Friday 5 December 2014

DAY TRIP TO MANLY DAM







Quite a few years ago I lived in London and every Monday morning my colleagues would ask me, "So where did you go to this weekend?" Over the course of two years I saw more of the country than most of them had in years, if not a lifetime. And that was their words. Knowing that I was only going to be in the UK for a short period of time spurred me on. But there's always been something of the explorer within my blood. Having children hasn't erased that. Instead, it's reignited it.

Last weekend we took a day trip to Manly Dam. Here are some things we learnt.

Size
It was much larger than we expected. While it's not listed as a National Park, it felt like that in terms of its size. There are lots of bush tracks and options for water sports. You could easily fill an entire day here.

Water sports
The dam itself is a decent size, and was popular with people water skiing and kayaking. There is a ramp for ski jumps - and at one point we saw it get used as a slide for boogie boards. Swimming and splashing around near the water's edge was popular but nowhere near as busy as one of the nearby beaches. A few visitors took along inflatable boats and water toys.

Bush walking
There is one bush track that takes three hours to complete. We were content with walking across the dam's bridge, and turning back after about half an hour. It was a good introduction for the kids who hadn't been on a bushwalk before. They got to climb rocks, spot wildflowers and look out for animal tracks. 

Picnics
The area is well-catered to those who want to set up a barbecue. And some groups had reserved picnic tables for large get-togethers. We were content with relaxing on a blanket in front of the dam. There were no food vendors or kiosks in site, although there were public toilets.

images the indigo crew

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