BOUDDI NP HAVEN - 'CAPPACINNOS AND MOUNTAIN BIKE' - 12 DECEMBER 2019

The surf was small lumpy and powerless this morning.

Jacinta and I had a walk times two around the Haven. After that, we sat on the beach rock wall and drank cappuccinos. The Haven was somewhat protected from the wind so a snorkel later when the tide was lower looked possible.

I decided on a mountain bike ride. I drove to Brisbane Water NP at Warrah Trig Road but the park was closed due to high fire danger.

I drove to Bouddi NP at Maitland Bay and the park was open. I had a fun ride on the Turkey, SW Ridge and Strom and Ferny tracks. These tracks all link together and complete a loop ride. I did a diversion along the track off the NW Ridge track for a short distance. That track was rough and dry.

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 LOOP MTB - 22 SEPTEMBER 2017

A surf check revealed smaller waves of poor shape. Maybe later.



I drove to Bouddi National Park and had a mountain bike ride along the Turkey, NW ridge, unknown, Allan Strom and unknown tracks.

It was a fun ride. I felt I had improved on all the runs. The first unknown run has a number of difficult sections being boulder obstacles and the sheer drop over the escarpment. I managed them better and actually made it over a number of obstacles that dwarfed me previously.

The second unknown track leads off the Strom track and it was very pretty. It wound its way through ferns and grass trees.

A fun 7 km ride.

A second surf check revealed no improvement.

Late morning, Kara, Mr Archibald and I drove down to Wamberal Beach for a sit and chat in the sun.

A warm day today.

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 MTB - 24 NOVEMBER 2016

One of my favourite rides today at Bouddi NP.

I was intending to follow a number of tracks in a loop fashion.

I reached the turkey trail cycling along the road from Maitland Bay carpark. I was feeling confident so I was cycling at a fast pace. the first section of the trail is the best part with a winding trail through the bushed then a number of turns with steepening drops over tree roots and rocks. I was trying to follow smoothing and was gaining more speed but towards the end of this section the bike stopped and over the handlebars I went. I rolled along the ground and my injury was only a scape on my leg. the bike was okay too. Now falling like that isn't good but considering the terrain I was lucky that I landed on dirt and not rocks or tree roots.

I continued along the track and then joined on the NW ridge track which was so much fun. A low section of track meandering through the bush and then along the edge of the escarpment to pop out eventually on the trail and on towards the Aboriginal carvings.

I was going to go further but my leg was feeling a little sore so I doubled back to finish my ride.

An eventful 4.96 km ride.

BOUDDI NP - TURKEY AND NW RIDGE TRACKS MTB - 14 NOVEMBER 2016

A cloudy and pretty sunrise at Wamberal Beach. The tide is high and the swell is small equals no waves but the water looked smooth and glassy.

I decided on a bike ride and drove to Bouddi National Park, about 20 minutes.

I had a quick stop at Marie Byles Lookout to admire the beautiful view of the coast.

I rode the Turkey and NW ridge tracks.

The ride felt good and I managed to overcome a few more obstacles  than my last time at that spot. There were two sections of a drop after a group of rocks going downhill that I had baulked at previously. This time, I looked more carefully and the fall of the land and followed my chosen path with success. It always feels good to just push a bit more with confidence.

At two spots, I saw a flower I had not seen before. The base of the plants was long narrow leaves that fanned out. From the base, a long stem of about 1 1/2 metres extended upwards with no leaves. On the tip was a very pretty white/lemon bottlebrush. I later had the flower identified as a Xanthorrhoea macronema bottlebrush grass tree.

After a great 5.03 km ride, I drove to Terrigal Beach for a swim. The water was nice and the wind a bit chilly. There were nice twinkles in the water.

BOUDDI NP MTB - 15 AUGUST 2016

A warm and sunny winter's morning.


Stopped at Marie Byles lookout at Bouddi NP for an inspiring view across to Sydney.

Next stop, a bike 5.1 km ride at Bouddi NP.

The tracks were mainly dry and it was such fun riding along the turkey and NW ridge tracks. need to get my brakes fixed though.

I stopped for a bit of a wander around the NW ridge.

Next stop, Copacabana... how lucky, there were two pods of dolphins splashing and frolicking in the waves.


A most great start to the day.,

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.