a classic gravity-fed mountain bike descent: point the bike downhill, hang on, and grin your way to Golden Bay (region on the northwest corner of the South Island). That’s all true—but there’s a deeper story behind this route, and understanding that story changes how you ride it.

It Starts With A Name

The Rameka Track began as a stock route (track for moving animals) between the Nelson side of Tasman Bay and Golden Bay. It was first developed in the 1850s and later upgraded by the government to a bridle track (route suitable for horses and foot travel) in the 1890s.

Its name is associated with Rameka Te Ketu, a Māori leader and landholder connected with the Golden Bay area. The naming is particularly interesting because the track’s modern history began as a colonial stock route, yet its name reflects the Māori history and people of the land it crosses.

Because Rameka Te Ketu owned land on the adjoining Rameka Creek and he signed 3 major Ngati Tama land deeds, his name became attached to the track itself.

So every time you drop into the Rameka on your bike, you’re following a route deeply connected to a rich history.

The Life Of A Track

Like a lot of old backcountry routes in New Zealand, the Rameka Track was shaped by economics, engineering, and a good dose of urgency.

In the 1850s, a rough line through was pushed through the hills while whispers of gold circled around Golden Bay. By 1856, things were serious enough that Nelson merchants offered a reward of £500 to anyone who could find a commercially viable goldfield to boost the local economy.

In 1857, gold was struck and the rush was on.

Golden Bay’s population boomed, and suddenly there was huge demand for supplies—especially livestock for meat. The rough stock track became a vital link.

After the gold rush subsided, the government stepped in. In the 1890s, the current track was surveyed, and money was poured into turning it into a bridle track (track suitable for horses as well as foot traffic). About a decade later, a major engineering milestone changed everything: the modern road corridor was completed independent of the Rameka track.

Once that road went through, the Rameka Track was still used , but not as the main route to Golden bay. From an economic perspective, it had done its job. From a mountain biking perspective, its best years were still ahead.

How To Save An Abandoned Track

This is where things get a bit heartfelt.

The modern Rameka mountain bike experience exists because of a lot of love, volunteer hours, from a small groups of passionate individuals at Project Rameka and the Golden Bay Mountain Bike Club .
For a long time, only the upper section of the Rameka was open to riders. That gave you a short taste of singletrack before sending you down Rameka Creek Road towards the valley floor. For most mountain bikers, this felt like a serious misuse of perfectly good gravity.

Jonathan Kennett and his partner Bronwen Hall—one of the Kennett Brothers, early pioneers of mountain biking in New Zealand—solved this dilema in 2008. They purchased under-utilised land at the lower end of the Rameka, planted it out in native forest, and began building a fun network of trails and restoring the orginal Rameka bridle track that ran through this land. Their efforts were a pathway for the formation of the Project Rameka Trust, an organisation focused on forest restoration, biodiversity and non-motorised recreation- its a super refreshing low impact approach to land management.

The Rameka track in its total length is only really rideable today because of the efforts of the Project Rameka trust who maintain this land held in trust for the benefit of the public, that’s why we dedicate portion of your custom transport fare back to the trust and encourage people riding the track to give them a small donation as well.

Golden Bay Mountain Bike Club is a relatively small club by New Zealand standards, but they punch well above their weight. They put a huge amount of effort into keeping the Rameka and other tracks in the area rideable—doing all the unglamorous work that makes your ride feel “effortless”

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The Rameka track is a beautiful example of how private initiative, local clubs, and long-term land use can combine to create something special for the riding community.

Why Ride The Rameka?

I love the history, and I think it adds a lot to the ride. But if you’re a rider, you’re probably also asking: “Okay, but why should I actually ride this track?”

Here are a few hard numbers to put things in perspective:

• 1.5 hours: Roughly how long it takes to drive from Nelson (small coastal city in Tasman Bay) to the start of the track.
• 700 metres: The approximate altitude you’ll lose from the top of the trail down to the start of the Tākaka Valley (broad rural valley in Golden Bay).
• 100 metres and 20 minutes: The descent and ride time from the end of the trail into the rural township of Tākaka.
• 15: The number of distinct, high-quality food spots in Tākaka where you can get genuinely good kai (food).

