Walking through rugged coastal wilderness will do more than wonders for the soul as you re-connect with nature, re-tune your body, and re-discover the simple beauty of life. Jessica Schumann was recently invited to embark on the Light to Light walk—a three-day 30km hike through Ben Boyd National Park, situated along NSW’s far south Sapphire Coast. Here she shares her experience. [pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lALESaQxIjQ/U1npk8GPjDI/AAAAAAAAB0M/w0-aufWxHRU/s144-c-o/Boyd%252527s%252520Tower%252520%2525232.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108454826374315674707/LightToLightWalk#6006088398892141618″ caption=”Boyd’s Tower” type=”image” alt=”Boyd’s Tower #2.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w614″ pe2_img_align=”center” pe2_caption=”1″ ]

The Lead Up

The furthest I ever walked in one attempt was probably about four kilometres, so when I discovered I’d be walking just thirty, I thought it best to prepare…a little. It would take me four days and three nights to explore the dramatic coastline of NSW’s far south so I made sure to have pack the essentials—two pairs of shoes to alternate and maximise comfort and ease. The itinerary came with a recommended ‘What to Pack’ list but I somewhat adapted it in keeping with the weather forecast. You can find the belongings of my backpack below: –       3 pairs of lightweight shorts –       A pair lightweight cargos (with zip legs) –       A windbreaker jacket –       3 singlets/t-shirts (cotton) –       1 loose cotton button up shirt –       Yoga pants for at night –       Casual wear (for dinner) jeans and a top are fine with a pair of flats –       2 pairs of walking shoes leave the heels at home –       Pair of thongs or slip on shoes –       An outfit to wear home after the walk (I forgot this one!) –       Sleepwear, Underwear, socks and toiletries –       2-3 handy packets of tissues/wet ones there’s toilets on the walk only at the pick up and drop off point –       Aeroguard & Suncream –       Tea tree oil for bites –       Hat and sunnies. While I consider myself to be mildly fit, and although no training is needed, I found myself trying to walk just that little bit further when walking the dog in the weeks leading up to the hike. But if you have an ounce of fitness and an awareness of what your body can and can’t handle, then you’ll be more than fine as you trek through the rugged coastal terrain.

The Day before…

A sleepy coastal town perched on the edge of the magnificent Twofold Bay and often forgotten because of its far south location, my husband and I hire a VW Gulf and make the three and half hour drive to Eden the day before the walk is set to begin.  With a 9am start the next day we decide it’s better to get a decent night’s sleep (at the Heritage House Motel and Apartments) instead of an early morning drive particularly as day one is when you cover the most ground. On Sunday morning we woke to this: [pe2-image src=”http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GCzhZK1ALZE/U1npk7U_YmI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/l2yqJ_-OgR4/s144-c-o/Day%2525201%252520-%252520Sunrise%252520%252528Eden%252529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108454826374315674707/LightToLightWalk#6006088398685561442″ caption=”Day 1 – Sunrise (Eden).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Day 1 – Sunrise (Eden).JPG” pe2_single_image_size=”w614″ pe2_img_align=”center” pe2_caption=”1″ ]

Day 1 Boyd’s Tower-Saltwater Creek (13.5km: 19,956 steps)

