WESTERN AUSTRALIA : DAY 1 : CAPE TO CAPE WALK - Cape Naturaliste - Wyadup Road - 20.5 km

DAY 1 : CAPE TO CAPE WALK - Cape Naturaliste- Wyadup Road - 20.5 km - 5 and a half hours
Weather : fine and sparkling, 18o C, with threatening cloud in the afternoon.

 

Day 1

 

We planned to walk from Cape Naturalist to Wyadup Road.

 

 

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

The official start of the walk

 

 

Waymarkers

 

 

Well- made track and boardwalk to tempt you down the coast.

It is even suggested that it's suitable for wheelchair access..

not sure what happens when they reach the end of this section at the top of the cliff!

 

 

Colourful wildflowers attract birds and insects.

Little wrens dart in and out of the scrub.

 

 

Rocky outcrops - a nightmare for navigation

We spotted a pod of dolphins and a distant spout of water from a passing whale.

 

 

Mark had promised that there was no chance of snakes.

We both encountered 30 cm pythons slithering across this section.

Fortunately harmless but added a little excitement to the day.

 

 

Surfers out at every opportunity.

Several surfers taken by sharks in this area in the last few years.

We passed through Yalllingup - place of love - celebrated as the home of

WA surfing, begun in 1950s.

 

 

Spikey limestone formations

 

 

Walking along Smiths Beach

 

 

Limestone and granite sections meet

 

 

Some interesting characters along the way

 

 

Spectacular granite boulders at the end of Smiths Beach.

 

 

All in all, a positive start with pleasant walking weather and a good introduction to the beautiful Western Australian coast and wildlife.

 

 

M&M

 

mm_smith@bigpond.net.au