Thursday, 25 August 2016

Snug River Tracks 2016

Today we're walking around Snug and Electrona (I refuse to call it Peggys Beach) then up the Snug River and return. Bob is our leader.

We all join up in the car park next to Snug Beach.


A surprise for us all was that Bob had decided to reverse the direction of the walk! I don't really think this had anything to do with the recent earthquakes in other parts of the world.

Down Snug beach we walked, taking the foot bridge over Snug River and heading for Electrona.

Up river

Towards Coningham

Snug Beach

Track from other end of foot bridge

Now we wander around some of the tracks before walking down through the housing estate to Peggys Beach.

Bush at Electrona


Walking down to Peggys Beach
We surprised an unusual couple swimming near the beach.



Here I find the joy of not being the only photographer
I stay back while the group watches Renate go down the beach to take photos. Now I know what they REALLY say about waiting for the photographer!

We head north and pick up a formed, pleasant track that follows the coastline. This takes us to a picnic area with a couple of tables for Morning Tea.

Looking south

Morning Tea
 Now, I don't mean to complain, but Morning Tea is supposed to be at 10:30. We really need to get our act together, just look at the photo below.


Shameful!
There are a couple of interesting little beaches with lots to look at.

North West Bay Marina slipway in the distance

Renate only likes the freshest snacks for Morning Tea



If you look carefully you can see two rusty rails anchored here
It's a fairly sheltered little spot and I assume that in years past someone used to run their little boat up here.


The water is quite shallow and clear
Tea finished, we head back via the Channel Highway to start the walk up Snug River.

Heading back to Snug

Goats and Wattles
The wild winds and rain of a few weeks ago brought down a number of trees at the beginning of the walk.

The local Snug Landcare/Coastcare group have done a great of clearing up near the road
 There were a number of trees down here, and I watched them clear up when I drove past.


As we head up river, we see more signs of wind/rain damage. There is a lot of debris at this end of the river and further up more downed trees blocking the track. Mainly wattles.

Lichen on a log. Who says Mother Nature doesn't have a sense of humour?


Somewhere along here we find a young woman and her daughter on the other side of the river (there are houses near on the other side). The little girl has great fun waving at all the strange, old people walking on this side. Soon they move on and I arrive and wave to the little girl too.



There's one point where you have to climb up as the bank is quite high.

Heading back down to the river


Down river


We strike another area with quite a number of fallen trees completely blocking the track.



Adie's trying to tell everyone they can just walk around the bottom of the tree
He's right! I think I was the only one to take his advice.




On we go and are coming close to the end of this part of the walk. The river is slow, wide with a flat rock bed.

There was a group of Yellow-tailed black cockatoos here


It seems to be a good year for them, I saw the biggest flock I've ever see the other day in Woodbridge. Around forty birds.

Snug River



As a natural showman, Adie always knows where the camera is

Renate taking some of her great photos

Looking up river, things start to get a bit narrow
 I'm sure I read about a couple of fellows who did follow the river up to Snug Falls, but I can't remember details or find where I saw it.


Now we gather on the track to head back. Unfortunately, Gail reminds Bob we've had no hills to climb as yet. Not a thing you tell Bob, so up we go.

There are lots of old tracks through out this area, and we have been up this one several times before, to be fair.

It's steep, but not that bad. Did I just write that?

We come up to a junction with another track
Everyone is looking to the left because that goes up hill. However Bob has other ideas and we look for a lunch spot. It's an old dam up in the bush and we've stopped here in the past.

Lunch ahead
 Plenty of seating on fallen logs or around the dam banks. I seem to remember a tiger snake was seen here last time. Cool weather is best.



It does give good reflections
Lunch finished, we leave on a faint track heading back.

Spot the track

Snug is down there behind the trees

Drawing a veil over how we got here, we walk down Jarvis Road
Crossing the Channel Hwy, we follow the river again to Snug beach, heading for the cars.



This isn't a long walk, but it is a good one with variety. I think it was a good idea to reverse part of it as it gives you a new perspective.

We had 12 walkers and covered 9.62km in 4:01hrs.

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