But this walk is also interesting with a variety of activity and plenty of options for extra effort all thrown in for free. The course is only 40 minute but can be easily extended. Or, for those of you who prefer a gentle and/or short walk, I have included some delightful options to suit your requirements.
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| Burns Beach Cafe |
Where we start
Our walk starts in the parking area at Burns Beach (the beach end of Burns Beach Road) about 13 km drive north of Hillary's Boat Harbour and about 3km west of the end of the freeway (the Freeway North currently finishes at Burns Beach Road).
First the gentle walk option
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| Looking back at Burns Beach Cafe from the end of the groin. |
If you want to stretch it a bit further, approximately 100meters north from these chairs is a short groin opposite a small community hall with public toilets.
There is a table and chairs here with a little shade to rest and enjoy the view. The walk to the end of the short groin is not as smooth as the path but still reasonable and is worth the nice view back along the coast past the cafe.
The return walk to the cafe is a slight incline, but nothing too taxing.
If you have a couple of hundred meters in you, the walk south from the cafe (ocean on your right) is also a quality path. It has gentle undulations, a continued awesome view and a couple of handy seats to rest and enjoy the view.
You will come, however, to a serious (if short) incline at which point it's best to turn back unless you are looking for a bit of a workout. If you choose to brave this short but testing incline there is a chair nicely situated at the very top to enjoy the view and catch your breath before heading back to Burns Beach.
For a more energetic walk.
Again we start at the Burns Beach car park but head south along the path with the ocean on our right hand side. You can walk or jog this section at your own pace. I walked at what I call a purposeful pace and it took me close to 40 minutes.
There are two serious if short inclines not far from Burns Beach. They are part of the joy of this walk because after a brief warm up we get a great opportunity to get our heart rate up and working for the rest of the walk.
You may find one of these inclines enough… if so, enjoy the view at the top of the first (there is a chair at the top) and turn back. If this is the case and you live handy enough to use this area for your regular walk make these inclines a personal challenge. The reward for conquering them is access to a further 5 km of pleasant undulating path with coastal view.
Note: If these inclines are a bit much but you want more of a walk, walking back past Burns Beach and following the path north is a limited and less taxing walk with a less torturous incline, less ocean view but with another nice park and ocean outlook at the end.
Once over these two inclines (when cycling I call these 'terrible uphills') you are on your way. The walk is spectacular, not much level, but up and down (great for exercise) without being torturous, and all with million dollar views.
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| Picnic Area at Beaumaris Beach |
Continue past the two serious but short uphills, till you come to a path 'crossroad'. To your left a lovely lawned area, table and chairs, shade, and (at the other end of the lawn) public toilets. To the right a path leads down to the beach (Beaumaris Beach)
A quick walk down the path and board walk to the beach (Beaumaris Beach - north end) and back again will just add a little extra to your walk and give you a lovely view. At this point you can choose to head back to Burns Beach if you like which will give you a good 20 minute walk.
Otherwise, continue further south along the path for some more up hill and down hill. You will pass a sheltered picnic spot with lawn and a few wooden shelters with table and chairs, and before long you will come to a second path 'cross road' with a gazebo on your right.
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| View back across Beaumaris Beach from the top of the steep southern stairs |
Otherwise, what I enjoy is taking the path to your right down some steep stairs to the southern end of Beaumaris Beach. These wooden steps offer an opportunity for running (or walking) down and up and down again for some extra cardio, and/or if you are not afraid of a little sand, you can run/walk up and back along the short beach.
Its such a beautiful spot.
Then return up the steep stairs one last time. (you can catch your breath in the gazebo at the top of the stairs if needed).
This should bring you to approximately 20 minutes exercise.
The return journey
Head back north towards Burns Beach keeping the Ocean on your left hand side. It will only take you about 15 minutes purposeful walking to get back to the cafe area, but here, opposite the roundabout is a lovely set of wooden stairs down to the beach.
These stairs are much nicer to walk/run up and down than the ones at Beaumaris Beach. You'll see what I mean. If you can only walk up them it's still good exercise. But try running, even if you can only run the first three or four steps (or none).
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| Stairs down to the beach at Burns Beach - a great workout |
Do these stairs once or twice (walking if needed) then proceed along the path past the carpark (ocean still on your left hand side, to the groin (opposite the small community hall - with public toilets). Walk the length of the groin, walk the stairs (to the left) to the beach and back, and (like we did at Beaumaris Beach) if your not averse to the sand, you can walk this short stretch of beach back to our previous set of stairs and walk up them again.
Otherwise retrace your steps back along the groin, past the car park, to the cafe.
The end of the line
Here our walk ends (a good 40 minute workout) with a well placed seat at the top of our steps for catching your breath and cooling down (did I mention the view) or, if you like, you can enjoy the nice outdoor area and outlook of the Burns Beach Cafe.
If you don't have access to this lovely walk from where you live, I hope reading this makes you think of somewhere nice near you with it's own outlook whether land or sea, whether natural or man made. Somewhere where you can carve out your own little bit of exercise heaven and join us in spirit if not in person as we each enjoy our exercise in our own little part of paradise.
Still without a doubt my favourite walk:)
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