The southern end of New South Wales reminded me of some sections of northern California;…read morespecifically, the areas around Point Reyes Nat'l Seashore. (including chilly ocean temps as well as the local dairy and fishing industries). On my time off work I was anxious to explore; and when I asked locals for hiking spots nearby, most of them pointed to Ben Boyd National Park.
The park is split into two sections, a northern and southern section, surrounding the town of Eden. I was visiting the larger southern section to check out the locally famous "Light to Light Walk." As the name implies, this 30 km (roughly 20 miles) path skirts the coast between two lighthouses. it's really a misnomer, since one of these was never really a true lighthouse.
I started my hike at the northernmost point, near Ben Boyd's Tower. This tower was constructed in 1847 with the intent of making it a lighthouse, but Mr Boyd never received the authority to do so. Instead, his very expensive sandstone structure became a watchtower for his whaling business. (He did all right, gaining a distinct advantage for spotting whales before many others.)
The park recommends three days for the entire light-to-light hike, which is a bit conservative, even incl. the overnight camping. It can potentially be done in one day, as long as you have a friend with an extra car, and can park that car at the other end.
I was hiking solo, or I would have tried an earlier start and attempted the one-day stride w others. Instead, I started at the aforementioned northern terminus, hiked about 9 km south, then returned to my starting point. (or about 11 mi round trip for my American friends). In short - I saw about a third of the total trail.
The hike was beautiful, even on a somewhat windy and overcast day. (It must be glorious on a sunny, warm day). I walked through countless, rocky coves; I stopped at overlooks above multiple deserted white-sand beaches, recorded the sounds of bell-birds in the trees, and took far too many pictures despite the flat light (I was kicking myself for not bringing along my better camera). Around almost every corner was a surprise; sometimes eery, sometimes mesmerizing. And I saw very few people the entire time (but I saw plenty of grey kangaroos).
With so many locals knowing about Ben Boyd Nat'l Park, I'm surprised to be the very first to review it on Yelp. I hope this entry will act as an invite to others to post their experiences.
