Bouddi National Park
From CoolRunning Australia
Back to Central Coast
Contents |
Distance
16km return
Level of difficulty
Very Challenging
Terrain
Sand trail/steps/trail/beach
Drinks/Toilet Stops
Putty Beach camping grounds
Other Useful Info
- See National Parks website about Bouddi
- Mosquitoes when wet
- Possibility of snakes during warmer months. Saw a red-bellied black snake in a rock crevice at Maitland Beach.
Parking
Free at Copacabana SLSC
Getting There
From Sydney take the Gosford turnoff on the F3 freeway. Follow the main road which becomes The Entrance Road. Turn Right at Avoca Drive. Follow this road to the end, where you meet with a roundabout and Kincumber Public School on the left.
Turn right where the road is still Avoca Drive (the left is Scenic Highway) and continue about 400m to another roundabout. At this roundabout turn left onto The Scenic Road and straight ahead onto Cullens Road at the next roundabout. Follow the signs to Copacabana, about a further 5 minutes drive away. Park on the left in the public carpark, opposite the Surf Life Saving Club. There is also free parking opposite the shops to the right.
Description
This is a very challenging run. I have heard one person describe two laps of this run as being far more difficult than the 45km Six Foot Track Marathon. You can decide for yourself. There are lots of steps, some narrow and short spaced, others wide and long spaced. It is undulating trail which sometimes widens to firetrail for a short while.
The run takes you across a few beaches, starting with Copacabana, McMasters, Little Beach, Maitland Beach and Putty Beach. The turnaround is at Putty Beach. For those requiring a less challenging run the return can be done via the Scenic Road back to McMasters Beach then along the beach back to Copacabana Beach.
Run Directions
On Copacabana beach, start running to your right. Run along to McMasters? Beach and follow the steps and concrete path up to McMaster? Parade. Turn left and follow this road to the end. It is a no through road with a track leading straight into Bouddi National Park at the end of the cul-de-sac.
Follow the trail signs to Little Beach. Once at Little Beach (which you don’t actually run along, but instead go across a wooden platform and look down upon Little Beach), wind your way up steps and follow the signs to Maitland Bay. There are small, steep steps straight down to Maitland Beach. Run across to the other side and latch onto the trail again.
At the intersection, there is Maitland Bay Track on the right (leading up to The Scenic Road). If you have had enough you can take this track and turn right onto The Scenic Road to head back to McMasters Beach. Otherwise, take the left track, which leads to Putty Beach. Putty Beach is the turnaround point for this run. You then return via the way you came, or if you want an easier run, head through the carpark and up to The Scenic Road and turn right for a 10km (approximately) run back to McMasters.
Cautionary Note: If you decide to take The Scenic Road back to McMasters Beach be careful of traffic. There are no footpaths on the roadside and some bends have little room to share the road with traffic.
There is an almost traffic free return route but it takes some finding. Leaving the car park at Putty beach look for the campsite on your right shortly after. At the back right corner is a rough bush track going straight up the hill and coming out in a residential street. Carry on up the hill to reach Scenic Road where you turn right. A short while later past the lookout is the Maitland Bay turnoff; ignore it but take the trail immediately after. This is the Strom fire trail which parallels the main road for a few pleasant km. Rejoin Scenic Road and carefully cross to the left hand side and shortly after is a gated MacMasters Ridge fire trail which starts with a very steep drop. Look for a smaller track to the right signposted "Little Valley Trail". When it finishes turn left in Damien Drive then right into Scenic Road. Left at the fork shortly afterwards has you back at the MacMasters Beach. From Putty to MacMasters this way is about 9km
