CENTRAL COAST - 20 TO 25 SEPTEMBER 2021

 

20 SEPTEMBER

A morning surf check – dead flat.

A mountain bike ride on the Rocky Point tracks at Bouddi NP.

An early ride with no one around. The air was crisp and the tracks firm. The return journey was a bit blinding with sunrise sunlight filtering through the trees in blasts.

Our 2^nd covid jab today.

21 SEPTEMBER

Jacinta wasn’t feeling too good after the covid jab so we had an easy day.

In the late morning, I had a walk around the rocks at Terrigal Haven. The wind was blowing fiercely in sections with small waves crashing into the rocks.

22 SEPTEMBER

 A morning surf check – no go.

A mountain bike ride on the Mullet Creek track at Brisbane Water NP.

A fun ride with -

·        blooming wildflowers of many colours

·        challenging very steep sections of track that were heavily eroded

·        a train tunnel

·        a flooded old quarry

·        off track hiking – found hand-hewed steps and seating area in the undergrowth

·        mullet creek

23  SEPTEMBER

A early morning surf check – maybe better later.

A kayak on Avoca Lagoon.

A beautiful, sunny and warm morning with a very light wind, perfect for a kayak. The water was reflecting the shoreline – a view of double images. There were a number of birds – black swans, ducks, herons and darters. They were foraging for food in the shallows or giving themselves a wash. The water level was high and the water was clear.

I checked the surf again and paddled out on a nice left just south of the ruins on Wamberal Beach. There were a few out but the strong current dragged most further down the beach. It was a good hour of waves with Ian and Craig only until the high tide swallowed the waves.

25 SEPTEMBER

A mountain bike ride on the Alan Strom trail with Ken at Bouddi National Park.

Another perfect day but the surf wasn’t a go. Ken and I had a ride along the wide trail. A fun ride where ken got more use to his bike and bike skills. We rode along the ferny track as well. Ken had a little stack there.

Afterwards, cappa and croissant at Hardys Bay.

The wind had increased so I headed over to Can ton Beach for a windsurf. Bill and Lance were just finishing and old Pete was in balance recovery. I had a ride but the wind really was strong enough and was backing off. The good side was that I finally got my rig right for the new sail. At the end of the session, I met Victor from Czech Republic – lived in Singapore and Bali for awhile and his wife is from Palu in Sulawesi.

Back home for yoga with Jacinta.

BOUDDI NATIONAL PARK - TURKEY, NORTHWEST, STROM MTB - 25 OCTOBER 2018

I went exploring for surf. Even though the conditions had improved the waves were very small.

I sat at the Haven drinking a cappuccino while looking at the ocean view. I decided to check out Bouddi to see if the tracks were dry enough.

The tracks were good and mainly firm and damp.

I started on the Turkey Track. It was pretty exciting riding a long track again. There was a bit of erosion making some of the drops just a little harder.

I started at the very top of the NW ridge track and had a ball winding my way through the bush. I love the variety of this track - downhill, narrow obstacles, drop offs, hard turns, sheer drops over the escarpment and spiky bushes - which all adds up to fun.

I returned via the NW trail and rode it till the end. I followed the road to the trackhead on the Strom Trail. The trail was great with speed, control, small obstacles and beautiful scenery. About half way along there is a narrow track that winds its way through ferns and grass trees. It was very pretty.

The last section back to the start was very steep. I walked this part. :)

I did my best time on this run, yet I felt like I was riding calmly. :)

BOUDDI NP MTB - THE LOOP - 5 MAY 2018

Mountain Bike Ride (MTB) - Bouddi National Park

Parking

There's a number of places to park at Bouddi NP depending on where you start your ride.

I parked at the Maitland Bay carpark, Scenic Road.

Staying

There is a national park camping area at Putty Beach.

The ride

I started at The Maitland Bay carpark and rode north along the Scenic Road past the houses until coming to a dirt clearing on the left. The Turkey Track starts at the end of this clearing.

The track starts narrower and runs smoothly with a couple of drop offs before turning sharply to the left. The track widens more from here and becomes a rough downhill ride with tree roots, rocks and drop offs. After a while the track, the track smooths out and becomes a smooth ride. Towards the end, the tracks goes a steeper uphill and intersects with the NW Ridge trail.

I turned right on the NW trail and continued uphill nearly to the gate at the top of the hill where there is a track to the left. This is the NW ride track. This track goes a short distance and veers to the left or right. I took the left and followed the track which runs out of sight but parallel to the trail.

This a a great undulating mainly downhill track - rocks, tree roots, short steep climbs with obstacles, lots of small drop offs, close vegetation and beautiful scenery. At a few points the track passes close to the cliff edge.

Eventually, the track leads onto the trail and then a short steep downhill with a steep uphill to the Aboriginal rock carving area. Please walk over the tessellated sandstone to a track on the right. This track winds through the burrawangs and joins back onto the trail.

