Kim Rusden walks the length of New Zealand carrying the cross

Anyone driving along Nelson's Coastal Highway over the past couple of days may have noticed a man wheeling a cross along the side of the road.

That man was Kim Rusden, he and his wife Joan are spanning the length of the country carrying the cross because they are Christian and believe that is what God wants them to do.

"We're walking the length of New Zealand with the cross and sharing the gospel along the way to those who would like to hear," Kim said.

BRADEN FASTIER Kim Rusden is walking the length of New Zealand with a cross, he's pictured on the Coastal Highway near Mapua.

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* The cross he bears

The couple live near Feilding and began their South Island journey seven days ago in Puponga.

While Kim does the walking, Joan takes the couple's campervan and either drives ahead or behind him.

They started last year, only walking during the school holidays. The first part of their journey started in Wellington and they gradually made their way up to Cape Reinga.

Joan said Kim usually walks 200km over the two weeks except in the Christmas holidays when they went from Dannevirke to Waihi which was about 450kms.

It's the first time Kim has been in the South Island and he said even though it's been raining he has been enjoying it.

"The North Island was great but the south is even better, the scenery here is just stunning," he said.

"I've never been to the South Island before, it's lovely I'm enjoying it. It's a big walk but it's a good walk, there's lots of hills."

The couple are both self-employed and work in between their stints of walking.

By the end of these school holidays they hope to end just out of Blenheim.