After an introductory briefing at the historic Seahorse Inn in Boydtower and a short drive to the starting point of the Light to Light Walk, we explore the unusually shaped Boyd’s Tower and discover it was originally commissioned to be a lighthouse but, due to its angular shape, became a handy lookout for whales instead. Around the corner of the sandstone structure and through patches of dry eucalypt forest, I caught glimpses of stark russet shards of coastline as they contrasted against the dramatic blue tones of the ocean. Encapsulated by what could be another world our guide, Sam, pointed out the name Boyd across the top of the tower, and it was then that I realised I was standing among relics of Australian history and a place that used to buzz with activity in the days of the pioneer, Benjamin Boyd. [pe2-image src=”http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ev-lfXXxo38/U1npkxNYDKI/AAAAAAAAB0U/DFb0dTs07mM/s144-c-o/Boyd%252527s%252520Tower.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108454826374315674707/LightToLightWalk#6006088395969268898″ caption=”Boyd’s Tower.jpg” type=”image” alt=”Boyd’s Tower.jpg” pe2_single_image_size=”w614″ pe2_caption=”1″ pe2_img_align=”center” ] Laden with a packed lunch, thermos and ample drinking water (all supplied by our tour operator, Auswide Projects) we set off along a worn path that would inevitably lead us to dinner and bed each night at the historic Green Cape Lighthouse and its restored cottages. Within minutes of hitting the track a steady pace is set as the eight of us weave our way through the windswept melaleucas, luscious tree ferns and secluded bays. No sooner do I look up and out to sea that I realise we aren’t alone. Munching on leaves a little way off the path; a lone swamp wallaby sits watching with curious eyes. But it’s past this little furry marsupial that captures my attention. [pe2-image src=”http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6JZHDihjgkY/U1npmJUQgjI/AAAAAAAAB0o/yYSaguHQDJk/s144-c-o/Swamp%252520Wallaby.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108454826374315674707/LightToLightWalk#6006088419620454962″ caption=”Swamp Wallaby” type=”image” alt=”Swamp Wallaby.JPG” pe2_single_image_size=”w614″ pe2_img_align=”center” pe2_caption=”1″ ] Postcard perfect in every sense, Mowarry Point is truly breathtaking. Following the trail of a goanna over the pristine white sand dunes, the first thing I see is the clear turquoise waters and the symmetrical liquid barrels that break on the shoreline. Sadly, the oasis is short lived as we continue our walk onwards and southwards to our next break point. Possum nests of sticks and grass fill tree boughs looming above, while meticulous mating mounds of the lyrebird lay dotted among overgrown shrubs and vines. All I want to do is stop and take it all in with my camera. But with six kilometres covered and another seven and a half to go, I find it easier to capture quick photos with my iPhone then my DSLR. [pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hGjQPNHOt6g/U1npnOd5AGI/AAAAAAAAB00/9NqYjAUbePA/s144-c-o/Windswept%252520Melaleucas.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108454826374315674707/LightToLightWalk#6006088438182903906″ caption=”Windswept Melaleucas” type=”image” alt=”Windswept Melaleucas.JPG” pe2_single_image_size=”w614″ pe2_img_align=”center” pe2_caption=”1″ ] Surrounded by remarkable natural beauty it is the pockets of deafening silence along the walk that blow me away. There are times when not a single sound can be heard. There are no sounds of the city or morning traffic, no whispers of wind through the leaves and surprisingly, no mimicry sounds of the lyrebird. Just absolute silence. It’s serene, calm and the moment I tune out my first world problems and throw myself into the walk–mind, body and soul. [pe2-image src=”http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rQoFwA13Hvc/U1npmFKJ9oI/AAAAAAAAB0k/3bV6VxrDP_U/s144-c-o/Dramatic%252520Coastline.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/108454826374315674707/LightToLightWalk#6006088418504341122″ caption=”Dramatic coastline” type=”image” alt=”Dramatic Coastline.JPG” pe2_single_image_size=”w614″ pe2_img_align=”center” pe2_caption=”1″ ] With so much to take in, I shift my focus to what I can hear as different birds begin to call out on our approach. The beacon calls of the Bellbird bounce off the tree trunks. Loud eerie wailings of yellow-tailed black cockatoos echo out across the treetops while whip-cracking cries of the Whipbirds make for drawn out duets through the leaves. Rather than counting the minutes, steps and kilometres I find my mind occupied with the life of the temperate forests, seascapes and plateaus that we walk through. Before I know it I’m enjoying a fresh ham and salad sandwich balanced on a boulder overlooking water views to die for. With more than 19,000 steps worn into the soles of my barely-broken in shoes, day one sees my body revert into a bit of a detox and although I thought I would struggle with the distance, there is an adrenalin rush powering me on. By the time we stumble upon our pick up point at Saltwater Creek, I’m ready to soothe my feet in its refreshingly cool waters and make our way to our accommodation for the night—Green Cape Lighthouse and its assistant lighthouse keeper cottages. * The Light to Light package will offer walkers a special rate at the Seahorse Inn in Boydtower for those arriving the day before.

Stay tuned for Day 2 tomorrow!

The essentials

What: Light to Light Walk (30km, 3-days)

Where: Boydtower to Green Cape Lighthouse

Who: Auswide (02) 6495 5555.

For more information visit www.greencapelighthouse.com.au