It was a nice winter Saturday and we decided to head out to Palm Beach early this morning. :-) Tu was so excited that she gobbled up her breakfast and we quickly packed some food for lunch too. The drive from home took well over an hour but we still got to The Boatclub before 10 AM. What a picturesque place for a cuppa tea by the bay! It was also a good restroom stop, for we were told there were none at the top near the lighthouseWe payed for car park (AUD 22 for the day) but sadly the machine didn't vend the ticket. So we had to call the council and get it sorted, they were most helpful!
Once that was done, we looked up and could see the lighthouse from the parking lot.
It seemed like a bit of a hike and hence we had to prep tu accordingly. She was determined to climb to the top by herself! The signs said 1.5kms to the Barrenjoey Light House, I was impressed seeing her steely frown.
Quietly she said "It seems tough", AJ immediately said "Yes it is, but that's what makes it an accomplishment" They both hi-fiied and off we were!
A sandstone lighthouse perched right on top, like it was hovering over us ensuring we only have the right kinda fun ;-) Built in 1881 from sandstone that was quarried it, it is left in the same sandstone finish, adds a unique charm compared to the other light houses we have been to so far in Australia.
To get there we could take either the sloping Access trail for 1 KM or we could take the more adventurous sounding Smuggler's Path.
Seeing the Lighthouse at the top often has a reassuring feeling even though we are not sailors. In a vague sense I have always loved lighthouses...they always remind me that someone was thinking about safety and guess therein lies my association of safe beaches being those that have a lighthouse on it! :-) Yep..thats just some crazy meee... (AJ will whole heartedly agree there is more where that comes from ;-)
Once that was done, we looked up and could see the lighthouse from the parking lot.
It seemed like a bit of a hike and hence we had to prep tu accordingly. She was determined to climb to the top by herself! The signs said 1.5kms to the Barrenjoey Light House, I was impressed seeing her steely frown.
Quietly she said "It seems tough", AJ immediately said "Yes it is, but that's what makes it an accomplishment" They both hi-fiied and off we were!
Built in sandstone the lighthouse had a regal look about it, it sits on Sydney's northern most beach- Palm Beach. The whole setting is straight off a hollywood movie, gorgeous beaches and waves all around!!
To get there we could take either the sloping Access trail for 1 KM or we could take the more adventurous sounding Smuggler's Path.
We decided to go with the access trail to give Tu a fair chance of doing it by herself. Even as we started off it was a bit steep for her 3 year old legs. She huffed and puffed but was constantly egged on by passers by and that kept her going. Soon another troupe of parents with toddlers came along and seeing those kids climbing made her hike up all the more easier. She kept going and had a deal with us that she gets a KitKat once she gets to the top by herself. So on and off she'd ask to see the KitKat so she could reassure herself that this climb was truly gonna be worth it!! :-))
The view kept getting better with every bend we turned...what a beauty this place was! Put even the Wineglass Bay from Tasmania to shame!
All along a faint drizzle kept threatening our progress but just as we got to a place where we could see the neck, the sun came out and the whole place lit up like she had just smiled in greeting us! :-)
We kept encouraging Tu and in about 20 mins we reached the entrance to the lighthouse, she ran in celebrating all the way and just as she reached me tripped and fell...!! All her happiness transformed into a dismay that could only be pacified with some empathising cooing and kisses for her mild bruises :-* In 2 mins she was fine and demanding that I open her KitKat. We found a nice seat overlooking the seas where we opened her chocolate that she proudly shared with us...after all "Mom and Dad also climbed with me, so they need a prize too" :D
A chocolate alone wasn't enough and so we opened up our lunch and had that here as well. The sun was shining on us and the warmth was a good massage to sore legs and backs. We saw several people posing in front of the lighthouse...it truly made for a glorious backdrop. Glad we brought food along, there is nothing available at the top except glorious 360 degree views :) Happy in a way to see that there are no cafe's or commercialisation at the top. I feel that always spoils the true charm of a place even though it adds to convenience. (Charm or convenience is a whole new topic when you are a toddler parent.......almost every inch of your mind aches for convenience and then you suddenly get nostalgic aout the days when you only enjoyed the charm and nothing else mattered....sigghhhh)
Finally I also managed to get a pic of the lighthouse with no people about...it was an achievement indeed- using the 2 second gap you get to click a pic! ;-)
But our eyes were content with all we had seen and now it was time to be adventurous on the way down and we took the smugglers path.
We counted to 350 steps that Tu managed all on her feet...and then she feebly said "I am so tired, I will fall off" Proud of her overall effort with his chest puffed up in pride AJ scooped her up for the rest of the way down. :) Truly we couldn't be more proud of her, such a doll to try the whole hike by herself and really glad how much she enjoys traveling and hiking with us :)
Once we got down we took the first exit to the 'clean side' of the beach (The other side that leads up to the lighthouse has weeds which didn't impress Tu. But once we got to this side she was unstoppable...running right out into the water. Slowly all her beach digging play things came out and we spent another couple of hours getting our fill of the beach, the waves and the sand! An ocean that was brilliant blue, a clearing sky dotted with white clouds and golden brown sandy beach.... all picture perfect.
Even as they were hit by some unexpectedly high waves, Tu accidentally brushed AJ's glasses away while that didn't bother her when the waves got her swim suit and her diaper, a cacophony that was incredibly funny ensued from her mouth.....!!!! AJ and I couldn't stop laughing at how upset she was when she thought the sea had caught her diaper. Anyways we managed to grab it back for her so she could safely throw it into the trash bin and all was well in her world again!! :-)) At the end of all this mirth we realised there were no shower caddies, so AJ dunked her in the sea to rid her of all the sand that she had managed to get on every inch of herself! :-O Then we changed her out and made the rather long walk back to the car (our tiredness made it seem longer than it really was). We saw so many Kookaburras all along our hike and fittingly we saw one more as we walked away as well!
But all in all it had been another day where we had had tons of fun and another fun spot we had discovered in Sydney. Beaches are our favourite spots for a 'perk me up' weekend and Sydney seems to have so many to offer that our entire year seems full of beach visits! We ain't complaining for sure!
Even as we drove back, we made a note of Whale Beach, Avalon Beach and plenty others that all seemed to demand a visit back to this area......sun soaked beaches of Sydney, we continue to be amazed by you! :) Now it's time to wait for our next weekend getaway :D
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