I followed the trail back to the end towards the road gate. From here there are a number of choices.  I chose to ride along the road towards the north and just before the turn off for the Strom Trail there is a track to the right. I followed the track to the right for a short distance and turned right onto the Strom Trail. This trail is undulating, wide and easy but beware sometimes there can be a pools of soft sand.

After a distance there is a track to the right leading uphill towards the ferns. This is such a pretty track - narrow, thick ferns and burrawangs, some drop offs and loose edges in parts. It joins onto the Strom Trail where I turned right and continued. The trail soon leads very steeply uphill, past a locked gate and back to the Maitland Bay carpark.

I called this ride the Bouddi Loop. One of my favourites. A lot of variation can be added or taken away from the ride depending how I feel.

BOUDDI MTB - TURKEY, NW AND STROM TRACKS - 19 OCTOBER 2017

A very messy surf this morning. After three surf checks, I gave up.

I went for an mtb at Bouddi NP along turkey, nw and strom tracks. It was so nice to be back riding on the bush tracks - quiet, pretty and the challenging. 

Back at the van, I met Matt who had seen some of my videos on mtb'ing on the central coast.

Later, I had lunch at Killcare Surf Club and then a beach sit with Kara and Mr Archibald. It was a pleasant there being out of the wind.

BOUDDI NATIONAL PARK LOOP MTB - 2 APRIL 2017

The surf was looking poorer this morning and there had been two days of lighter rain so maybe a mountain bike ride.

I drove to Bouddi National Park and started from the Maitland Bay carpark.

The ride started along road towards MacMasters Beach. After a 100m there was a 80km speed sign and a dirt area. An easy to see track easy lies on the left. This was the turkey track. The track was a bit heavy and eroded in spots but heaps of fun.

I followed the track to the end where it intersects with the NW ridge trail. At this point, I turned right to the top of the hill. Near the top there was a track to the left. That was the NW ridge track. I followed this for a short distance and turned to the left. the track meanders on the edge of the escarpment running roughly parallel with the NW ridge trail. This track was the best.

I followed the track till it joined onto the NW ridge trail. I continued down a short hill and then up a hill until I( reached the Aboriginal site. A good rest spot and a rock hopping venue.

On the right, at the corner of the sandstone platform was a track. It was short and a bit random but it goes to the bottom of the hill and onto the NW  ridge trail.  I followed this to the end and start of the NW ridge track.

I cycled down the track but this time after a short distance I turned right. I follow it till the end and turn right and over the gate. This track was very slippery and wet in parts. It would be better in the reverse direction.

I turned right onto the road and at the top of the hill there was a gate for the start of the strum trail. This trail is wide but narrows in sections. After awhile there was a track to the right that winded through the ferns and back to the strom trail. This track is very pretty with ferns, burrawangs and rocks.

I then followed the strom trail to the end and up a short steep hill and back to the Maitland Bay carpark.

About 7 kms total. IA great fun ride with lots of variety in tracks and scenery. Mosquito repellent was definitely needed.

BOUDDI NP MTB - 21 DECEMBER 2016

This morning I had a ride at Bouddi National Park.

I biked along the tracks - Turkey, NW Ridge, unknown, Strom - it was quiet with a few surprises.

The first surprise was making it through all the rough of the turkey track at moderate speed without falling or portaging at the harder spots. A good feeling.

The second was a bike in a tree. Obviously, a Christmas decoration.

The next was a mum and daughter running team. They told me of their love for running the tracks on the Central Coast. They have a lot to do.

The final was an additional track off the Strom Trail. I did this before but it was sandy and not very good. the track was now firm and passed through and around thick ferns, grass trees and large boulders. A great ride.

Overall, it was a great 7.32 km fun ride.

Drenched in sweat, I drove to nearby Killcare Beach for a dip in the ocean. Nice.

Later in the early afternoon, we all went to lunch at The Cove at Terrigal Haven. The restaurant has a nice view over the ocean.

It was a nice lunch full of laughs.

BOUDDI NP LOOP MTB - 24 JULY 2016

A check of the surf at Terrigal Beach, then off for a bike ride at Bouddi National Park.

A fun 6.61 km ride along the trails from the carpark at Maitland Bay.

I started along the Turkey trail which was a little soaked from water runoff. Then on to the NW track, which was heaps of fun and scenic. I backtracked then took the trail north. This trail was heaps harder but fun with big drops, slippery rocks and muddy conditions in parts. On the return, I followed the Strom Trail which was soaked and muddy. the ride was hard through the deep mud and sand. Usually, this spot is dry so I was pretty surprised by the conditions.

I finished the ride a little tired and speckled with mud. A fun afternoon.

BOUDDI NP - MAITLAND BAY TRACKS - MTB - 26 OCTOBER 2015

A check of the sunrise and surf and off for a bike ride.

The GPS didn't work correctly so no map or ride information.

 

It was a good ride that lasted about 1 hour. I felt that I had improved since last riding this track - moving a little faster, handling obstacles better and smoother.