In other words: big vertical, proper backcountry feeling, and a very decent chance of excellent coffee, food, and post-ride treats at the bottom.

Logistics

Now for the practical bit, because the Rameka isn’t just a case of “drive to the carpark, do a loop, drive home”.

The logistics are high-admin.

The start and finish are a long way apart, and you’re crossing from one bay to another. Yes, you can pull in favours and get a driver. Yes, you can ride back to the start—I’ve done that… once. I’m not rushing to repeat it.

The reality is: a shuttle makes this ride far more enjoyable.

We could easily use this blog as a hard nudge for our own services. But we’re based in Tasman Bay, not Golden Bay, so if you’re only after a simple shuttle or vehicle relocation from a friendly Golden Bay local , I really recommend Rameka Shuttle (phone: 0210 700 656) – they offer a well-priced car relocation service that gets your wheels where they need to be.

If you’d like more than “just a shuttle”, that’s where our Rameka Track Plus transport package comes in.

What Is The Rameka Track Plus?

The Rameka Track Plus is our way of turning a great ride into a full-day adventure. For us, it’s never just about getting from A to B. The riding is most of the magic, but the food stops, timing, and extra trails are what make the day unforgettable.

We start in Nelson, pick you up in the morning and shuttle you l to the Rameka trailhead. On the drive we talk through grading, conditions, and route options, so when you roll off the start line you know exactly what kind of ride you’re in for.

Then it’s all about gravity. You drop into the Rameka, lose a big chunk of altitude, and thread your way down the old bridle track through the native forest, with side trail options depending on how you’re feeling on the day. It’s a proper “top-to-bottom” run.

At the bottom you roll into Tākaka (small rural township in Golden Bay), where we meet you, lock your bikes on the trailer, and set you loose on the town. With around fifteen good food spots and, on Saturdays, an outdoor market in the town centre, it’s an easy place to refuel and soak up some local character.

Once you’re fed and happy, we head back into the hills for a couple of short laps on the Pikikirunga Trail(Golden Bay mountain bike club creation). It’s flowy and fun, a chance to add more riding without a huge climb.

To finish, we change scenes completely and head to Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park (large, purpose-built trail network above the beachside village of Kaiteriteri). We shuttle you to the top, you drop in for a final run, and you pop out near the golden beaches of the Abel Tasman coastline. A beachfront café, sandy feet, and a cold drink are all part of the plan before we point the Landcruiser back to Nelson.

By the end of the day you’ve linked an historic stock route, a big gravity descent, a quirky rural town, a community-built trail network and a modern bike park into one continuous story. That’s the Rameka Track Plus in a nutshell.

“I’d Love To, But I Don’t Have A Big Crew”

That’s totally fine.

You don’t need a large group to make this work. Keep an eye on our monthly specials—every so often we announce per-seat priced Rameka Track Plus trips so individuals and small groups can jump on without having to organise a big crew.

Those specials if they are running will appear on the link buttons on this page.

See what our customers have to say about our Rameka Plus Experience

“Fantastic day out. Excellent service from pick-up coordination, drop off at trail entrance, pick-up again and the delivery safely home again. Thanks Dave! Much appreciated. Thoroughly recommend”

“Awesome transport option to a track that is usually logistically difficult. Can transport up to 9 bikes and passengers. Dave was even happy to wait for us while we had lunch after our ride. Lots of storage for gear. Comfy van and great layout with side facing seats for everyone to chat. Scottish Express has so many great trips available. Highly recommend this service and business.”

“Brilliant service. Flexible, friendly and super knowledgeable. Great set up on the bike trailer with storage and solid bike carriers. Comfy ride in the back to our destination”

“Had a great day out in spite of the rain. Excellent service, also great to have booked us a table booked at a cafe for after the ride.”

“Fantastic day without any how do I get there and back worries! Loved how Dave flexibly adapts schedule and route according to groups pleasures and desire for best ice cream in the area :-)”

“Great day out!! Awesome day out riding the rameka track and kaiteriteri,solid bike transportation and good yarns!!!!”