Newport Beach

Hi everyone

Summer is here.  Yippee, yahoo.  A friend asked me about walking along our beautiful coast from Avalon to Palm Beach. I started to explain the walk, then realised I had the details on the “blog”. So much easier reading it than trying to explain. This made me realise I haven’t posted the many stages of the walk that we did in 2011 from Palm Beach to Balmoral – the Sydney Coastrek walk! So below are the details and some photos of the walk from Avalon to Mona Vale Beach. I think it’s about 8kms.  When we do these walks we always leave a car at the beginning and one at the end of the walk – we never think of doubling back – yikes.

• Start at the southern end of Avalon Beach at Avalon Parade, which becomes Surfside Avenue. Follow it until it becomes a dead end, then take the path between houses to Barrenjoey Road – this is a very busy road so take care as there is no footpath.
• Turn left and follow footpad behind barrier rail and then grassy verge for approximately 100metres.
• Turn left into The Serpentine. At the end is Bilgola Head Lookout which has beautiful views over Bilgola Beach and Newport and back to Avalon.

• Turn left down wooden stairs to Bilgola Beach.  These stairs aren’t well sign-posted, if you pass 18 Serpentine you’ve gone too far.

• If you choose not to walk along the beach you can still go down the stairs but at the bottom turn right into Allen Avenue then right into Bilgola Avenue and this meets up with The Serpentine.  Turn left at The Serpentine and left again down the road which leads to the beach and SLSC.
• Follow path down to beach and walk across sand to Bilgola SLSC and carpark.
• Take wooden stairs up on south side of toilets with sign ‘Bilgola South Head’.
• Follow bush track, veering left around headland. Another place with wonderful views. This continues onto Newport Beach.

• Walk past Newport SLSC and across grass at end of carpark parallel to beach to Myola (steep) Road.
• Follow Myola Road straight through and up to the crest of Bungan Head to T-junction with Bungan Head Road.
• Cross Bungan Head Road and veer left down steps of Betty Morrison Reserve (Myola Road Numbers 95 to 83).
• Walk down steep ramp to Bungan Beach SLSC and turn right onto beach.  Halfway across Bungan Beach, turn right into sand path between dunes.  Take steps and steep ramp up (this is Beach Road) to Barrenjoey Road.
• Alternately, if you don’t feel like walking along Bungan Beach just continue on Bungan Head Road and turn left at Karloo Parade until you join Barrenjoey Road.  Still a fabulous view this way too.
• Turn left into Barrenjoey Road.
• Continue on footpath then turn left into Hillcrest Avenue (no footpath) and follow it to dead end (Mona Vale Headland – Hillcrest Lookout.
• Continue to eastern end of grassy area and turn right into signposted track down towards beach.

  

  Mona Vale Beach

  

  Coastrek 2011

  

  Mona Vale Beach

• This track leads to end of Grandview Parade.  Immediately turn sharp left into another bush track with green sign leading down to Mona Vale Basin.  Pause half-way down over a little bridge and enjoy the view.  Sometimes we train up and down this track and onto the lookout (I end up having a nanna nap in the afternoon!!).
• Make a sharp right at bottom of bush track into wide grassy rather curing left to Surf View Road.
• Turn left into Surf View Road and veer left to arrive at Mona Vale SLSC.  Yay you have reached your destination.
• There are a number of cafes – Bronze at the surf club, Cinque at end of Darley Street and The Armchair.  You deserve a break.

I train with Rob Cook Training on Friday mornings at various locations between Bilgola Beach and North Narrabeen.  Some of the stairs I’ve mentioned he makes us run up and down a number of times.  Eg. North Bilgola stairs, North Narrabeen stairs, the path between north Newport and Bilgola and the dreaded stairs at north of Mona Vale beach and Mona Vale headland – just saying!  So if you see a young version of the current James Bond (yes Rob is English), encouraging – loudly – a group of ladies & blokes on a Friday morning….. that’s us.  If you’re interested in Rob’s training days and locations on the Northern Beaches, click here.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  Next time we will be walking from Mona Vale Beach to Narrabeen.

Summer has so much to offer and walking along Sydney’s northern beaches is one of them.  Have a wonderful summer weekend!

Love Chris ♥

Chris

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