The Great North Walk part 5: Cowan to Brooklyn

On track again, after a few months of Covid induced hibernation, my bushwalking club's Great North Walk adventure resumed yesterday. Twenty two fully-vaxed and certified bushwalkers turned up. And what a great day out!

 

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.105: Charles Curtis Park

OK, not much exercise to be had here at all. In fact I think it's the smallest of all the parks I've painstakingly researched over the many months of this lockdown. About half a house block in area.

It's a pleasant spot though, near the shopping centre that isn't a shopping centre, because the handful of shops are hardly ever open. The cafe is, so it's all worth while.

We were in the funny little 'Sleepy Hollow' part of Normanhurst. Not sure whether it's got a real name, but if you've ever ever been there, you'll know where I'm talking about.

Exercise park of Lockdown 2 - No.104: Waitara's Orara Park

It's right next to the bigger park, Waitara Oval, which is being dug up at the moment. I was only dimly aware of this one, and thought of it as a private little space for the apartment blocks that surround it.

But no, it's quite public, and it's a nice little space. One family was even doing genuine exercise, consisting of lots of 50m laps on the rectangular bit.

Exercise parks of lockdown 2 - No.103: Beecroft Village Green

 

 

It's not nearly as small as it looks from the road or the train, and it's close to Beecroft's shops and station.

 

 

Not bad at all. An unexpected 7 out of 10!

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.109: Ulolo Community Park

 

Small but rather nice. It's in Hornsby Heights, just before you descend into the Galston Gorge.

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.107: Hunt Reserve, Mt Colah

 

 

 

 

A pretty small one, this one. More of a picnic park really. But a very nice one.

More picnics!

 

This time it's Westleigh's Ruddock Park, which has probably never seen such picnicking popularity! But Gladys did tell us to go forth and picnic.

Picnic!

We're still supposed to be in lockdown, but Premier Gladys was determined to give us some new freedoms. This weekend it was all about picnics.

"You're allowed to have a picnic" said the good lady. And look what happened! The people clearly wanted their picnics. Enough of this exercise nonsense!

Here's the view in Wahroonga Park today.

Fire trails of Lockdown 2 - Some Cherrybrook trails

 

 

 

 

Blackwattle Trail

 

 

 

 

Patricia Trail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Right & below: Carmen Trail

Fire trails of Lockdown 2 - Westleigh's Western Trail

 

The Lilian Fraser Garden

This one's a lockdown recreational space with a difference. It's the Lilian Fraser Garden in Pennant Hills. 

Ms Fraser's family ran a poultry farm in the area about 100 years ago. She herself was an agricultural scientist. When the farm was sold off  for housing blocks, she kept the house and garden, but in later life donated the place to Hornsby Council. You can wander in any time. More here: Hornsby Council brochure

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.98: Cowan Park

 
This one was an unexpected gem. I was aware of it, but had never checked it out properly. It's got fine views over lower Berowra Creek.

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.97: Carlingford's Kilpack Park

 

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.96: Carlingford's Harold West Reserve

 

Lesser-known lockdown parks of Beecroft

 

 

 

 

 

 

Booth Park

 

 

 

 

 

Fearnley Park

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.93: Mt Kuring-Gai Oval

 

 

 

 

Exercise parks of Lockdown 2 - No.92: George Christie Playing Field

 

It's in Wahroonga, near the southern end thereof. It's a pretty simple rectangular field, probably only rating 3 stars. Except it's got views of the San hospital, and connects to an excellent network of walking tracks and the Great North Walk. And some rather colourful crimson rosellas too. Definitely worth another star or two.

 

 

Five stars!

Back to Castle Hill Heritage Park

 

Looking better and better, and ably delivering its history lessons too. Of early agriculture and the early colonial settlement. Of the 1804 convict rebellion (also known as the second battle of Vinegar Hill - the first one, in Ireland, was what caused the Irish rebels to be sent here in the first place). And then the lessons of the lunatic asylum that was later put here.

More here from my 2020 lockdown explorations: 2020 post