EASY WALK & KAYAK ADVENTURE DAY - 5km forest walk + 2hr kayak - Narrabeen

Let's make the most of this last week of summer with an easy adventure which is the very best of bush and water experiences in Sydney. From Narrabeen shops we'll catch a quick bus to the top of the Garigal National Park escarpment and do a super easy walk downhill on a beautiful rainforest trail. At the bottom we stop for lunch, and the organiser transfers everyone a short way by car to the local kayak shop, where we hire kayaks to cruise on the beautiful protected lagoon for 2 hours, finishing back at our morning start point by about 3pm. Afterwards join us for drinks and fab food at the local texmex bar right by the lake. What better way to spend a Sunday?

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THE PLAN

Optional pre-start coffee & breakfast: We'll be gathering from 8.15am at the Grumpy Expresso Bar (next to our start point at the Narrabeen B-Line bus stop, Pittwater Rd, Narrabeen). There is a toilet here.

Official start
Meet the group at 9.15am SHARP at the B-Line bus stop next to the Grumpy Expresso Bar.

Quick bus trip to start of bushwalk
We'll catch two connecting buses up to the top of Garigal National Park escarpment to the start of the forest trail - total 30 minutes bus trip. Don't forget your Opal card.

Easy downhill bushwalk

• First a 1 km flat fire trail across the edge of the escarpment. Stop for morning break at dramatic crags with epic views of valleys and ocean.
• Then walk another 1 km downhill to enter a beautiful dark magical rainforest, and follow it for 3km along a flat trail to a lovely park by Narrabeen lagoon.
• Stop for picnic lunch, water refills, toilet break.
• During lunch the organiser will ferry everyone by car 4km back to the kayak shop.

Easy 2 hour kayak session

• Check in at the kayak shop and pay for our hire kayaks ($40 per person for 2 hours).
• The group paddles slow around the lagoon, between the beautiful islands, pausing at the big sand dunes and beach for big views of the coast, and slow paddle back to the shop. Total paddle 5 - 7 km, distance to be managed depending on how much energy everyone has, nothing too hard or rushed.
• Aim to finish 3.00-3.30pm at the kayak shop.

After-party
If you like, stay afterwards to relax with excellent drinks, fab food and good company at the TexMex bar close by on the lake shore and right next to the bus stop.

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IS THIS ACTIVITY OK FOR ME?

This event is fine for beginner walkers and beginner paddlers. You just need basic fitness and mobility.

The 5km bushwalk is very easy: an open fire trail for 1km, then a steep but easy 1km dirt track downhill (give this walk a miss if you have very bad knees on downhills), then 3km of almost completely flat dirt trail through the rain forest.

Paddling is not about having big upper body strength, and you don't need previous experience and training for this beginner paddle. The leader will give you lots of coaching on how to paddle efficiently using your leg and core muscles instead of your arms, so that you don't get tired.

To paddle you will be swivelling your shoulders and torso a lot, so you should not do this activity if you have injuries to shoulders, elbows or spinal joints, or if you have a hernia in your torso.

Safety comes first: We never ever leave anyone behind either on the trail or the water - beginners are taught, supported, encouraged and included. The kayaks are stable wide bodied boats which are simple to paddle and very hard to fall out of, and everyone is required to wear the provided bouyancy vests for safety.

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GRATUITY

Please contribute $15 cash to help cover the group's operating costs. You can

• bring $15 exact cash on the day, or
• make a PayID bank transfer to the organiser's phone number 0411 600 717 in the morning before the start of the event.

This contribution is in addition to and separate to your $40 kayak hire fee which you pay directly to the kayak shop on the day.

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TRANSPORT

By car:

• You can get to Narrabeen via Military Rd and Pittwater Rd from the city, or via Mona Vale Rd and Pittwater Rd from the north and northwest suburbs.
• There is free parking in the Narrabeen St carpark (right next to the kayak shop) and in adjacent residential streets, but on sunny days spaces can be hard to find so arrive at least 30 minutes early.
• From Narrabeen Street it is then a 300 metre walk to the right along pathway on the edge of the lake to our meeting point at the B-Line bus stop next to Grumpy Expresso Bar.

By express bus from Wynyard station:

• Take the B1 bus (City to Mona Vale servcie) at 8.35am from Stand B in Carrington Street, arriving at the B-line stop at Narrabeen shops at 9.15am.
• If you are joining us earlier for coffee/breakfast at the expresso bar, take the 7.55am B1 bus, arriving at Narrabeen at 8.33am.
• See trip planner at www.transportnsw.info for connections.

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BRING

• Opal card for the bus trips
• morning snack & lunch
• water bottle (there are refills along the way)
• bushwalking shoes
• sun protection is ESSENTIAL (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
• insect repellent is ESSENTIAL for this walk
• light shirt & shorts to walk & paddle in (can get wet in the boat),
• normally we paddle barefoot, but if you want to wear shoes in your boat bring a spare pair that you don't mind getting wet
• warm jacket (even in hot weather you can get chilled in the breeze)
• towel
• dry change of clothes

There will be secure arrangements to leave your bag and valuables at the kayak shop, but if you want to take them in your boat make sure you put all of your things in dry bags or heavy duty plastic garbage bags inside your bag to keep them dry.

Protect all electronics (cards, phone, keys) in a waterproof container such as a well sealed sandwich box.

If you wish to take pictures with your phone whilst paddling, make sure it is in a dry case with a secure cord (can buy these at the kayak shop) as it is extremely easy to drop it in the water.

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DISCLAIMER
By your RSVP to this event you agree to the conditions of membership and participation which you can read in the ABOUT US section HERE.