Coastal Charity Walk operate the Byron Coastal Walk raising funds for Rescue Helicopter Service. 2021 was the 9th Byron Bay to Ballina Coastal walk, but the first time we entered a team for the 36km event.
Byron Bay Lighthouse and Tallow Beach
We had an early start, in time to catch the sunrise at Byron Bay before following the walking trail through beautiful Palm Valley up to the most easterly point in mainland Australia. Greetings to the lighthouse, dolphins out to sea, a view of the long sands of Tallow beach, before following the trail through forest down to the sea. Low tide was late morning, the sand was firm, the rain held off and the walking was easy.
Broken Head and Seven Mile Beach
There was a refreshment station as we exited the beach at Broken Head around the 12km mark. A quick drink and some fruit and we were on our way again. We loved the shady forest roads that climbed high up through Broken Head Nature Reserve, before dropping down to Seven Mile Beach. Another lengthy stretch of beach sand, with fisherman, dog walkers, and surfers along the way.
Lennox Head to Ballina
Lennox Head SLSC marked 24km. We got some coffee here and sat on a seaside bench to eat our sandwiches for lunch – peanut butter and honey is my magic fuel for a long walk. With the long beaches now behind us, we enjoyed the climb up to Lennox Head, the path through the swamp and then watching the many surfers at Boulders Beach.
Up and over Skennars Head, and then two short beaches, Sharpes and Angels. I could see a line of rocks out to see – was that the training walls for the Richmond River entrance? If so, it meant we were close to finished. We rounded the corner of Lighthouse Reserve, and there it was, the Finish Line! Volunteers greeted us enthusiastically to put medals around our necks.
The event was well organised and the coastal walk is a good one – put it in your diary for 2022!
Maybe one day I’ll walk all the glorious northern NSW coast. We’ve now added Byron to Ballina to the 200km coast from the Clarence River at Yamba to Smoky Cape at South West Rocks that we’ve previously walked. Some gaps to fill in!
