The view from the Bairne Lookout was stunning
It was a perfect Autumn day for the two Plus walks from West Head Road. Ten walkers gathered at the first trackhead about a kilometre before West Head Lookout. The Flint and Steel Beach Track descends from the ridge to a junction with a track on the left to White Horse Beach. This steep and rough track accesses the shoreline past some ruins near the beach. In 1928 Eardley McGaw built a two storied house here with several other smaller buildings including a wharf. He and his wife lived there until he became ill and moved to Narrabeen. NSW National Parks resumed the property. The buildings were destroyed in a 1971 bushfire so that only the sandstone foundations, overgrown by vegetation, are visible. There wasn’t any beach at high tide but there were good views across Broken Bay to the National Fitness Camp and Patonga.
White Horse Bay at high tide Remains of old house
We retraced our steps, climbing to the junction with the Flint and Steel Beach Track which has been recently renovated, making the descent to the beach very manageable. Morning tea was enjoyed by some on the beach and others on the rocks – a welcome break with pleasant views, before the climb back to the cars.
Retracing our steps to the junction with the Flint and Steel Track Grass tree in flower Lichen
A perfect Autumn day to enjoy morning tea at Flint and Steel Beach
A short drive south on West Head Road took us to the second trackhead and a very different experience from our first strenuous four kilometre workout. The Bairne Track is an undulating firetrail which passes east through heathland then south through more sheltered forest to the Bairne Lookout over Pittwater. On this picture perfect day the views were breath taking and we lingered a while.
View south over Pittwater from Bairne Track Lookout View east over Pittwater from Bairne Track Lookout
Returning on the Bairne Track, we took a right hand fork along the Soldiers Point Track to a vantage point overlooking The Basin Campground with a view north to Lion Island. With plenty of shaded rocks available for seating we enjoyed our lunch and the visit of a swamp wallaby which was unfazed by our presence.
Lunch at Soldiers Point Lookout with view north west to The Basin, Pittwater and Lion Island
Our quiet lunch guest Swamp Wallaby Wallabia bicolor .......and the not so quiet Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala
.......some flowers on the Bairne Track
(1) Darwinia fascicularis (2) Fringed Lily Thysanotus tuberosus (3) Sundew Drosera spathulata (4) Heath Banksia Banksia ericifolia
(5) Sydney Boronia Boronia ledifolia (6) Lesser Flannel Flower Actinotus minor (7) Narrow-leaved Hemigenia Hemigenia purpurea (8) Sweet-scented Wattle Acacia suaveolens
(9) Paperbark tea-tree Leptospermum trinervium
.....also on the Bairne Track Deidre, Hazel, Celia and Angophora on the return walk from Soldiers Point. Snake 50-60cm in length and wider than the one we saw on the plus walk two weeks ago. The head and tail appear to be brown, the body dark grey (words Hazel)
We kept up a good pace on the return along the Soldiers Point and Bairne Tracks with the thought of a Terrey Hills coffee reward which we enjoyed with shared lamingtons to celebrate Pragati’s birthday.
All ten walkers at the Bairne Track Head at the end of our walk
A very satisfying day was had with four different destinations, fourteen kilometres of exercise, great company and excellent views.
Pragati and Barbara R led Wendy C, William, Celia, Hazel, Alan, Nick S, Deidre and Sue S. Nick S was our first aider and we shared being Tail End Charlie.
Words Barbara R
Photos Nick S (1-4, 8), Sue S (5-7, 18-23 and flower identification), Barbara R (9, 10, 12, 13, 24), Deidre (11), Hazel 14-17, 25, 26 and flower identification)