CENTRAL COAST MTB - PEARL BEACH TO ETTALONG BEACH - 25 march 2015

I started off at Pearl Beach. It's such a pretty beach with calm water and a rock pool.

I cycled along the road running parallel with the beach then joined onto a track that followed the base of Mount Ettalong. It was a narrow track that clawed, at times, to the cliff  and the drop to the rocks/beach below. It was worn away in parts which made it difficult to traverse. There were great views down the coast and north towards Box Head. At Umina Point there was a small wave breaking.

The end of the path slowly ascended to Mount Ettalong Road. I followed the road a short distance and turned into Berrima Crescent. From here, I followed a sandy track to Umina Beach.

I rode/played around the southern corner of the beach and watched the sunrise.

The tide was low and the sand was compacted enough to ride on. It was great fun riding along the beach, skirting the edge of the waves, passing people and playing with different camera shots.

At the end of the beach, I crossed over a number of small rock groins and onto Ettalong Beach. Once again the sand was firm enough to ride on.

At the end of the Ettalong Beach was a public wharf. I rode around on the wharf, then followed the bike path back towards Umina Beach.

 

I rode some more on the beach, then turned back onto the foreshore at the Umina Surf Club. Just down from the club was a skate and bike riding park. I had a fun time in both. The skate park was a bit unnerving so there's a challenge to return.

I rode back along the beach and then around the cliff base to Pearl Beach. At Pearl beach, I took a small track that lead to the wetland area. It was very pretty and teeming with birds.

 

I loaded my gear in the van and ordered a coffee at the nearby café and sat on the beach to relax and enjoy the warmth of the sun.

 

distance - 13.82 km

elevation range - 41 m



CENTRAL COAST BIRDS - AVA,ARCHIE, XENA - IN THE LITTLE TREE - 24 MARCH 2015

A photo shoot time for the birds - Miss Ava, Mr Archiebald and Miss Xena.

They had fun in the little bottle brush tree - playing, eating nectar, acrobatics and posing.

CENTRAL COAST HIKE - SKILLION SUNRISE - 24 MARCH 2015

Sunrise at the base of the Skillion at Terrigal.

The sun came up and I went walking along the rocks around the base of the skillion. The tide was low and the swell small.

 

 

As the sun rose, the rock platform came alive with sandstone patterns, water on rocks, splashes, greens turning to bright greens and people doing things.

 

A nice way to start the day:)

CENTRAL COAST MTB - TURKEY, MACMASTERS, LITTLE VALLEY TRACKS - 23 MARCH 2015

Bouddi National Park - great hikes, rides and coastal views.

I parked at the visitors centre at Maitland Bay. A short ride up the road and onto the tracks.

Firstly,  the turkey track which at times skirts along the edge of an escarpment. There were a lot of tracks which basically ran parallel with the road but crisscross at times. I was doing better over the rocky sections than last ride.

Secondly, was the Macmaster Trail, which is basically a service road. It was steep in parts and there were some short diversion tracks along the way.

Thirdly, was the Little Valley Trail, which turned out to be a dead end. It ended in private property 'no trespassing'. The service road was very steep with humps. The humps were to reduce water erosion. A fun ride down and a steep walk back to the top.

I rode around a few smaller trails and headed back to the start.

 

distance - about 9km

elevation range 118 m

A good ride but I don't think I'd bother with the Macmasters trail again.

CENTRAL COAST - BIRDS ON THE DECK - 20 MARCH 2015

There was a lot of squawking on the deck. We had visitors!

 

 

It was pleasant watching the birds interact, fly off and fly back. Some looked friendly and others, well, not!

CENTRAL COAST MTB - BOUDDI NP - BULLIMAH SPUR - 19 MARCH 2015

I thought I'd try Bullimar Spur in Bouddi National Park.

I started at the Maitland Bay Centre. It was down the steps towards Maitland Bay until I reached the turn off for Bullimar Spur. This was the most steps I've gone done and they varied in step tread and height. Still, I did better than I'd done before so I was pretty happy.

The track to Bullimar Spur was narrow and fun. At times, it was very rocky and uneven and at others it was level with a few obstacles. I made it over a few drops of less than 1/2 metre so I was happy with my effort again.

Along the way there were large outcrops of double head height boulders which the track meandered through. A few times I stopped and walked along the edge of the sandstone escarpment. There were great views over the coastline and a big drop over the edge. A nice playground!

The ride finished at the end of the spur. There were a series of boulders and slabs of overlapping sandstone. The view was over Putty Beach and beyond towards Sydney. I rested there for awhile and enjoyed the view and played with the cameras.

On the way back, I took a turn off that went more directly up to the Scenic Road. It was a hard slog as I had to carry my bike most of the way.

A great ride with great coastal views.

distance - 2.28 km
elevation range - 64 metres

CENTRAL COAST MTB - BRISBANE WATER NP - BULLS HILL AND THE QUARRY - 17 march 2015

A warm sunny morning. Off for a bike ride at Brisbane Water National Park.

I started off on an old fire trail which I think is the Bulls Hill Fire Trail. The trail was very rough with heaps of hand size loose stones all over the road. There were a number of turns to the left that lead to tessellated sandstone slabs with views towards Mount Wondabyne. The sandstone was fun to ride over with drop offs, rock pools and an undulating surface.

