Manly to North Head
Grade: 3 Distance: 5km Ascent: 100m
Weather: OK, WET!!!!!! Indeed, the wet was most noticeable on the paths. They were awash. But it was also coming down consistently from above, at least until lunch time. By then we had had enough sloshed our ways to the bus stop at North Head and headed down to Manly Wharf for whatever took our fancy (OK, I had a beer) before heading off in our own directions.
The view from Circular Quay
And the city from the ferry
Having gathered the flock at Manly Wharf (not outside for some reason), we then headed down the Corso. This gem of art deco is to be savoured, especially as when we had finished it, we would be in the open weather!
Perhaps the Ivanhoe should have been in Brisbane?
The beach does look glum and empty
Fairy Bower
Shelly Beach (the waters here are a marine reserve)
Olearia species
Bedraggled Flannel flowers and fogging up lens
Grevillea speciosa
Variable Sword-grass Brown (Tisiphone Abeona)
Erythrorchis cassythoides – Climbing Orchid or Bootlace Orchid[1]
It probably climbs to avoid bushwalkers’ feet!
And by then I think we were all rather pleased to be singing marching ditties as we walked to the Parade Grounds!
We then headed back into the rain, passing the obstacle course for those young soldiers being prepared for Vietnam, out to the Hanging Swamp!
And the raised walkway to keep us dry!!!!!
Thanks to Dave for those images
By now my camera was mostly fog!
It seemed an appropriate setting!
OK, yes, I know there can be artistic opportunities in any weather
The North Head works are still progressing so we could not inspect them
Safe behind the barrier and therefore confident!
And as there was a bus departing the North Fort at 12.45, we opted to catch it rather than get cold, cheering up the bus driver no end, and headed to the wharf.
It is now time to begin the process of drying out!
Brian Everingham
24th October 2022
[1] a leafless climbing orchid. See https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Erythrorchis~cassythoides
Our Natural World 