Coastal Walk From Fingal to Cape Schanck
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The sound of the roaring ocean, waves pounding the rocks below the cliff tops, the taste of the salty sea spray, the isolation and the feeling of being a tiny speck on the edge of a vast expanse of seemingly never ending ocean.
This is the feeling I had walking the cliff tops between Fingal Picnic Grounds to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse and board walk.
We started at the
Fingal Picnic grounds , off Cape Schanck Rd. The first entry point and car park is where the 2.6km track to Cape Schanck begins.
We walked through pine trees, with wind whistling through the branches and the strong scent of pine needles in the air, then down through an archway of tea tree that shelter the area from the wind and give a slightly eerie feeling.
Once out in the open, you come to a viewing platform with the most spectacular view, of glistening blue ocean and white wash coming of the big waves. All the eye can see is ocean surrounded by cliffs. No houses, people or pollution, just you and the wildlife. It's spectacular. (pictured at top)
Back on track it opens up a little and follows the cliffs until you come to Cape Schanck Rd. Follow the road, which is clearly signposted, a few hundred metres into the lighthouse car park. Follow the path beyond the kiosk and you will find this picturesque
board-walk.
Take the time to go on the pebble beaches at the end of the board-walk. Although you feel you can see everything from the board-walk, being on the beach gives you another perspective of the cliff faces.
I remember when I was a child, the stairs on the way back up seemed like they were never ending. Now taking my own children brings a new perspective, when our 3 year old wanted to be carried back up. So with a 3 year old on my hip we walk back up the steps, with him smiling and me puffing. Thankfully it wasn't difficult and nothing like I had remembered as a child.
On the way back to the car park you will notice a
lighthouse .This was built in 1859 as the second coastal lighthouse in Victoria. It is located at the southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula and measures 21 metres.
Tours of the lighthouse are available, but I think it's expensive for what you see with a family of 4 being $42 with adults $16 and children $10, especially when you can stay the night in the old residence of the lighthouse keeper for under $200 a night (just my opinion).
From the lighthouse we returned back to Fingal Picnic grounds as we were running out of time. However you can easily extend the walk and continue onto
Bushrangers bay from the lighthouse.
For other ideas of activities on the Mornington Peninsula, check out my writer page by clicking on my photo.
#walks
#outdoor
#national_parks
#mornington_peninsula
#lookouts
#cape_schanck
#beaches
%wnmelbourne
192625 - 2023-06-16 03:45:18