Walk 14 Lane Cove Blackman Park

Blackman Park in Lane Cove National Park was the introduction to our walk today -  a big grassy park encircled by trees sloping away to the blue sky.   Our track led us rather rapidly to descending rocky steps -  down, down to tramp along close to the river's edge.  Frequently  the river widened  into lake  expanses with reflections casting mystic images between reality edge and water.

After the initial dryness at the heights of the track we were soon to encounter greener terrain of ferns, moss,  velvyty lichen,  the  dank and damp designed to please after the dry.  The river seemed lonely in its stillness,  free from boats, river craft of any description.   Not even a solitary kayak. Seldom do we view an expanse of water so close to suburbia without at least a paddle or two.  A single fisher-boy and his dog looking or the path downwards.  Trees, water and river, banksias and tree-grass , a windless blue sky day made a bit of heaven on earth.
Stepping carefully we wound down and then up again, some carved steps with glimpses of glittery water glimpses with sudden  cinema screen  wide angle views.   Greetings from lorikeets loudly jostling way above us.

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Walk 13 Centennial Park

Our walk No 13 in

Centennial Park:

“It is emphatically the People’s Park… one of the grandest adornments of this beautiful country”  - Sir Henry Parkes, opening Centennial Park, 26 January 1888.

Facts in brief

• Opened: 1888
• Size: 189 hectares
• Description: A grand park in the Victorian period tradition featuring formal gardens, ponds, grand avenues, statues, historic buildings and sporting fields
• Historic features: Federation Pavilion, Lachlan Swamp, Superintendants Residence, Reservoir No. 1

Pippa, Linzi, Kate, Wendy, Moira and Carolle enjoyed beautiful sunshine for an easy flat walk all around the Park including  crossing through the middle to take in the lakes.

Beautiful trees.  A beautiful morning as Spring surrounded us in a real attempt to push that long winter well and truly behind us.

 Thank you Pippa for organising it at the last minute.   How fortunate that you and Linzi unwittingly tested all this for us last week!

Walk 12 - North Arm Track

Walk 12 - North Arm Track, commenced at  Rembrandt Drive,  Middle Cove. Lots of steps down towards the water, we were  nicely huffy puffy, breathless  here and there but some of us found the return route easier climbing up than going down!  There were enough friendly supporting rails on the steep bits.

The track led to the  crossing over the  creek into Castle Cove.   Along the way we met an interesting heavily long hair dread-locked ranger going about his business fox baiting.   

We returned, back tracking along the same route.    Nice weather, oh how nice to have that nice weather.Lovely, healthy mysterious mangroves all stark and silent, wildflowers beginning to colour the landscape, sun on water and on hill suburbs across the way.  We loved it.  3.5 Km long, one way.

Walkers Jane. Pippa, Wendy,Linzi, Carolle.

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Walk 11 - The Rocks

The Rocks Walk, guided by Linzi -  up and down steps, this way and that  and this is how it went:  

Once again we walked up those Milson Point  steps, tramped over the noisy Bridge then down the steps to the Rocks area.  Much to see  - first around the Observatory then on to everything else - beautiful Garrison Church,  the Hero of Waterloo Hotel, the Lord Nelson, the Information Centre,  Argyle Stores, original hospital site, Nurses Walk, Clocktower Square, the Old Road, Linzi introduced all of us  to the Rocks Discovery Museum, the Sydney Harbour YHA and The Big Dig  Archaeology Education Centre.  There was more - the Button Shop, the French Pastisserie, the Candle Shop, the laneways, the stone walls and dozens of tempting cafes.

Coffee in the MCA's top floor cafe with open views of a sparkling harbour and Opera House.

The owners of Martha's in Castlecrag  and friends of Pippa's were somewhat surprised when Pippa spontaneously knocked on their home door.  A charming strangely private  spot tucked in a corner right up against a rock wall in the middle of The Rocks, a little oasis of green delightfully decorated.  (Pic. below)

Notes:
Lord Nelson Hotel which was built in 1836  by plasterer William Wells. It served as his home before later converting to a pub.  It obtained a liquor licence in 1841 before the town of Sydney was proclaimed therefore the Lord Nelson is one of the oldest pubs in Sydney.

Garrison Church, the first official military church in NSW.

Walkers today were:  Moira, Wendy,Jane, Kate, Pippa, Linzi, Carolle

Bridge from The Rocks

Cottage in The Rocks

Coffee in the M.C.A.

View from MCA cafe

View from The Rocks

The Big Dig Archaeological Education Centre

View from The Bridge

View from The Bridge

View from The Rocks

View from Observatory grounds


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