by John New
We did this walk last in 2003 so it was well and truly time to do it again. Particularly because it is now listed in a recent publication - "Sydney's best dog parks, walks and places to play", 2009, by Catherine Proctor. It really is a very family-friendly walk, especially suitable for young beagles and children.
About 20 people and 17 beagles met near the designated meeting place at a carpark. The weather was a little cloudy, nicely warm, and mildly humid, with a very faint breeze. A few other walkers and cyclists were also enjoying the last day of summer in very pleasant surroundings.
We set off along the cycleway around a sports field and just followed the path past more sports fields, a few picnic areas, and a historic homestead. It was very green with wide grassy sections and lots of shady trees. The beagles found a lot to sniff and a few things to eat as we walked along. We had a lot of water stops and rest breaks as it became quite hot and humid during the walk. The beagles were really panting.
The path runs parallel to Chipping Norton Lake and, while it looked scenic, we saw a number of signs warning people not to eat fish caught in the lake because they might be toxic. A sad sign of the times. Fortunately the path is well away from the lake, giving no chance for our beagles to get near the water.
We almost reached the half-way mark but not quite. The weather became so hot and humid we decided to turn around a little early. We didn't miss much because the scenery at that point wasn't quite so interesting.
Back at the original meeting place the beagles collapsed with exhaustion, tired but happy after another very enjoyable walk.
by John New
It was a lovely day when we gathered for our walk along Chipping Norton Lake. Blue sky, a few white fluffy clouds, and a light breeze. We set off thinking "What a nice day for a walk". But that soon changed.
The dark storm clouds appeared first, then we felt a few drops of rain. We sheltered under some trees. As the rain got heavier we walked quickly to a handy undercover barbeque area. When it began to teem, we were glad to be under better cover. The beagles, however, became very anxious when the thunder and lightning started. A few had their tail between their legs and some of them just wanted to run.
Fortunately, the storm only lasted about 20 minutes. The rain stopped, the clouds cleared, the sun came out, and we set off again. As an added bonus for the beagles, there were now plenty of muddy puddles and probably stronger smells. They had a lovely time splashing around.
The walk itself was along easy flat concrete paths, and there were lots of wide open spaces, making the walk ideal for beagles on a long lead. We continued along the main path until we reached some construction work. Then we turned around and returned more or less along the same paths to a welcome snack and drink.
Our next walk is along the Cooks River where we'll look forward to seeing you and your beagles again.
Thanks to one of our (unnamed) walkers for providing these photos.
