13 Walkers met at the end of Currie Rd for the start of this walk. It was a perfect winter's morning cool to begin with but the sun was shining and we would soon warm up as we set out to walk through the beautiful forest on the Currie Rd Track.
1 The walkers 
2 Setting off on Bates Track 
3 Crossing the first creek
We followed this track and soon joined the Bates Creek Track. Along beside the track we noticed orange flags and black signs with arrows pointing in the direction we were going-it was later discovered that they are for an ultra marathon event which is on this track this weekend. Before long we reached the rather eroded Magazine Track -it was slow going along this section of track but after following the foreshore of Bantry Bay with views towards Seaforth we arrived at Flat Rock Beach in time for morning tea. Two other walkers joined the group here making us a party of 15 for the rest of the walk. Flat Rock beach was a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a rest in sunshine.
4 Morning Tea at Flat Rock Beach 
5 Near Flat Rock Creek 
6 A pair of pardalotes
After morning tea, it was necessary to make a detour off the Flat Rock Track along some suburban streets because National Parks have closed this section, but the bonus was being high above the water and the views across Middle Harbour were lovely. We rejoined Flat Rock track just before Davidson Park and after a brief toilet stop headed on to the Lyrebird Track. The Lyrebird track is very pretty following alongside Middle Harbour Creek to soon climb uphill onto the top of a ridge where there were better views over Middle Harbour Creek looking over towards the Two Creeks Track on the other side.
7 Tree ferns 
8 Acacia longifolia 
9 Boronia ledifolia 
10 Dampiera stricta
Lunch was either in the sunshine or shade on a rocky platform before we made the descent to Forestville Bend and the junction of Middle Harbour and Carroll Creeks, near the stepping stones, which lead to the Governor Phillip track towards St Ives. Turning left here we followed the very beautiful Carroll Creek track and the base of a long rock overhang towards the Garigal National Park Headquarters at the end of Ferguson St. It is a fairly rough track beside the creek with rocky platforms and a pretty waterfall as well as plenty of ferns reflecting in the clear water of the creek.
11 Carroll Creek Reflections 
12 Carroll Creek 
13 Rock scramble below waterfall
Once at Ferguson St it was only a short walk-through Forestville crossing Warringah Rd, where most of the group made the slight detour to enjoy a coffee and an after-walk chat at the Forestville shops. It was then another short walk along Warringah Rd to reach Currie Rd and go down the hill back to our cars for the journey home.
Thanks to Janet for stepping in for Leah to help lead this walk, to Trudy for doing tail-end yet again & to all the walkers for coming along and making it a great day of walking.
14 Forestville Circuit & Lyrebird Loop 
15 Altitude vs distance profile
Walkers with Janet and Celia were Alan, Clive, David B, Deidre, Louis, Marina, Nick S, Peter T, Richard, Trudy, Wendy C , Wendy LR and first time visitor Linh.
Words: Celia
Photos: Peter (1,14,15), Deidre (3,11) ,Nick (4,5,7,12) Wendy (2,6,8,9,10,13)