Hyden, Esperance & Albany
Hi all
After holidaying for a week in Coral Bay last year, my penance this year was to take mrs gates 'down south' for holidays...no boats allowed. The plan was 2 nights at Hyden, 9 nights at Esperance and then 2 nights in Albany.
With the car packed, we hit the road at 9.30am Saturday morning and after catching up with some friends in Pingelly, we arrived in Hyden at 5pm. Had a quiet night in our self contained chalet on the lake's edge at Wave Rock Resort.
On Sunday morning we hit the walking trails and found Hippo's Yawn, then wound our way across the rocky outcrops until we were overlooking the Hyden golf course, then around the corner to find ourselves standing on top of 'the rock'.
The photos of Wave Rock don't do it justice....it is a magnificent, awe-inspiring rock formation. If you haven't yet seen it 'in the flesh', put it on your bucket list!
After lunch, we drove over to The Humps and Mulka's Cave. There's some very interesting history behind the cave, and worth checking out. The trail up and around The Humps gives a great view of the surrounding countryside..
Monday morning we hit the road for Esperance, stopping off at Hopetoun for lunch. We took the Southern Ocean Drive and called into places like Mason's Bay and Starvation Bay....fantastic coastline. We arrived in Esperance around 4.30pm and took up residence in our self contained en-suite cabin at Seafront c/park.
Been doing the usual touristy things...spent today at Cape Le Grand national park. We trekked to the summit of Frenchman's Peak...the brochure says 1.5hr 'hard walk', it was all of that, but accomplished without incident. The view from the top reinforces Esperance's tag of 'the bay of isles'. You get a real appeciation for the south coast.
Spent a few hours on the beach at Lucky Bay....had lunch, a swim and a fish. The sand is the whitest of white and squeaks under foot...a wonderful bay, no wonder so many people rave over the place. It's another place to add to your bucket list.
So far, the weather has been fine and sunny, mid 20s during the day...took the kayaks for a spin yesterday and also managed 9 holes in the arvo!
Below are some photos of the holiday so far.
regards
rusty...
If life is boring, you must be doing it wrong!
sea-kem
Posts: 14861
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Top pkoto's there Rusty.
Top pkoto's there Rusty. Love that part of the coast. Will do a big LB fishing trip down there one day.
Love the West!
woody
Posts: 615
Date Joined: 27/02/08
You have scored some beaut
You have scored some beaut weather this week.....yell out if you want any advice from a local Rusty....
r.gates
Posts: 573
Date Joined: 15/11/10
Local advice
Thanks andy...is really great down here, didn't know what to expect.
Hi woody
would appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.
PM sent.
rusty...
If life is boring, you must be doing it wrong!
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
Good out of the Office Break Rusty
The water shots are not quite as flat as it was up in Derby, But impressive anyhow...
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
r.gates
Posts: 573
Date Joined: 15/11/10
Derby it aint!
Hi Lyndon
Cool video of the horries....that's glass.
We've had some really nice weather over the past week....today it was 31C in Esperance and that saw me taking a swim...twice!
Hasn't been a picnic, though....my missus is keen to go on every walk trail down here, including trekking up Frenchman's Peak the other day. At least I'm working off some of the holiday icecream.
Today we did the 40km scenic drive around the coast to 11 Mile Beach, stopping off at every little bay and beach, getting out for a look, take some photos, climb over the rocky outcrops, climb up lookouts, climb down walkways to various beaches, etc. Even took the yaks for a spin around Woody Lake this arvo!
Been a bit rough along the coast but hoping to wet a line tomorrow during our trip out to Cape Arid national park.....fingers crossed.
rusty...
PS: don't tell mrs gates but it's been a pretty good holiday so far.
If life is boring, you must be doing it wrong!