Last updated October 2026
Local volunteers built The Link Pathway, Te Ara Tūhono, in stages over about 15 years. The result is a walking and mountain bike track that joins Picton and Havelock along the inner Marlborough Sounds, with Anakiwa and the Queen Charlotte Track along the way.
Marlborough NZ gives it as 42 km, and the grade varies along the route. About a fifth of it follows 1860s bridle paths, and the last piece to go in was the Motuweka Havelock Boardwalk.
Practical Information
- Route
- Picton to Havelock, linking Anakiwa and the Queen Charlotte Track
- Havelock access
- 61 Main Road, Havelock
- Length
- 42 km (Marlborough NZ)
- Grade
- Various (Marlborough NZ); national track data lists sections at bike grades 2 to 3
- Use
- Walking and mountain biking
- Part of
- About two-thirds of the pathway is part of Te Araroa
- Dogs
- On lead on most sections (national tracks dataset)
- Built by
- Local volunteers, overseen by the charitable Link Pathway Trust
- Status
- Check Marlborough District Council’s Link Pathway page, and the pathway’s Facebook page, for current closures before you ride
About The Link Pathway
The idea came from the community. Marlborough District Council says the project began in 2005, when inner Marlborough Sounds residents wanted pathways between their local communities. The aim was a continuous, high-standard pathway on public land between Havelock and Picton, taking in Anakiwa, that would extend the Queen Charlotte Track and link it to Picton and the interisland ferries.
The first section, in the Mahakipawa Arm near Havelock, was finished in 2006. It was just under 1 km long and built entirely by hand.
Marlborough NZ says the charitable Link Pathway Trust oversaw thousands of volunteer hours as the trail went in, stage by stage, over 15 years, and Herenga ā Nuku reported in 2020 that the team had raised about $1.5 million to build it, with help from the council, DOC and other supporters. The final link, the Motuweka Havelock Boardwalk, was completed in 2021.
Along the way you ride through native bush with sea views, a remnant podocarp forest, a salt marsh and mature beech forest. Near Picton the pathway follows an old stock route that once led to the town’s former freezing works, and it passes the site of a Second World War lookout and signal station.
Bridle Paths and Gold Rush History
Much of the pathway’s story is older than the trail itself. In the 1860s, European settlers and miners built a bridle path to move horses between Picton and Havelock, and it was used during the short-lived Wakamarina gold rush.
Most of that path was destroyed when Queen Charlotte Drive was built around 1920, but the surviving sections of old bridle trail now make up about 20% of The Link Pathway.
The pathway is also part of a much longer journey. Herenga ā Nuku says about two-thirds of it is part of Te Araroa, the trail the length of New Zealand.
The Motuweka Havelock Boardwalk
The last piece of the route to be built is one of its highlights. The Motuweka Havelock Boardwalk, completed in 2021, crosses towards Havelock on arched bridges with views across the Kaituna Estuary. The Havelock end of the pathway is at 61 Main Road.
Where to Learn More
Marlborough District Council: The Link Pathway: the council’s page, with links to the pathway’s updates and the walking and cycling Smart Map.
Marlborough NZ: The Link Pathway: the regional tourism guide, with the pathway’s history and highlights.
Herenga ā Nuku: Picton to Havelock Link Pathway nears the finish line: the story of how the pathway was built. Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, Outdoor Access Commission, from LINZ and DOC data (CC BY 4.0).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is The Link Pathway?
Marlborough NZ gives it as 42 km between Picton and Havelock. In 2020 the builders told Herenga ā Nuku that 38 km was complete, with 3 or 4 km to go.
Can I mountain bike The Link Pathway?
Yes. It is a walking and mountain bike track. National track data lists its sections at bike grades 2 to 3, and Marlborough NZ describes the grade as varied.
Where does it start in Havelock?
Marlborough NZ gives the Havelock access as 61 Main Road.
Does it connect to the Queen Charlotte Track?
Yes. It links Havelock, Anakiwa, the Queen Charlotte Track and Picton.
Who built it?
Local volunteers, with the Link Pathway Trust overseeing thousands of hours of work over about 15 years. In 2020 the builders said funding let them hire subcontractors for bridges, boardwalks and rock cutting.
Is it part of Te Araroa?
About two-thirds of it is, according to Herenga ā Nuku.
How do I check if it is open?
Check Marlborough District Council’s Link Pathway page, which points to the pathway’s Facebook page for updates.
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