Passing varying rock formations, eventually I reached the end of the trail with a great view towards Umina and Box Head.

Backtracking a short distance, I followed another fire trail that lead to Woy Woy Road. I cycled back to the car and onto the trail to the quarry.

I had a fun time in the quarry cycling in the rougher terrain and playing with the cameras for different view points.

A great cycle.

distance - 6.75 km
elevation range - 33 metres

CENTRAL COAST MTB - KINCUMBA MOUNTAIN - 15 march 2015

distance  - 8.95 km

elevation range - 141 m

I was going for a short ride but ended up exploring a few trails I haven't  been on before.

The first track down was steep with drops, and steps and slippery stuff. But I got down with some side slipping in parts.

Another trail was a one way event to Pickets Valley ending in someone's backyard. It was a level track with a number f birds darting here and there.

Going back up wasn't too bad. There were sections I walked and some I rode.

Overall it was a good fun ride!

CENTRAL COAST MTB - BOUDDI - ROCKY AND DALEYS POINT - 14 march 2015

distance 8.51 km
elevation range - 89 m

I started at car park at the corner of Wards Hill and Maitland Road.

I started on the trail to Strom's lookout. It was pretty easy. The last part was a short track through the bush then an excellent view over Brisbane Water.

Back tracking to the car park I turned off a narrow little track that joined onto Rocky Point trail. It was fun and zigzagging.

The track along Rocky Point was okay and wide. I took a turn to the left that lead to a high outcrop of rocks above the Rocky Point trail. It was a good view and the top of the trees was at my height.

Further along there were three more turn offs. The first went to Daley Point north. It was rough and fun in parts and ended above a water tank.

The second track lead to Aboriginal engraving area and a long escarpment with views over Brisbane Water. The tracks were through low dense bush that were cleared on the large sandstone rocks. There were a few tracks joining the larger rocks together. The carvings were very hard to see but I always get a funny feeling when I go to these sites. It is a mixed of amazement that people had been in this spot for tens of thousands of years, a sense of loss that they were no longer here and should be and a sense of respect like I am in a place of importance like a church or mosque. Mainly, I feel like I am intruding in a mixed sense.

The third turn off was the Fishermans Trail which lead steeply downhill for a fair distant to the housing at the base of the escarpment. From here, I followed the street to a track to Rileys Bay but there was no track so I had to back track. I walked most of the way to the top as it was very steep.

I returned to the car park hot and sweaty and feeling good. I drove to Terrigal Haven and had a swim. Nice!

CENTRAL COAST BEACHES - PUTTY AND BULLIMAH BEACHES - 12 march 2015

I parked at Putty Beach which is in Bouddi National Park.

distance 2km

 The beach was white sand and crescent shaped with calm water for swimming. I walked along the beach to the cliffs at the southern end. I followed the rock platform out to the point. The sun was beginning to rise as I reached the point. Nice!

I wandered around the rocks and pools of water then up the gentle cliffs to the pathway above. The sandstone on the way up was clean with golden to dark colours amid a swirling pattern. There were a number of birds fluttering around but they were too fast to photograph.

At the top, I followed the pathway to Bullimah Beach. The beach has a walkway of stairs leading down to it. The beach was small with soft sand and cliffs on either end. The tread of my steps were deep as I walked along the beach. Looking back, it was nice to see solely my footprints in a zigzagging fashion across the beach.

I followed the path back to the car. A nice hike with a contrasting sunrise against the shaded hills and cliffs

CENTRAL COAST BEACHES - TALLOW AND LITTLE TALLOW BEACHES - 11 march 2015

I rode along the service road through Bouddi National Park to Tallow Beach along Hawkes Head Drive. It isn't the best road to drive a camper van over.

The journey really started with a very early morning view over Tallow Beach and surrounding hinterland standing on a jutting slab of sandstone. I continued from there and had a fast, steep and wavy-like ride down the hill to the beach. It was cool ride ending in a sandy track to the beach.

I chained up the bike and wandered to the northern end of Tallow Beach. Here, there were cliffs, multi-coloured sandstone and a small waterway that was ending by leeching into the sand. It was nice looking back along the beach and seeing that the only footprints in the sand were mine.

The backdrop of cliffs which sat in a bowl like fashion covered with low vegetation and the crops of exposed rocks was very petty. A few years back it was very exposed after a major bushfire. The remains of  small dead trees being the only legacy of the event.

I walked along the beach to the southern end. The cliffs were easy and fun to climb. Each level gave access to a new view back over the beach and surrounding coastline. After a short climb, I reached the level of cliff verses vegetation. There was a track running along the cliff edge which I followed to Little Tallow Beach. The views along this track along the coast north and south were varying and pretty.

Shortly, I reached Little Tallow Beach. There was a great view of the beach and a small waterway that dribbled down the sandstone and into the sand. The waterway was amazing. It was filled with yabbies!

I walked on to the south side of Little Tallow Beach then returned via the bush track to my bike.

The ride up hill was way to steep for me so I enjoyed a steep sweaty hike up the hill pushing my bike.

It was a great cycle and hike. So pretty with a few surprises!

distance - 7.24 kilometres
elevation range - 108 metres